Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

China 1842 (Charles Bell, Commander H.M.S. Hazard.) fitted with original suspension, light marks, otherwise very fine £1600-2000

Charles Bell was born in 1799, second son of the late Matthew Bell, Esq., of Woolsington, High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1797, by Sarah Frances, daughter of Charles J. Brandling, Esq., of Gosforth House, in that county, formerly M.P. for Newcastle-upon-Tyne; next brother of the present Matthew Bell, Esq., of Woolsington, M.P. for the southern division of Northumberland, and a Deputy-Lieutenant; and brother-in-law of Sir John James Walsham, Bart., of Knill Court, county Hereford.

He entered the Navy on 2 May 1812, as Third-class Volunteer, on board the Bulwark 74, Captain James Andrew Worth, bearing the flag in Basque Roads of Sir Philip Charles Durham; served, from December 1813 to March 1814, latterly as Midshipman, in the Porcupine 24, and Surveillante 38, both commanded by Captain Robert Elliott, on the north coast of Spain; afterwards joined the Eurotas 38, Captains Robert Bloye and James Lillicrap, cruising off Cork; was next, between July 1815 and January 1818, transferred, in succession, to the Severn 40, Captain Joseph Nourse, Malta 80, Captain Thomas Gordon Caulfeild, and Tigris 36, Captain Robert Henderson, on the Home station; and then sailed for the East Indies in the Liverpool 40, Captain Frances Augustus Collier, under whom we find him, in January 1820, actively employed against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, where Ras-al-Khyma, their principal resort and head-quarters, was taken, the fortifications destroyed, all their vessels burnt or sunk, and a large quantity of treasure seized. In May 1821, Mr. Bell returned home, as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Alligator, Captain James Wilkie; and, on 9 November following, he was officially promoted. He subsequently joined the Revenge 76, flag-ship in the Mediterranean of Sir Harry Burrard Neale, 20 March 1823; served from 16 November 1826, until October 1827, on board the Ariadne 26, Captain Adolphus FitzClarence, on the same station; then removed to the Cambrian 48, Captain Gawen William Hamilton, in time to act a part in the battle of Navarino; and was finally wrecked, 31 January 1828.

He obtained a second promotal commission on 23 July 1830; and, from 29 September 1841, until the period of his death, commanded the Hazard 18, on the China Station where war was in progress and Hazard was actively engaged in operations (Medal). In early 1844 Hazard was deployed to New Zealand, by way of San Blas in Mexico, Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa and Sydney. The ship arrived in Sydney on 18 May, reporting that on arrival at Tahiti an officer sent ashore and the boat’s crew were taken prisoner by the French authorities who shortly released them with the message that no British subjects were to land on the Island. This decision had resulted from the fact that the French were then actively engaged in hostilities with the local population and had a week or so earlier lost 80 men in an engagement. Hazard did not stay long in Sydney, and in the early hours of 12 July Hazard anchored off Sandspit (now Devonport) in the Waitemata Harbour, opposite the town of Auckland and the seat of government. From then until October 1845 the ship was employed at the direction of the Governor. However when the ship arrived in Auckland in July 1844, Commander Bell was taken ill and remained ashore, going to the Bay of Islands for health reasons in the Government Brig Victoria. On the night of 9 August he fell over the side and although recovered, died shortly after being brought back on board and was buried in the churchyard at Kororareka.

For the medal presented to his elder brother see lot 1110.