Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Paymaster-in-Chief William B. Hutchison, Royal Navy

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (W. B. Hutchison. Clerk. “Hastings”); New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1865 (Wm. B. Hutchison, Paymr. H.M.S. Eclipse) mounted as worn, toned, nearly extremely fine, the second rare to the Navy (2) £1400-1800

New Zealand medal incorrectly dated ‘1865’ instead of ‘1863 to 1865’ for which H.M.S. Eclipse qualified. Generally, the only naval recipients of ‘1865’ medals were 13 officers and men of H.M.S. Brisk.

William Bennett Hutchison was the son of Lieutenant William Hutchison, R.N. (see Lot 828). He was commissioned in the Navy as an Assistant Paymaster on 17 August 1856, having served for some years as a Secretary’s Clerk. He was promoted to Paymaster in April 1862, and to Fleet Paymaster in February 1886, retiring as Paymaster-in-Chief on 8 April 1893. While attached to the office of the Commander-in-Chief, he was present in the Rattler at the capture of Martabau and Rangoon, 1852, and subsequently served in Burmese waters, as Secretary’s Clerk in Fox (Burmah Medal, Pegu clasp). Was Paymaster of Eclipse during the New Zealand War, 1863-65 (Medal).