The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse undated (E. Barnes, A.B. H.M.S. Esk) very fine

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

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Born Paddington, London on 18 January 1840. First entered the service as a Boy 1st Class aboard H.M.S. EXCELLENT on 16 January 1857. Drafted to RACOON as an "Ord" in April 1858, to ASIA in January 1862 and to H.M.S. ESK, still as an "Ord", on 15 April1863, advanced to Able Seaman in September 1864. As an A.B. was discharged from H.M.S. CHALLENGER at Sydney "time expired" on 27 January 1867 at the end of his first ten year engagement.

He received an undated medal for the period 1863-64. His service documents (ADM 139/333) actually record "Received the New Zealand Medal 21-12-1890", an extremely rare instance of such a fact to be found on seaman's papers. He was issued with a duplicate medal on 26 July 1905.