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

The ‘Blue Jacket’ Medal for Good Shooting in the British Fleet 1900-03, bronze (E. J. Baker) lacking its ‘Prize Crew’ ribbon bar and top suspension bar, bad edge bruise and contact marks, therefore nearly very fine and rare

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

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The ‘Blue Jacket’ Medal was introduced and sponsored in 1900 by the Blue Jacket and Coast Guard Gazette, the organ of the Royal Naval Provident Fund and the Coast Guard Benevolent Fund. The original idea put forward in 1902 was to present annually a Silver Medal to the Best Shot in the Navy. It was however pointed out that the number one of the Crew could not make good shooting without the cooperation of his Gun’s Crew on whom he largely depended. It was therefore agreed that a Bronze Medal should also be presented to each of the Best Shot Crew. The proprietors of the Gazette decided to make their award retrospective to the year 1900. The top bar of suspension carries the name of the ship and the year of the award.

In 1900 Medals were awarded to two Gun’s Crews aboard TERRIBLE because they both produced equal scores in the 1900 Prize Firing. A Gun Crew from TERRIBLE also won the Medals for 1901. The Medals for 1902 were won by a Crew formed from the Royal Marine Artillery in OCEAN. In 1903 the Admiralty differentiated between battleships and cruisers in the results of the Prize Firing. The Gazette therefore decided to award two sets of Medals, one set to a Royal Naval Crew in MAJESTIC (Battleship) and the second to a Royal Marine Artillery Crew in GOOD HOPE (Cruiser). With the introduction of the Naval Good Shooting Medal in 1904 the Gazette decided to discontinue their award. During its four year’s existence six silver Medals and approximately 45 bronze Medals were issued (Vide: ‘The Naval Good Shooting Medal 1903-1914’, by R.J. Scarlett, 1990).

Edward Baker was born on 3 March 1880 in the village of Clatford, near Andover, Hampshire, and was a carman prior to enlisting in the Royal Marines in London on 18 June 1898 when aged 18 years. When serving aboard H.M.S. GOOD HOPE he was a member of the Crew of one of the ship’s 6-inch Breech Loading Guns and took part in the 1903 Fleet Gunlayers’ Competition. His Crew, Captained by Lance Sergeant W. McFaddon, were judged to be the best shots in Cruisers and were awarded the ‘Blue Jacket’ Medal for Good Shooting in the British Fleet. During the Great War he served aboard the Battle Cruiser PRINCESS ROYAL and was present in this vessel at the actions at Heligoland 1914, Dogger Bank 1915, and Jutland 1916. He was later posted to PRESIDENT VII for service with defensively equipped merchant ships.