Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Baltic and Crimean War C.B. group awarded to Admiral Hon. S. T. Carnegie, Royal Navy

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge in gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1815, maker’s mark ‘IN’ for John Northam, with wide swivel-ring suspension and gold ribbon buckle, one replacement Lion embellishment; Baltic 1854-55, unnamed as issued; Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol, unnamed as issued; Spain, Order of St Ferdinand, 3rd class breast cross, gold and enamels, and 1st class breast badge, gold and enamels, this chipped in places; Turkey, Order of the Medjidie, 4th class breast badge, silver with gold and enamel centre and crescent suspension, with set of five related miniatures, the C.B. in gold and enamels, with Turkish Crimea but excluding Spanish award, these mounted on a five-buckle silver brooch by E. & E. Emanuel with gold retaining pin, all contained in a contemporary fitted glazed case with silvered metal plaque inscribed ‘Adml. The Honble. S. T. Carnegie, C.B., Died Novr. 29th 1879’, unless otherwise described, generally good very fine (11) £3000-4000

Ex Sotheby Northesk sale December 1994.

The Honourable Swynfen Thomas Carnegie was born in 1813, third son of William, 7th Earl of Northesk, hero and third in command at the battle of Trafalgar. He entered the Royal Navy in August 1826, receiving promotion to Lieutenant in April 1832 and Commander in June 1838. He saw active service aboard H.M.S. Castor off Spain, 1835-37, being awarded the Order of St Ferdinand. He was Member of Parliament for Stafford from 1841 to 1847. Promoted to Captain in 1845, he was given command of H.M.S. Horatio.

During the Baltic and Crimean operations of 1854-55, with the rank of Captain, he commanded H.M.S. Tribune during the attack on Fort Constantine and at the destruction of a fort on the coast of Circassia, and was later in command of H.M.S. Leander. He was created a Companion of the Bath (London Gazette 5 July 1855) and awarded the Order of the Medjidie. Carnegie later commanded H.M.S. Edinburgh before being appointed Fourth Naval Lord in 1859. He went on to be Captain of H.M.S. Colossus in 1862, and Commodore of the Coast Guard Service at Harwich in 1863. He was promoted to Vice-Admiral in January 1870, full Admiral in 1876, and died on 29 November 1879.