Special Collections

Sold on 4 December 2008

1 part

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A Collection of Medals to Offices and Ratings of H.M.S. Penelope

Lot

№ 1050

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5 December 2008

Hammer Price:
£360

Pair: Commissioned Boatman E. Churchill, Coast Guard, late Royal Navy

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89
, dated reverse, no clasp (A.B., H.M.S. Cockatrice); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Btm., H.M.S. Penelope), contact marks and edge bruising, good fine or better and the first rare (2) £180-220

Just 67 Medals were awarded to the crew of H.M.S. Cockatrice.

Eli Churchill was born at Puncknowle, Dorsetshire in June 1858 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in October 1873. He subsequently served off Egypt during his time aboard the gunboat H.M.S. Cockatrice (May 1881 to December 1885), and was advanced to Petty Officer 1st Class in the same period. A brief stint aboard the Penelope in March-May 1886 witnessed the award of his L.S. & G.C. Medal, just as he was transferring to the Coast Guard as a Boatman, and he was pensioned ashore as a Commissioned Boatman in April 1900. Churchill died in Ramsgate, Kent in May 1923; sold with a file of research, including copied service record and several modern day photographs of Puncknowle.