The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals (Part 2)

Three: Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp (Mr. T. Walmsley, I.G.S. “Tenasserim”); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Chief Engr. T. Walmsley, R.I.M.S. Hardinge); Khedive’s Star 1882, good very fine (3)

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

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Thomas Walmsley was born in Greenock, Scotland, on 26 January 1854 and was Apprenticed to Messrs Robert Steele & Co., Greenock, and to Messrs P. N. Russel & Co., of Sydney, Australia. From 1 January 1878 to 6 January 1879 he was employed as an Engineer on board the Burma Steam Ship Company's ship PYAH PIKHET. He was awarded the Board of Trade Certificate for 2nd Engineer in Rangoon on 14 February 1879, and entered the Indian Marine as a 3rd Class Engineer on probation aboard CARNAC on 1 December 1879. He was appointed to TENASSERIM in June 1881 and saw service in this vessel in Egyptian waters which earned him the Egypt medal and the Khedive’s Star.

He was promoted to Assistant Engineer on 24 September 1883 on joining SEMERAMIS and was next appointed to the PAT STEWART (October 1883), MAGDALA (November 1883) and COMET (February 1884). In the latter vessel he was promoted to Engineer on 29 May 1884 and served in this rank aboard SEMERAMIS (April 1887), QUANGTUNG (June 1887) and TENASSERIM (July 1888). Promoted to Chief Engineer whilst in the latter ship on 8 April 1890, he continued to serve in this vessel until he joined CLIVE (August 1891). He served next aboard MINTO (May 1897), CLIVE (July 1897) and HARDINGE (June 1900) serving in the latter ship off the Somaliland Coast during 1902-03.

He was permitted to retire from the service on 1 December 1904, having reached 50 years of age and having served for 25 years. In March 1893 whilst serving aboard CLIVE he was severely reprimanded by a Court of Enquiry for shielding Mr J. F. Blair, Assistant Engineer, who was found guilty of drunkenness and misconduct. He was further reprimanded for not seeing that the Engineroom Rough Log was regularly kept. This reprimand was to be read to him in the presence of all of the ship's Officers and an entry of it having been done was to be made in the Ship's Log.