Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Able Seaman W. Girling, Royal Navy, later Station Officer in the Birmingham Fire Brigade

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Gambia 1894 (A.B., H.M.S. Raleigh); Birmingham Fire Brigade Long Service, silver with two bars, 5 Years, 20 Years (District Officer 1898); Association of Professional Fire Brigade Officers Long Service, silver with bar, 15 Years (Stn. Officer 1913) together with original vellum Hurt Certificate dated 3 May 1894, and N.F.B.A. metal cap badge, good very fine and a scarce casualty (4) £450-550

See Colour Plate VI

William Girling was born at Kenilworth, Warwickshire in 1872. It is stated on his Certificate for Wounds and Hurts that he ‘...was injured belonging to Her Majesty’s Ship Raleigh by a bullet which entered his scalp on right side half an inch to outer side of external angle of the eye and removed by operation just in front of top of ear. Injured at Madina Creek with the Naval Brigade. He was sober and on duty at the time. No fracture of skull. On the 23rd day of February 1894 being then actually upon Her Majesty’s Service in the Gambia Expedition of 1894.’

The landing of the Naval Brigade at Madina Creek in February 1894, and the subsequent action was the most significant event of the Gambia Expedition, resulting in 3 officers and 14 men killed, and 6 officers and 50 men wounded.