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

China 1900, no clasp (Commr. E. R. Connor, N.S. Wales Nav. Contgt.) cleaned, otherwise nearly extremely fine and rare

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

View
Collection

Edward Connor was born on 11 February 1846 and entered the Royal Navy as a Master’s Assistant aboard H.M.S. COSSACK on 12 March 1861. In this rank he subsequently served aboard GORGON (May 1862), FISGARD (February 1864), ROYAL ADELAIDE (November 1864), FIREFLY (December 1864), and HIBERNIA (February 1866). During his service in the latter ship he was promoted to 2nd Master on 28 March 1866 and served next aboard NASSAU (April 1866). Following the introduction of new ranks in the Navigation Branch in 1867 he became a Navigating Sub Lieutenant with the same seniority date as that for 2nd Master and subsequently served aboard CLIO (August 1869) being loaned to FISGARD (November 1869) and to PEMBROKE (March 1870). He was promoted to Navigating Lieutenant on 22 September 1872 and whilst serving aboard CLIO was loaned to BASILISK (January 1873).

He was reappointed to CLIO in June 1873 for Surveying Duties in Queensland, Australia, and in the same capacity he was transferred to PEARL in October 1873. He subsequently served aboard WOLVERINE (January 1877) and DUKE OF WELLINGTON (April 1879) and was retired medically unfit on 20 October 1880, having served for nearly 20 years.

Having spent a considerable amount of his service career surveying the Australian Coast and waters he decided to emigrate during the early 1880’s. In 1885 he joined the Colonial Navy and served with the New South Wales Defence Force with the rank of Lieutenant and seniority of 1 May 1885. He was promoted to Commander in 1893 and in this rank he served as Second in Command of the Australian Naval Brigade in China 1900, for which services he was created a Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George on 27 July 1901. At the time of his service in China he was nearly 55 years of age and shortly after returning to Australia he was Retired, and died on 1 January 1903. Commander Connor is extensively mentioned in ‘Blue Jackets & Boxers, Australia's Naval Expedition to the Boxer Uprising’ by Bob Nicholls. The book makes numerous references to Commander Connor’s diaries private collection) and contains two photographs of him.