The John Goddard Collection of Important Naval Medals and Nelson Letters

A fine campaign group of three awarded to Captain W. H. Blake, R.N., who was dangerously wounded and promoted for gallantry in New Zealand, and died of ‘african fever’ whilst on the Ashantee campaign of 1873-74

Baltic 1854-55 (Lieut. W. H. Blake, R.N. H.M.S. Duke of Wellington) contemporary engraved naming; New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1860 (Lieut. W. H. Blake, H.M.S. Niger) officially impressed naming; Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (Capt. W. H. Blake, R.N. H.M.S. Druid 73-74) good very fine (3) £3000-3500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The John Goddard Collection of Important Naval Medals and Nelson Letters.

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Provenance: Captain K. J. Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, October 1996.

A total of only six New Zealand medals are known to the Royal Navy with the single date ‘1860’.

No more touching account of Captain Blake’s career should be addressed other than that of the testimonial which his wife had committed to a tablet reading:

"Sacred to the beloved memory of CAPTAIN WILLIAM HANS BLAKE, ROYAL NAVY, Youngest son of the late Commander George Hans Blake, R.N.

Born 23 March 1832. Died 27 January 1874 at Cape Coast Castle, West Coast of Africa, from the effects of climate, brought on by excessive exertion and exposure, when in command of the Naval Brigade while on the march to Coomassie, during the Ashantee War of 1873-4.

This gallant officer entered the Royal Navy in 1846, as Naval Cadet on board H.M.S. HOUND in which vessel, both as Cadet and Midshipman he was employed on the West Coast of Africa in suppression of the slave trade, eventually proceeding in her to the West Indies, where he also served in H.M. Ships ALARM and IMAUM being attached to the BERMUDA schooner, a sailing tender of the latter - until the end of 1850, in November of which year he joined H.M.S. ALBION and was employed on the Mediterranean Station. On 29 October 1852 while in the ALBION he passed his examination for a Lieutenant with great credit and continued to serve in her as Acting Mate until March 1854, when he was appointed to H.M.S. DUKE OF WELLINGTON, flag-ship in the Baltic during the war with Russia.

In September 1854 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and transferred to H.M.S. EDINBURGH in which ship he commanded a rocket boat at the bombardment of Sweaborg in August 1855, and was gazetted in despatches ".. as maintaining his position with steady gallantry under a smart fire of bursting shell ..". On being paid off from the EDINBURGH in June 1856, he joined H.M.S. EXCELLENT whence he was in November 1857, transferred to H.M.S. CAMBRIAN and proceeded in her to China, where he was most actively engaged during the early period of the China War and earned the high commendation of his superiors [but no medal] .

From CAMBRIAN he joined in January 1859, H.M.S. NIGER, and proceeded in her to New Zealand where he saw much hard service at the outbreak of the Maori War, and was as Senior Lieutenant of the NIGER when on shore in command of a party of seamen. Desperately wounded [28 March 1860] at Waireka, Taranaki, by a gun shot wound in the breast which up to the time of his lamented death caused him much suffering, the bullet having lodged near the heart, and being only extracted at the post-mortem examination held on his remains at Cape Coast Castle. For his conspicuous bravery in New Zealand he received his promotion to the rank of Commander on 19 April 1865, and was awarded for his wound a pension for life.

From January 1863 to March 1865 he commanded H.M.S. ALECTO on the South American Station; from April 1865 to May 1866 H.M.S. MUTINE on the Pacific Station, where he more than once received the thanks of his countrymen for the protection he afforded to British interests. From June 1866 to December 1867 he commanded H.M.S. FALCON on the Australian Station, whence he returned to England, having been promoted to the rank of Captain on the 14th September 1867.

In April 1873, he was appointed to H.M.S. DRUID on the West Coast of Africa, where he took a most prominent and active part in the Ashantee War. The march to Coomassie being determined upon, he was for his high professional abilities selected to organize and command the Naval Brigade with which he marched from Cape Coast Castle to Prahsu without a single man falling out. So strongly had he imbued those under him with his own indomitable spirit, and leaving a few men to guard the stores at Prahsu, he, at the head of the remaining portion of his Brigade had the honour of being the first of the combined forces to cross the river Prah, beyond which he proceeded seven miles. But on his return to Prahsu after this arduous march to await reinforcements, and join the British troops, he was struck down with violent African Fever, and after heroically but vainly struggling against its mastery, he was compelled from utter prostration to resign his command. He was then carried down from Prahsu to Cape Coast Castle where he expired on the 27th January on board H.M.S. VICTOR EMMANUEL, and was buried on shore the same day with the honours due to his rank. Thus was added to the long and imperishable roll of past gallant naval officers, one, whose high professional character, equally with his noble and gentle qualities, made him so beloved in life and so deeply lamented in death. This tablet is erected to the best of husbands and fathers, by his sorrowing wife.”