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

The unusual campaign pair awarded to Chief Engineer S. H. Stevenson, Royal Indian Marine

India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Burma 1887-89, Chin Lushai 1889-90 (Asst. Engr. S. H. Stevenson H.M.I.M.S. “Irrawaddy”); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Engineer S. H. Stevenson, R.I.M.S. Dalhousie) impressed naming, edge bruise to each medal, otherwise toned, good very fine and rare (2) £1,000-£1,400

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; John Cooper Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, April 2001.

Samuel Hedgert Stevenson was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland, on 25 August 1863. He was trained at the G. & S.W. Railway Company, Barr Morrison’s Engineering Works, Tait & Watson Company, and in H.M.I.M. Dockyard Factory. He joined the Indian Marine as a Temporary Assistant Engineer aboard Tenasserim in January 1886, and confirmed as an Assistant Engineer on 17 March 1886. He then served aboard Canning (December 1887), and Irrawaddy (November 1888) during the 1887-89 military operations in Burma. Promoted to Assistant Engineer in Charge, he next joined Pagan (September 1890) and returned to Irrawaddy in October 1890 in the rank of Assistant Engineer. During the expeditions against the Chin and Lushai Tribes the Irrawaddy acted as transport and support vessel for the military land operations, and he thus became entitled to the clasp ‘Chin-Lushai 1889-90’. He next joined Enterprize (July 1891), returned to Irrawaddy (July 1891), and on promotion to Engineer 2 November 1891 joined Mayo (December 1891). He was appointed Engineer in Charge of Ghurkha and Calcutta Yard Craft (April 1892) and served in this capacity until promoted to Engineer on joining Warren Hastings (March 1894), and Canning (May 1895). He was appointed Foreman of the Factory at Bombay Dockyard (July 1895), and Inspector of Machinery-Superintending (April 1897), reverting to the previous appointment in July 1897.

In the rank of Engineer he was appointed to Hardinge (June 1900), and Dalhousie (April 1904) and served in the latter ship in Somali waters in 1904. He joined the Bombay Dockyard (December 1905) ‘for General Duties’, and was next afloat aboard Elphinstone (December 1905), Hardinge (July 1907), Lawrence (May 1907), Hardinge (September 1907), Dalhousie (March 1908), and Dufferin (February 1910). He was permitted to Retire on 26 January 1911 having served for 25 years. His service record carries the note ‘Is a very able and zealous Officer, takes an intelligent interest in all matters relating to his profession and has ideas of his own which will no doubt cause him in time to be looked upon as one suitable for the highest posts open to Engineers’.