Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas

The superb campaign group of seven awarded to Paymaster Captain W. R. Dodridge, Royal Navy

Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (W. R. Dodridge. Clerk, R.N. H.M.S. Beacon. 73-74.); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Alexandria 11th July (W. R. Dodridge. Ast. Paymr. R.N. H.M.S. “Cygnet”) rank officially corrected; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (W. R. Dodridge, Asst. Paymr. R.N. H.M.S. Bacchante) officially impressed naming; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (St. Paymr. W. R. Dodridge, R.N. H.M.S. Gibraltar.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Payr. Mr. in Ch. W. R. Dodridge. R.N.); Coronation 1911, unnamed as issued; Khedive’s Star, dated 1882, with Tokar clasp, unnamed as issued, mounted for display, good very fine or better, the last very rare (7) £2,600-£3,000

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

Alan Hall Collection, June 2000.

Approximately 14 Tokar clasps issued to Royal Navy officers, including 7 to H.M.S. Dolphin.

William Reid Dodridge was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on 6 July 1853. He entered the Royal Navy as an Assistant Clerk in December 1870, was promoted to Clerk in December 1871, Assistant Paymaster in December 1874, Paymaster in June 1890, Staff Paymaster in June 1896, and Fleet Paymaster in June 1898. He reached the pinnacle of his profession on promotion to Paymaster in Chief in 1909, which rank was later changed to Paymaster Captain. He retired in 1911 after 40 years service including time spent on shore with Naval Brigades in Ashantee in 1873, in Burma during 1885 and in the Sudan in 1891.

The rare aspect of this group is not in the 4 different campaign medals, which are however not common, but in the 'Tokar' Clasp on the Khedives Star. No British medal was issued for the action at Tokar in the Sudan, which took place on 19 February 1891. Those officers and men from H.M. Ships Dolphin and Sandfly became entitled to an undated Star and Clasp, or Clasp only if already in possession of a Star for previous service. Dodridge was Paymaster of Dolphin from September 1890 to October 1893, during which period the ship assisted the Egyptian Army with transport duties at Tokar.

Recalled for service in World War I, he served on shore at President and Fisgard, and received the British War Medal. He died on 5 January 1928, aged 75.

Sold with copied record of service.