The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals

South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (95813 G. Sponder, Ord. Sea. H.M.S. “Boadicea”) naming impressed in a later style, nearly extremely fine

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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247 medals without clasp to the ship. This medal is a late duplicate issue, despatched on 8 April 1918.
George Sponder was born on 28 December 1860 at Ramsgate, Kent. He joined the service as Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. DUNCAN on 20 April 1876. Drafted to H.M.S. BOADICEA as Boy 1st Class in November 1878, advanced to Ord in March 1879 and to A.B. in February 1882, two months prior to being paid off. Whilst aboard BOADICEA he fought at the battle of Majuba Hill, 27 February 1881, where he received a slight gunshot wound of the right side of the abdomen. He was also mentioned in Sub Lieutenant Scott’s despatch dated 1 March 1881:

“I at once took my men over to the point where the enemy were attackin; they had not gained the top, but were apparently close up; the 92nd and part of the 58th were firing on them. I could not see the remainder of the Naval Brigade on account of the rising ground, the greater part of them were on the right front of the mountain with Lieutenant Trower. A great number of wounded were in the hollow. On getting near the General (Sir George Colley) I received an order from him by Mr Hay, correspondent of the Dailey News, to take my men back to their former position.

A few minutes after arriving there I saw our forces beginning to retire down both sides of the mountain towards the camp, and the retreat then became general. The Boers had gained the top of the hill, and were coming across in great numbers to cut off the men retreating. I then retired with my six men down the path by which we ascended. The enemy poured a tremendous fire down the sides of the mountain, so that we were obliged to scatter, and make the best of our way out of range.

Lieutenant Morgan, of the 58th regiment, came down the hill with me, also Able Seaman W. Kemp and Ordinary Seaman George Sponder - both of whom were wounded. Most of the men lost their arms in retreating, the sides of the mountain being almost perpendicular where they were obliged to come down.”

He deserted from H.M.S. HERCULES in August 1882 but was not apprehended until February 1883, when he was sentenced to serve 60 days in gaol. He was subsequently punished on three separate occasions to terms in cells before being invalided out of the service in November 1888. He was called up, aged 54 years, to serve as an Able Seaman on 2 August 1914 until demobilized from Chatham Barracks on 12 September 1916, earning the British War Medal.