The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals

Four: China 1842, 3 clasps, China 1842, Canton 1857, Taku Forts 1858 (W. McK. Saunders, Actg. Asst. Surgn., H.M.S. North Star) fitted with swivel-ring straight bar suspender, the clasps loose on ribbon; New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated ‘1845 to 1846’ (Actg.-Surgn. W. McK. Saunders, M.D., H.M.S. North Star); South Africa 1834-53 (Surgn. W. McK. Saunders. M.D.); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (Wm. M. K. Saunders, M.D., Surgeon “Styx”) some very minor contact marks, otherwise extremely fine and an outstanding campaign group of the highest rarity (4)

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

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See colour illustration on back cover.

William McK. Saunders joined the Navy as an Assistant Surgeon on 20 September 1841, and received subsequent promotions to Surgeon in December 1850, to Staff Surgeon in May 1864 and was ultimately retired as a Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals and Fleets on 26 March 1874.

As Assistant Surgeon of NORTH STAR he was present during the first China War at the capture of Woosung and Shanghae, and in the Yang-tse-Kiang, 1842. As Acting Surgeon he was present in the same ship employed on shore at New Zealand during the attacks on the rebel Stockades, and was mentioned in the despatch of Commander G. J. Hay, dated 12 January 1846, for attending the wounded in the camp. He was next appointed as Surgeon of STYX and took part in the South African campaign of 1850-53. It was aboard STYX that the Kaffir Chief Seyolo was taken as a prisoner to Cape Town towards the end of November 1852, and Saunders would have had responsibility for his medical well-being. Still in STYX he next took part in the second Burma War, earning his fourth campaign medal. As Surgeon of SHANNON he took part in the operations against Canton in 1857 and at the capture of the Taku Forts in 1858. His name appears on the 2nd China War medal roll for H.M.S. FURIOUS which reveals that he was a Supernumerary Surgeon of SHANNON, subsequently loaned for duty ashore, while attached to the Staff of Lord Elgin at the Embassy in Hong Kong.

Saunders is confirmed on the medal rolls as one of the 101 recipients of the 1st China War medal with ‘China 1842’ and/or 2nd China War clasps, one of five recipients with this clasp combination and the only medical officer to receive the ‘China 1842’ clasp.