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

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Brass River 1895 (C. Bull, A.B., H.M.S. Thrush) contact marks, therefore nearly very fine

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

View
Collection

Charles Bull was born in the village of Bradford, Somerset, on 31 March 1864 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. IMPREGNABLE on 16 September 1879, aged 15 years. He transferred to IMPLACABLE on 28 September 1879, and advanced to Boy 1st Class on 17 November 1880. In this rate he next served aboard LION in July 1881 and INFLEXIBLE in October 1881. Advanced to Ordinary Seaman on 31 March 1882 he joined CRUISER (December 1883) where he was advanced to Able Seaman on 1 June 1884. He next joined INFLEXIBLE (November 1884), EXCELLENT (February 1885), and COLOSSUS (April 1886) and served for a short period with the Coast Guard Service. He served next aboard EXCELLENT (April 1890), VERNON (June 1891), and ALEXANDRA (October 1891) being again loaned to the Coast Guard Service as a Boatman at Portscath (November 1891) and Sennen Cove (February 1894).

He was returned to the Royal Navy as an Able Seaman aboard HMS VIVID I (April 1894) and in this rank he joined VICTORY I (April 1894), EXCELLENT (May 1894), VERNON (October 1894), GRAFTON (October 1894), and THRUSH (December 1894). In the latter ship he took part in the operations against King Koko on the Brass River in February 1895. Whilst in THRUSH he was advanced to Leading Seaman on 23 November 1896, and in this rank joined VICTORY I (February 1898), EXCELLENT (May 1898), VERNON (September 1898), VICTORY I (October 1898), and ALEXANDRA (November 1898). He was disrated to Able Seaman on 8 May 1899 and served in this rate aboard BELLONA (November 1899) and DUKE OF WELLINGTON (January 1902). Pensioned ashore on 30 April 1902, having completed 20 years adult service, he was awarded his L.S. & G.C. medal in 1893 whilst on loan to the Coast Guard Service. He joined the Royal Fleet Reserve at Portsmouth on 1 May 1902, and was mobilised as an Able Seaman on 2 August 1914 aboard VICTORY I. He joined DOLPHIN on 16 August 1914 and served in this ship for nearly four years, joining VICTORY I on 20 May 1918, and later transferred to FISGARD on 22 June 1918 where he served until demobilised on 7 October 1919, at the age of 55 years, having served for 28 years in uniform.