Pair: Private G. Goom, 60th Foot, late Royal Navy

Baltic 1854-55, unnamed as issued; China 1857-60, 1 clasp, Taku Forts 1860 (82 Pte., 60th Foot) late issue impressed naming, contact marks, about very fine (2) £200-240

George Goom was born at Hollyport, Bray, Berkshire on 19 December 1834. In October 1853, Goom volunteered for 10 years continuous service in the Royal Navy. As a Boy 1st Class he served aboard H.M.S. Boscawen in the Baltic, 1854, being advanced to Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class in July 1855. In April 1857 Goom was sent his Baltic Medal, which he later had stolen. In May 1857 Goom was paid off Boscawen and joined Wellesley. However on 30 August 1857 he was discharged from the Navy being found medically unfit. Goom then attested for the 2nd Battalion 60th Rifles at Reading, Berkshire on 22 January 1858, aged 23 years. With the unit he was posted to India and saw service in the China expedition of 1860. Discharged at Portsmouth on 20 June 1862 due to chronic rheumatism.

In June 1878 Goom was sentenced to two months with hard labour for violently assaulting his wife whilst drunk and was sentenced to three months imprisonment in November 1887 for a similar offence.

On 20 April 1902 Goom was issued with his China Medal with clasp, some 40 years after it had been earned. In February 1906 he was issued with a replacement Baltic Medal (not the above which has been acquired separately), his original having been stolen in 1874. Newspaper reports record that it was stolen in The Strand whilst he was celebrating the recovery from illness of the Prince of Wales. Interestingly, the Prince, as King Edward VII was personally involved in the restoration of his medals.

With copied service papers, roll and newspaper extracts and other research.