Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Captain Hardy McHardy, Royal Navy, later Chief Constable for Ayrshire

Baltic 1854-55 (Mid. Hardy McHardy. R.N.); China 1857-60, 3 clasps, Fatshan 1857, Canton 1857, Taku Forts 1858 (Mid. Hardy McHardy. R.N.) both medals with contemporary engraved naming in upright capitals, better than very fine (2) £600-£800

Hardy McHardy was born in Chelmsford, Essex, in October 1840, son of Captain (later Admiral) John Bunch Bonnemaison McHardy, R.N., Chief Constable of the Essex Constabulary. Hardy McHardy joined the Navy as a Naval Cadet in July 1854; Sub-Lieutenant, 7 December 1859; Lieutenant, 27 March 1860; Commander, 4 April 1870; Captain Retired, 13 November 1881.

He served in the Colossus in the Baltic during the Russian war (Baltic Medal); as Midshipman of the Raleigh and Calcutta during the second China war (China Medal); took part in the actions in Escape Creek, 25th May, and Fatshan Creek, 1st June 1857 (Fatshan Clasp), and with the Naval Brigade at the operations against Canton, including the attack and capture, December 1857 (Canton Clasp); also with the Brigade at the taking of the Taku Forts, May 1858 (Taku Clasp); in charge of Calcutta’s pinnace, was, on various occasions, in action with pirates in the China seas. He was afterwards Chief Constable for Ayrshire for many years from 1877, and was still living in 1913.