Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Victoria Cross, a contemporary copy, the reverse of the suspension bar engraved ‘M. Scholefield. A.B.’, the reverse of the Cross dated ‘Nov 5th. 1854’, on Naval riband, very fine £100-£150

V.C. London Gazette 24 February, 1857:
‘Thomas Reeves, Seaman, James Gorman, Seaman and Mark Scholefield, Seaman. At the Battle of Inkermann, 5 November 1854, when the Right Lancaster Battery was attacked, these three seaman mounted the Banquette, and under a heavy fire made use of the disabled soldiers’ muskets, which were loaded for them by others under the parapet. They are the survivors of five who performed the above action. (Letter from Sir S. Lushington, 7th June, 1856)’

Mark Scholefield was born in Middlesex in April 1828 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second class in 1846. He was appointed to H.M.S. Albion as an ordinary seaman in October 1850 and was later Coxwain of the barge. He left the Albion soon after the Crimea War had finished and next saw action in the Second China War, when he was aboard H.M.S. Acorn at the bombardment and capture of Canton in 1857. He was a Quartermaster and Petty Officer when he died at sea aboard the same ship in February 1858—his only estate was his back pay, which amounted to less than £100.

Note: The recipient’s original Victoria Cross was sold at Glendinings on 19 May 1965 and again in Spink’s Numismatic Circular, April 1998. In the former sale it was sold with a Crimea 2 clasp and a China 1857-60 2 clasp medal, both unnamed; in the latter, with an officially impressed Crimea 2 clasps and an unnamed Turkish Crimea.