The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 2 clasps, Alexandria 11th July, The Nile 1884-85 (S. Fuller, Lg. Sean. H.M.S. “Sultan”) pitting, therefore nearly very fine

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

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Samuel Fuller was born on 12 May 1858 in the village of Cherry Hinton, Cambridge, prior to joining the Royal Navy earning his living as a labourer. He entered the service as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. FISGARD on 23 October 1874 aged 16 years and was immediately transferred to IMPREGNABLE on 31 October 1874 and served in this vessel until May 1876 having been advanced to Boy 1st Class on 17 November 1875, and to Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class on 14 May 1876. He subsequently served aboard ROYAL ADELAIDE (June 1876), HIMALAYA (September 1876), and TERROR (October 1876), where he was advanced to Ordinary Seaman. He served next in this rate aboard BELLEROPHON (November 1877), and ZEPHYR (December 1877). Whilst in the latter ship he was advanced to Able Seaman on 1 June 1879. In the rate of Able Seaman he joined EXCELLENT (March 1880), DUKE OF WELLINGTON (May 1880), VERNON (October 1881) and SULTAN (April 1882) where he became a Leading Seaman on 20 April 1882. He served next as a Leading Seaman aboard DUKE OF WELLINGTON (August 1882) and DASHER (September 1883) where he was advanced to Petty Officer 2nd Class on 4 December 1883. He next joined DUKE OF WELLINGTON (August 1884), INVINCIBLE (September 1884), and MONARCH (October 1884) and from the latter ship he was landed for service with the Nile Flotilla with the rate of Coxswain 1st Class. He received the clasp ‘The Nile 1884-85’ to add to the dated Egypt medal and clasp ‘Alexandria 11th July’ he had previously been awarded for service aboard SULTAN in 1882. He returned to DUKE OF WELLINGTON (August 1885), and then served aboard MALABAR (September 1885), EUPHRATES (May 1886), DUKE OF WELLINGTON (May 1890), PENELOPE (September 1890), VICTORY I (November 1892), BOSCOWEN (February 1893), ALEXANDRA (February 1893), ST GEORGE (October 1894), RALEIGH (December 1894), VICTORY I (February 1895), CRESCENT (March 1895), VICTORY I (May 1896) and DUKE OF WELLINGTON (January 1901). He was pensioned from DUKE OF WELLINGTON on 21 July 1901, but was allowed to continue serving as an A.B. (Pensioner) until 3 October 1903 when he was placed ashore after 27 years adult service. A number of character ratings of ‘fair’ and ‘good’ deprived him of his chance of earning a Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.