Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1845 to 1846 (W. Traveller, Painter, H.M.S. Osprey) officially impressed naming, some light scratches to obverse field, otherwise good very fine £1,600-£2,000

Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, October 1996; Dix Noonan Webb, March 2008.

11 medals with these reverse dates issued to H.M.S. Osprey, 7 R.N. ratings and 4 R.M. N.C.Os. and men, all of whom were lent to H.M.S. North Star. Of these, 7 are known, 3 to R.N. ratings and 4 to R.M. N.C.Os. and men. Approximately 160 medals with these dates issued to the Royal Navy. William Traveller's medal was sent on 25 October 1870.

William Traveller was born on 27 May 1820, at Brighton, Sussex. He joined the service as an Ordinary Seaman in March 1840 and continued to serve almost continuously until May 1879, when he was awarded the LS & GC Medal after serving for 37 reckonable years.

The brig Osprey, 10-32pdr and 2-18pdr guns, was launched at Portsmouth Dockyard on 2 April 1844. She was wrecked on 11 March 1846, off Hokianga, New Zealand. “The beautiful man-of-war, the Osprey brig, 12 guns, was lost 12 miles north of Hokianga on Wednesday 11th at 3 p.m. The previous day she had stood in to Hokianga and fired two guns to announce to the pilot that she had arrived, and stood off for the night in bad weather and visibility. The next day she stood in again, and entered the breakers of 'False Hokianga'. Thinking she was crossing the bar, she stood on under sail and finally struck. Guns were thrown overboard to lighten ship, but at low tide she was high and dry, and the ship's company was able to disembark. The heads at False Hokianga are very similar to the entrance to Hokianga proper.” (The White Ensign in New Zealand, J. O'C. Ross refers).