A Collection of Medals for the Ashantee War 1873-74

Four: Barman and Domestic 2nd Class Frank Batchelor, Royal Navy

Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (F. Batchelor. Dom: 2. Cl. H.M.S. Simoom. 73-74); South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (F. Batchelor. Dom: 2 Cl. H.M.S. “Tamar”); Egypt & Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp (F. Batchelor, Barman. Dom: 2 Cl: H.M.S. “Tamar”); Khedive’s Star 1882, unnamed, nearly extremely fine and rare (4) £700-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals for the Ashantee War 1873-74.

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Ex Douglas-Morris Collection, October 1996.

Frank Batchelor was born in Fareham, Hants on 16 December 1845 and joined the service as Wardroom Servant aboard H.M.S. Asia on 8 December 1864. His next duty carried a title of considerable rarity and interest, “Cadet's Servant 2nd Class”, when he became one of many Domestics mirroring the functions of Second Valets in country homes to the future ‘Young Gentlemen’ and erstwhile Admirals of Her Britannic Majesty's Navy. Since 1858 naval cadets had been universally trained afloat, first aboard H.M.S. Illustrious which was superseded by H.M.S. Britannia, a name inseparable today from initial training of officers. He served aboard Britannia from February 1866 until drafted to H.M.S. Himalaya for her three year commission commencing in March 1868, as one of the Captain’s Servants. In May 1873 he joined H.M.S. Simoom to earn his first campaign medal for the Ashantee war, and later in October 1876 was drafted to H.M.S. Tamar for participation in the Zulu and Egyptian wars. Only the medal roll for the Egypt campaign gives the clue that his duty by now was that of Barman, his service papers merely record his rank as the unglamorous title Domestic 2nd Class, and by good fortune the engraver included his function and his Rate on the edge of his award.