The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Alexandria 11th July (H. Sayer, Ch. Offr. C.G. H.M.S. “Penelope”) nearly extremely fine and scarce to a Coast Guard recipient

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

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Henry Sayer was born in Birchington, Kent, on 3 January 1837. First entered as a Boy 1st Class aboard H.M.S. WATERLOO on 26 January 1854 and drafted to H.M.S. CHILDERS for a full commission (1855-58) where he received advancement to Ord in January 1856, to Able Seaman in October 1856 and to Leading Seaman a year later. Obviously an excellent seaman he subsequently served aboard H.M.S. MONARCH (1859-60) where he served as a Quarter Master and Bosun's Mate, having been made unusually a Petty Officer 1st Class, direct from Leading Seaman, in June 1859 whilst serving aboard QUEEN CHARLOTTE. Whilst aboard FORTE (1860-64) he was made Chief Bosun's Mate during March 1861. He then opted to join the Coast Guard service, losing pay since he could only transfer to the lower rank of Boatman on 22 October 1864. However, in September 1869 he was transferred to H.M.S. PENELOPE as a Commissioned Boatman, rising to Chief Boatman in June 1870. He then received direct promotion to Acting Chief Officer on 13 October 1873, receiving confirmation in this rank in January 1874. If he had been promoted to Officer rank in March 1875 he would have been eligible to receive the narrow LS & GC medal which allowed only ten years service. As it was he had just under nineteen years servitude of adult time in October 1873, requiring more than one year to meet the necessary twenty years qualification for the Wide Suspenion LS & GC award. Henry Sayer was pensioned on 26 January 1892 with nearly twenty eight years service.