The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals

Four: Canada General Service 1866-70, 1 clasp, Fenian Raid 1866 (Midshipman C. K. Purvis, H.M.S. Fawn); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Alexandria 11th July (Lieut. C. K. Purvis, R.N. H.M.S. “Penelope”); Order of Osmanieh, 4th class breast badge, silver-gilt, gold and enamels; Khedive’s Star 1882, mounted on a contemporary wearing bar, nearly extremely fine and an important group (4)

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

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See colour plate IV.

Only 7 ‘Fenian Raid 1866’ clasps to H.M.S. Fawn.

Charles Purvis was born on 26 September 1849. He joined the service as a Naval Cadet aboard H.M.S. BRITANNIA on 10 March 1863, and joined the Fleet as a Midshipman aboard H.M.S. FAWN on 14 December 1864 remaining in her until 1868. Whilst serving aboard H.M.S. ROYAL OAK (1868-72) he gained his first stripe as a Sub Lieutenant on 16 June 1869. He then served aboard H.M.S. TOPAZE (1872-73) receiving promotion to Lieutenant to date from 23 September 1873. His subsequent vessels were H.M. Ships HORNET (1875-80), PENELOPE (November 1881 - September 1882), ORONTES (12 September - 2 October 1882) and Haslar Hospital (October 1882 - January 1883). He was promoted to Commander for his services in Egypt to date from 18 November 1882. In 1884 he was posted to serve in the Coast Guard, returning to a sea appointment commanding H.M.S. FLORA (1887-89), finally serving in the harbour based vessel AUDACIOUS (1890-96). Purvis retired with the rank of Captain on 27 October 1896 and died on 2 June 1916.

In the Egyptian war zone there were two offensively armed devices often referred to as "Armed Trains", but in reality they were no more than specially armed trucks, one manned by seamen and the other by marines which saw service at Kassassin and Tel-el-Kebir. The ‘tar's’ four-wheeled gun-truck had steel plated sides that were ‘fairly bullet proof’, with sandbags hung around the outside of the car. An awning was fitted to this open topped truck on which was fitted a 40-pounder gun. A separate box-car similarly fitted with steel side plates and sandbags had two compartments for the 230 shells (mostly shrapnel) and charges, entrance to each magazine being only from the top. Since no steam engines could be obtained, this navally manned (from PENELOPE) armed contrivance was pulled from Ismailia to Nefiche by 16 horses, four abreast, on 26 August. On 1st September it was taken to Kassassin and participated in an action on the 9th September in defence of Kassassin Camp against an Egyptian reconnaissance party. The officer in charge of this "Armoured Train" was Lieutenant Charles K. Purvis R.N. and his 2nd in Command, Sub Lieutenant James Erskine. Both these officers with a party of twenty bluejackets had been working the train on the line a little beyond the camp, when the enemy turned their guns on it. Purvis and Erskine had dismounted from the train to take some observations. They were standing close together when a shell burst near them, a small portion of which struck Purvis on the foot, tearing a portion of it off, necessitating immediate amputation at the ankle joint.

Subsequently on his way to Ismailia to be placed aboard the ORONTES he was struck by a tow rope, which brought on inflammation and made a second amputation above the ankle imperative. On Christmas Eve 1882 he was one of only two officers in the R.N. Hospital Haslar from the Egyptian Campaign who received his Egypt Campaign Medal from the hand of his Sovereign, Queen Victoria. Purvis had been mentioned in a despatch by General Sir G. Wolseley with these words: ‘In command of detachment working 40-pounder on truck; regrets very much the loss of his valuable services.’