Orders, Decorations and Medals

China 1900, 1 clasp, Taku Forts (H. Devlin, Sto., H.M.S. Fame) light rubbing over name, otherwise very fine £450-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A fine collection of awards for the Boxer Rebellion 1900.

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Collection

58 medals with the single Taku Forts clasp to this ship.

Henry Devlin was born at Queenstown, County Cork, on 10 March 1880, and joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on 27 September 1898. Although borne on the books of Barfleur from 10 May 1900, Devlin served as a stoker aboard the Fame at the capture of the Taku Forts. Under the command of Lieutenant Roger Keyes, the destroyer Fame, with H.M.S. Whiting, cut out four modern Chinese destroyers from the dockyard at the Taku Forts on 17 June, boarding the enemy vessels and taking them at the bayonet point. On 31 December 1900, Devlin was confined to cells for 42 days having been convicted of ‘smuggling’.

Devlin was killed in action at the battle of Jutland, 1 June 1916, when H.M.S. Nessus was hit by a 5.9in shell from the German dreadnought Grosser Kürfurst, killing 7 men.

Sold with copied record of service.