Captain C. T. Leckie, Royal Navy

China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Fatshan 1857, Taku Forts 1858, unnamed as issued; France, Empire, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamels, with rosette, together with miniature China medal carrying two full-sized clasps, the Legion of Honour in fitted case of issue with old manuscript label affixed to base ‘Medal & two clasps for the Battle of Fatshan 1857 & the Taku Forts 1858. Also the Legion D’Honneur for the Battle of Simonoseki 1864, given to Captain C. T. Leckie R.N.’, nearly extremely fine (3) £500-600

Charles Taylor Leckie entered the Navy in 1834, passed his examination in 1840 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1845. In 1851 he was in command of the Teazer in the unfortunate expedition against the Coçioco, ‘a usurping King of Lagos, then one of the chief centres of the slave trade’. During the unsuccessful operations Teazer became grounded and was only saved with the unfortunate loss of fifteen officers and men of the squadron killed or mortally wounded, and no fewer than 63 others wounded. As Commander of the Fury, Leckie took part in the destruction of the Chinese War Junks at Fatshan in May and June 1857, and was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 1 August 1857) for his services whilst in command of Fury’s Gig. The following year he was again mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 28 July 1858) for his services whilst employed on shore at the capture of the Taku Forts, 20 May 1858, at the mouth of the Pei Ho river, when he commanded one of the landing parties. Leckie received promotion to Captain in September 1858 and is next found in command of the 18-gun paddle frigate Leopard at the forcing of the Japanese Straits of Simonoseki by an allied fleet in September 1864, and for which he apparently received the French Legion of Honour. Leckie’s name had disappeared from the Navy List by June 1869 so he presumably died between these dates.