Auction Catalogue

24 & 25 February 2016

Starting at 11:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 1098 x

.

25 February 2016

Hammer Price:
£500

‘Captain George Fiott Day, V.C., C.B., R.N., was one of the most decorated officers in the Navy’s history. His photograph shows him wearing three orders and nine medals, spaced across his uniform chest. The sight of this glittering array is supposed to have prompted the Prince of Wales (Edward VII) to suggest in about 1870 that medals should be gathered neatly together on one bar ... Day’s naval career was a particularly strenuous one, but it does show the kind of service demanded of the Victorian naval officer. He was hardly ever on shore, but went from one arduous and even dangerous sea appointment to another.’

The Victoria Cross at Sea, by John Winton, refers.

A silver snuff box appertaining to
Captain George Fiott Day, V.C., C.B., Royal Navy, oval shaped, the lid likely fashioned from a serving spoon, the hinged-base with engraved date ‘1855’ flanking a Naval anchor, and ‘Lieut. G. Day, H.M. Royal Navy’, unmarked, 57mm. x 85mm. x 30mm., one or two minor dents to lid, generally in good condition and interesting £200-300

George Fiott Day’s remarkable career has been the subject of extensive coverage in numerous publications and requires no further elaboration here. However, given that the above described snuff box appears to date from the time of his V.C.-winning exploits in the Genitchi Strait in September 1855, the citation from The London Gazette of 24 February 1857 - is quoted herewith:

‘With great enterprise and gallantry, landed and successfully carried out a reconnaissance within the enemy's lines at Genitchi. This service was performed by Commander Day with the view of ascertaining the practicability of reaching the enemy's gun-vessels, which lay within the Straits of Genitchi, close to the town. It was performed by Commander Day alone on a dark but fine night, with the assistance of a pocket-compass. After traversing four or five miles of low swampy ground, occasionally up to his knees in water, he at length advanced to within about 200 yards of the vessels. From the perfect silence on board them, it was his conviction that they were without crews, and when he returned it was with the full impression that the expedition was a feasible one. This opinion, however, he was induced to change on the following day, in consequence of the increasing activity which was apparent in the direction of the vessels, and therefore he determined on making a second visit to the spot. On this occasion the night was a squally one, and the journey longer and more difficult than before. On reaching the spot, finding the vessels manned and their crews apparently on the alert, he decided that any attempt to surprise them was out of the question (Despatch from Admiral Lord Lyons, 9th October, 1855; No. 844.)’

It was while attempting a reconnaissance on the same ground that Captain L'Allemand, of the French steam-vessel
Mouette, lost his life.