The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals (Part 1)

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp (Mr. A. W. Deane, I.G.S. “Tenasserim”) official correction to second initial, otherwise good very fine

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

View
Collection

In addition to the fourteen European members of the crew of the Indian Government Steamer TENASSERIM, there were a further 122 Goanese and Lascars who were issued with unnamed medals. AMBERWITCH and TENASSERIM were the only such vessels from India during these operations. Deane is uniquely also entitled to the clasps for “Suakin 1884” and “Suakin 1885”, the circumstances behind the award of which are described below

Albert William Dean was born at Huittesham, Suffolk on 6 January 1862. After serving his apprenticeship commencing in May 1877 with Messrs David Bruce & Coy, Dundee, he joined the Indian Marine as a 4th Grade Officer on 24 October 1881 aboard MAY FRERE, subsequently promoted to 3rd Grade Officer when appointed to TENASSERIM on 28 November 1881 until discharged on promotion to 2nd Grade Officer in December 1883. Joined CZAREWITCH as her commanding officer on 11 February 1885, but soon after this vessel had been turned into a Hospital Ship he was transferred on 6 April 1885 to QUANGTUNG. Deane resigned from the R.I.M. in October 1885 some sixteen months after he had been promoted to 1st Grade Officer.

In February 1884, Deane and 125 of his non-european crew from TENASSERIM were loaned to H.M.S. SERAPIS, sailing from Bombay on 17 February with the 1st Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment for Egyptian waters. A claim was made by the Director of the Indian Marine on behalf of Deane and his men for the “Suakin 1884” and “El Teb” clasps, since it was reported they had been “ actually employed on duty for the operations at Trinkitat on 28 and 29 February 1884.” Although the Admiralty queried the validity of the “El Teb” claim, which was agreed in India to have been a mistaken request, their Lordships accepted that awards could be granted to men similarly placed to Royal Naval personnel aboard SERAPIS. On 15 February 1887 the Accountant General forwarded only the one “Suakin 1884” clasp for Deane. In late 1886 the Director of the Indian Marine sought this clasp (or medal and clasp) for personnel who had served aboard Indian Marine Ships CANNING, CLIVE, TENASSERIM and CZAREWITCH, employed conveying troops of the Indian contingent to Suakin during 1885. The Admiralty responded, stating that this award was only available to “those ships which were actually employed for the defence of of Suakin, and others which were stationed in the harbour for long periods, where the crews were exposed to the climate and hardships consequent thereon, only the case of CZAREWITCH comes under the terms of the award.” The other three vessels had only called at Suakin for one, two and ten days during March 1885, whereas the the CZAREWITCH had been retained at Suakin to serve as a Hospital Ship for many months. Fifty Egypt undated medals with “Suakin 1885” clasps attached were received in India during February 1887 along with three loose clasps, one of which was earned by Deane, the other two were for transport duty officers: Commander B.P. Creagh and 4th Grade Officer H.W.D. Beresford exTENASSERIM in 1882.