Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Arctic Medal 1818-55 (William Wood Master R.N. H.M.S. Hecla.) very neatly privately engraved, with attractive silver ribbon brooch with engraved decoration of a Queen’s crown, a twist of rope and four small anchors, nearly extremely fine £1,800-£2,200

William Wood was born in Deal, Kent in 1795 or 1796. He was educated at the ‘Establishment of the Poor Boys in the Royal Hospital at Greenwich’ and, on 25 February 1811 (aged about 15), was indentured as an Apprentice for 7 years to John Wood, Master of the Navy Transport H.M.S. Assistance. He was promoted to Able Seaman on 25 February 1818, joining H.M.S. Hecla on 10 April 1819 at Deptford.
On 19 April 1821, he was examined by Trinity House and found to be ‘qualified to take charge as Second Master and Pilot of any of His Majesty's Ships of the Line.’ On 4 November 1822, he joined H.M.S. Tartar as Second Master, and remained in her until 28 February 1826, having been promoted to Acting Master on 14 December 1824.
On 2 March 1826, he ‘qualified to take charge as Master of any of His Majesty's Sloops or smaller vessels, from the Downs through the Channel to the Westwards and Pilot into Spithead through the Needles and Plymouth Sound.’
On 18 March 1826, he was appointed Master of the brig-sloop H.M.S. Parthian, transferring to H.M.S. Raleigh on 14 October 1827, and to H.M.S. Samarang, on 14 January 1829. On 4 November 1830, he ‘qualified to take charge as Master of any of His Majesty's Ships of the Fifth and Sixth Rate’, and joined H.M.S. Dublin on 9 June 1831.
On 13 November 1834, he ‘qualified to take charge as Master of any of Her Majesty's Ships of the Third and Fourth Rates’. However despite this fresh qualification he was on half-pay for the next 13 years until he joined the Coast Guard on 5 December 1847. His Record of Service shows that, on 4 May 1852, he was at last ‘qualified for Line of Battle Ships’ - but was never employed in this rôle.
He served as a Master in the Coast Guard from 5 December 1847 to 10 June 1863, and on 11 June he was promoted to Staff Commander before retiring on 31 January 1864, at the age of about 68. He served for 8 years and 200 days at sea and for 16 years and 62 days in the Coast Guard ashore. In September 1880 he is shown as the senior retired Staff Commander on reserved Half Pay and as a Navigating Lieutenant (a new designation for Master). In October 1883 he is shown as ‘Naval Pensioner’, late Out-Pensioner of Greenwich Hospital. He is still recorded as alive in March 1885, but in December 1885 it is remarked that his death had been reported ‘since 26 September 1885’.

Accompanied by extensive copied research. Note that the rank of Master has been engraved on the medal despite the fact that the recipient was actually an Able Seaman in H.M.S. Hecla at the time he qualified for the medal, but by the time the medal was issued he had been promoted Master (in the Coast Guard).