Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas (Part I)

The rare Boxer Rebellion C.G.M. group of four awarded to Leading Seaman Herbert George, H.M.S. Orlando, for gallantry at Hsiku, Taku Forts, in June 1900

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, V.R., 2nd issue (Herbert E. George, Leadg. Seaman R.N. China 1900) officially engraved naming; China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (H. George, Lg. Smn., H.M.S. Orlando); British War Medal 1914-18 (162772 H. E. George, P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (162772 H. E. George, Boatn. H.M. Coast Guard) light contact marks, otherwise very fine and better (4) £16,000-£20,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

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Collection

Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, February 1997.

Only 8 Conspicuous Gallantry Medals were awarded for services in China 1900.

C.G.M. London Gazette 22 March 1901: ‘For services in connection with the recent operations in China.’

The following recommendation was submitted by Commander C. D. Granville on 16 November 1900 (Ref S.316/1900):

‘Close by the Taku Forts on 22 June Able Seamen George and Turner were in the leading junk conveying twenty wounded men down the river, which had got some distance ahead of the other junks, when a heavy fire was suddenly opened from the Chinese troops on the right bank at forty yards distance, killing two of the Seamen Guard, wounding one Chief Petty Officer and one American seaman.

The men manning the two ropes on the left bank took cover and the junk was left drifting down stream towards the Chinese on the right bank. Turner and George, who formed part of the guard in the junk, at once hauled up and manned the empty sampan which the junk was towing. They succeeded in towing their junk back 200 yards against the stream into safety behind a bend in the river where other junks were lying.

Surgeon Pickerton of H.M.S. Centaur, who was in the junk in charge of the wounded, is of the opinion that it was owing to the behaviour of these two seamen that the lives of many if not all in the junk were saved.’

The following report was submitted by Captain B. H. McCalla, U.S. Navy:

‘Edward Turner, Leading Seaman, and Herbert George, Able Seaman, were part of the guard in one of the junks in which there were British and American wounded and which on the 22 June (1900) at Hsiku drifted across the river under a heavy fire and grounded on the bank occupied by the Chinese. These two men sprang overboard pushed the junk clear of the bank, manned an empty sampan and towed the junk out of the line of the enemy fire, though this was not accomplished until three of the wounded in the junk had been killed.’ It is interesting to note that Captain McCalla was the only American recipient of the British medal for China, presented to him through the British Embassy at Washington in June 1903.

On 24 April 1901 the American Ambassador forwarded two gold medals awarded by the Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York to be presented to George and Turner in recognition of their services to a drifting junk filled with American and British wounded at Taku on 22 June 1900. George's medal was presented to him aboard H.M.S. Duke of Wellington on 30 July 1901, in the presence of the ships officers and men. George was also granted an annuity of £10 per annum to accompany the C.G.M. on attaining the rate of Petty Officer 1st Class.

Herbert Edward George was born in Leyton, Essex, on 27 March 1876, and entered the service as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Impregnable on 2 September 1891, when aged 15 years. Whilst serving in Orlando he was landed as part of the Naval Brigade and took part in the operations to relieve Pekin. He was specially advanced to Leading Seaman on 10 August 1900, for services in China, and received his China medal personally from H.M. King Edward VII. He was advanced to Petty Officer in July 1902 and, in November 1903, volunteered to join the Coast Guard Service. He was posted to the Eastern District at Clacton as a Boatman in November 1903, subsequently serving at Cleethorpes, being advanced to Leading Boatman in June 1911 and transferred to the Southern District, Kingston on Sea in November 1913. He was advanced to Petty Officer (Coast Guard) in January 1916 and transferred to the Scottish District at St Abbs Head in July 1916. He served next at Kingston on Sea and returned to St Abbs Head in January 1918, being demobilised on 8 March 1919. He was awarded his L.S. & G.C. medal in April 1909 whilst serving with the Coast Guard Service at Cleethorpes.

Sold with copied record of service.