Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (E. Smith, Gunr. R.M.A. H.M.S. Barracouta. 73-74) contact marks, otherwise very fine £200-£240

Edward Smith joined Barracouta from Valorous on 18 May 1873 ‘for passage to Cape Coast Castle’ and left her only a few weeks later on 1 August for Himalaya ‘for passage to England’. Before that, on 10 June, he was ‘checked’ to ‘Service on Shore’ which shows that he was part of the company of 100 Royal Marines under Colonel Festing that landed there on 9 June 1873, they being the only British forces in the country prior to the arrival of Sir Garnet Wolseley.