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

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (124007 P.O. R. Mitchell, H.M.S. Terrible) officially engraved naming, very fine

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

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Collection

261 medals with these clasps to this ship.

Richard Mitchell was born on 17 December 1867 at St German, Cornwall, and was a farm worker prior to joining the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. LION on 15 August 1883 when aged 15 years. He was advanced to Boy 1st Class on 13 August 1884, and joined ACHILLES (January 1885), ROYAL ADELAIDE (May 1885), CONQUEST (September 1885) being advanced to Ordinary Seaman on 1 January 1886 and to Able Seaman on 14 September 1887. In this rate he next served aboard CAMBRIDGE (April 1889), AJAX (May 1890), SUPERB (April 1891), COSSACK (February 1892), where he was advanced to Leading Seaman 7 September 1894, VIVID I (April 1895), CAMBRIDGE (July 1895), VIVID I (September 1895), and GANGES (November 1895). Whilst aboard this ship he was advanced to Petty Officer 2nd Class 28 February 1896 and joined VIVID I (March 1898) and TERRIBLE (March 1898) where he was advanced to Petty Officer 1st Class 1 April 1898. Whilst aboard TERRIBLE he was landed in South Africa for service with the Naval Brigade, and served in the same ship in Chinese waters between June and December 1900. He next served aboard VIVID (October 1902), CAMBRIDGE (January 1903), VIVID I (May 1903), SANS PAREIL (June 1903), APOLLO (July 1903), SPARTAN (October 1903), THESEUS (May 1904), VIVID I (December 1904), BRITANNIA (February 1905), and VIVID (September 1905). He was pensioned ashore on 18 December 1905 having completed 20 years adult service and been awarded his L.S. & G.C. medal in March 1901. His service sheet has the notation ‘Commended for good service on shore with Naval Brigade’. He joined the R.F.R. in January 1906, and was mobilised on 2 August 1914 aboard VIVID I, transferred to VIVID II (November 1914) and served next aboard the following ships: SABRINA (March 1915), RINGDOVE (January 1916), PEGASUS (September 1917), VERNON (January 1918), PRESIDENT (February 1918), and PRESIDENT III (June 1919) being demobilised on 1 August 1919, and awarded the 1914-15 Star Trio.