Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An interesting Baltic Medal adapted as an unofficial award for service in the Crimea

Baltic 1854-55, reverse having ‘Baltic’ erased and in its place is engraved, ‘Crimea’; in the exergue, the year date ‘1855’ has been erased and in its place is engraved, ‘17. Octr.’ (P. F. Mattison. H.M.S.T. Kangaroo) naming engraved in large upright plain capitals, suspension fitted with an ornate unofficial clasp, ‘Sebastopol’, this attached to an equally ornate silver brooch bar by two silver chains, good very fine and very unusual £300-400

Ex Jubilee Collection, Glendinings, 27 May 1992.

It is speculated that Mattison was a seaman in the Merchant Navy; that ‘H.M.S.T.’ unofficially stands for ‘Her Majesty’s Steam Transport’ and the date ‘17 October 1854’ is the date Mattison and his ship arrived in the Crimean theatre of war, presumably carrying men and / or supplies.