Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Leading Stoker W. Clews, Royal Navy

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1864 (W. Clews, Stoker, H.M.S. Miranda); Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (W. Clews, Lg. Stoker, H.M.S. Dromedary) edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine (2) £900-£1,200

92 New Zealand medals awarded to H.M.S. Miranda; 83 Ashantee medals awarded to H.M.S. Dromedary.

William Clews was born at Duckingfield, Cheshire, on 5 June 1840, and entered the Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Orpheus on 26 October 1861 but deserted from this ship on 14 September 1862. Rejoining Orpheus on 22 January 1863, he was a survivor on the occasion of her shipwreck off the west coast of Auckland, New Zealand, on 7 February 1863. 189 crew out of the ship's complement of 259 died in the disaster, making it the worst maritime tragedy to occur in New Zealand waters. Later, the survivors (8 officers and 62 men) were taken to H.M.S. Miranda and split into three groups. All the officers and 10 men were sent to Portsmouth to appear before a formal enquiry, whilst 25 ratings were drafted to H.M.S. Harrier, and the remaining 27 ratings stayed with Miranda. Clews served aboard Miranda as a Stoker from 9 February 1863 to 3 June 1865, being present at the storming of Pukorokoro (New Zealand medal 1863-1864), and aboard Dromedary as a Leading Stoker from 18 November 1873 to 10 July 1874 (Ashantee medal). A boiler maker by trade he deserted on two occasions and did not qualify for a L.S. & G.C. medal. He was ‘shore pensioned from H.M.S. Indus on 9 June 1883.

Sold with copied Continuous Service record.