Four: Chief Carpenter’s Mate John Richard Darby, Royal Navy

Baltic 1854-55, unnamed as issued; Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol, unnamed as issued, with old ribbon, clasp loose, in damaged card box of issue; Abyssinia 1867 (J. R. Darby, Chf. Carprs. Mte., H.M.S. Vigilant); Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed, pierced with modern ring suspension, good very fine and better (4) £550-650

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of the late Eric Smith.

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John Richard Darby was born on the Isle of Wight on 26 August 1829. He joined the Royal Navy as a Carpenter’s Mate on 14 July 1853 and served on the Tribune until June 1856, seeing service in the Baltic and Black Seas for which he was awarded the Baltic and Crimea Medals. Further service followed, serving aboard the ships Majestic, Archer, Asia, Defence and Royal Sovereign, 1956-67. As Chief Carpenter’s Mate he then served aboard the Vigilant, January 1867-December 1868, and was awarded the Queen’s medal for service in the Abyssinian War 1867 (97 medals awarded to H.M.S. Vigilant). He then served in Octavia, Ocean, Elk and Asia and was pensioned in November 1879. With copied service records and sundry notes.