The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals

South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (S. J. Robins, Engr. R.N. H.M.S. “Himalaya”)

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

View
Collection

227 medals without clasp to the ship.
Samuel J. Robins was born on 5 April 1851, and entered the Navy in July 1872 as Assistant Engineer 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. INDUS. In this rank he served aboard the following ships and shore bases: Royal Navy School of Engineering, Keyham (1874), READY (September 1875), promoted to Engineer 5 June 1877 and appointed to HIMALAYA (June 1877), CYGNET (December 1877), RUPERT (February 1879), Royal Navy School for Engineer students (June 1880), INDUS (1881) for duties at Devonport Dockyard, FORWARD (December 1883). Promoted to Chief Engineer 4 August 1885 and joined MERCURY (December 1887) as Senior Engineer Officer, PEMBROKE (April 1892) for Engineer overseer duties in Dockyard, PENELOPE (July 1895) Senior Engineer Officer in Simons Town Dockyard, Cape of Good Hope, TAMAR (December 1898) as Chief Engineer at Hong Kong Dockyard, having been promoted to Staff Engineer on 4 August 1889, and to Fleet Engineer on 4 August 1893. He next joined PRESIDENT (August 1900) for service at the Admiralty in connection with Belleville Boilers. Promoted to Inspector of Machinery on 1 April 1900, to Engineer Rear Admiral on 1 April 1902, and appointed to IMPREGNABLE (January 1905) Flag ship C in C Plymouth as Base Engineer Rear Admiral. He retired on 14 May 1908. Although he served for 35 years during which time the Royal Navy was involved in numerous wars and campaigns, he received only the one medal. The Navy List states that he passed a special course at the Royal School of Naval Architecture and the Royal Naval College at Greenwich. He died circa 1926, aged 76 years.