Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Syria (G. T. M. Martin, Asst. Surgn.) light marks, otherwise nearly extremely fine £800-£1,000

Provenance: Sotheby’s, June 1971.

Gilbert Thrift Meldrum Martin entered the Royal Navy as an Assistant Surgeon serving in H.M.S. Britannia on 3 May 1838, transferring to H.M.S. Hastings on 14 July of that year. He served in that ship during operations on and off the coast of Syria in November 1840, before transferring to H.M.S. Illustrious on 15 September 1841. Promoted Surgeon on 17 June 1842, he served in H.M.S. Eurydice from 23 February 1844, and in H.M.S. Wanderer from 28 October 1846 to 20 March 1849. His name disappears from the Navy List in 1851. Sold with copied record of service and several copied news reports concerning the murder of Surgeon Martin’s father, Doctor William Martin, at Malta by a soldier of the 88th Foot on 6 March 1843.