Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas

Five: Captain John Liddell, Royal Navy, who served with distinction in the Baltic and Crimean campaigns, and later commanded Aurora on the Canadian lakes during the Fenian uprising in 1866

Baltic 1854-55 (John Liddell, Mid. St George.) contemporary engraved naming; Crimea 1854-56, 2 clasps, Sebastopol, Azoff (John Liddell. Mid. Miranda); Canada General Service 1866-70, 1 clasp, Fenian Raid 1866 Commander J. Liddell, H.M.S. Aurora) impressed naming; Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class breast badge, silver, gold and enamel; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed, contemporary copy by ‘J.B.’, mounted for display, the first two very fine, otherwise nearly extremely fine (5) £1,800-£2,200

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

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Alan Hall Collection, June 2000.

John Liddell was born on 21 March 1838 and entered the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet in 1852. Promoted Midshipman in 1854, he served aboard Miranda, Captain E. M. Lyons, during the Baltic Campaign. In May 1854 a small squadron of three ships comprising Brisk, Eurydice and Miranda were despatched to blockade the Russian port of Archangel and other ports on the Kola inlet. The Squadron served on this station for five months before returning to Portsmouth in October. The officers and men were later awarded the Baltic Medal.

In December 1854 the Miranda joined the Black Sea Fleet where Captain E. M. Lyons was to serve under his father Vice-Admiral Lord Lyons, Naval Commander in Chief. During the attack on Taganrog Midshipman Liddell served in Miranda’s 1st Cutter in charge of Lieutenant J. F. C. Mackenzie who was also Second in Command of the Boat Expedition. His services during this commando type raid were favourably noted and he was Mentioned in the Despatch published in the London Gazette of 13 June 1855, Vice-Admiral Lord Lyons having previously favourably mentioned him in his letter dated 6 June 1855. For service in the Crimea he received the Medal with clasps 'Sebastopol', and 'Azoff’ and was also awarded the Turkish Crimean Medal and the Order of Medjidie, 5th Class, being one of the most junior officers thus honoured. Having passed his examination he was promoted to Mate on 21 March 1857, and appointed to the Royal Albert. In July 1857 he was appointed to the Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert and on leaving this vessel received promotion to Lieutenant on 13 September 1858.

His first appointment as a Lieutenant was to Nile, Flagship North America and West Indies Station, which he joined in January 1859. Shortly afterwards he was transferred to the frigate Doris, March 1859. In January 1862 he was appointed Flag-Lieutenant to Vice-Admiral Sir Houston Stewart, Commander in Chief Devonport flying his Flag aboard Royal Adelaide. He was much praised by Admiral Stewart and on leaving the ship he was specially promoted on 3 November 1865, to Commander at the very young age of 27 years.

In December 1865 he underwent a Steam Course and obtained a 2nd Class Certificate and, in March 1856, he was appointed 2nd in Command of the Steam Frigate Aurora, Captain A. F. R. De Horsey, serving with the North American and West Indies Squadron. Following the Fenian uprisings in Canada in May 1866 Aurora was detached for service on the Canadian Lakes, Captain de Horsey became the senior naval officer. The officers and men from Aurora were used to man the smaller gun boats patrolling the Canadian Lakes. This service was recognised in 1899 by the award of the Canada General Service Medal with Clasp 'Fenian Raid 1866'.

On paying off from Aurora in December 1867 he spent a short period on shore before being appointed in March 1870 to the Coast Guard Service, where he served as Divisional Inspecting Officer at Exmouth and later Swanage. In January 1873 he was appointed to the Command of the Steam Gun Vessel Swallow, serving on the North American and West Indies Station. On paying off from Swallow in October 1873 he somewhat surprisingly took the decision to retire with the rank of Captain at the comparatively young age of 35 years, ending what had seemed to be a very promising career. His death at the age of 74 years was announced in The Times of 25 July 1912 as follows:

‘Captain John Liddell who died on 23 July 1912 aged 74 years spent the greater part of his 20 years service in the Royal Navy aboard sailing ships. He saw service in the Baltic and Crimean Campaigns, in the latter he was twice gazetted for his services at Taganarog and received the Order of the Medjidie 5th Class, He was in Command of HMS Aurora on the Canadian Lakes during the Fenian Uprising in 1866. At his own request he retired from the Royal Navy in October 1873.’

Sold with copied record of service and other research.