Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Captain of the Forecastle James Thompson, Royal Navy, a member of Shannon’s Naval Brigade

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (James Thomson. C.F.C. H.M.S. Simoom) contemporary engraved naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed, pierced with rings for suspension; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (Jas. Thompson, Capt. Forecastle. Shannon) mounted in this order from an attractive floral-engraved silver bar as worn, nearly extremely fine (3) £1000-1200

James Thompson was born in Newton Stewart, Co. Tyrone, in August 1813. He did not enter the Royal Navy until March 1848, at the relatively mature age of 34 years 6 months, having by then seen considerable service in the Merchant Navy. He was immediately rated as Able Seaman in H.M.S. Ganges. In October 1849 he was advanced to 2nd Captain of the Forecastle, equivalent to Petty Officer 2nd Class, and in July 1850 to Captain of the Forecastle, or Petty Officer 1st Class. In January 1852 he entered Simoom, one of the earliest warships to be propelled by steam, converted for use as a troopship and used to convey troops to the Crimea in 1854. Simoom afterwards took part in the bombardment of Sebastopol.

In September 1856, Thompson was moved to Shannon and served in India with the Naval Brigade in the operations that resulted in the capture of Lucknow. Shannon returned to England and was paid off in January 1859, Thompson being briefly placed in Victory before being drafted to Algiers, and advanced to Chief Captain of the Forecastle in July 1859. He was transferred to Asia, in which ship he completed the 10-years Continuous Service for which he had volunteered, and immediately signed on again to complete 20 years service. In January 1864 he moved to Duncan, where he remained until June 1867, when he joined his final ship, Duke of Wellington. here he remained until his final discharge in March 1868. Although he did receive a Navy pension it does not appear that he ever received the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Sold with full record of service and copied medal roll entries. Although his surname is spelt without a ‘p’ on his Crimea medal, it is spelt Thompson throughout on his service records and medal rolls.