Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

China 1857-60, 3 clasps, Fatshan 1857, Canton 1857, Taku Forts 1860 (John Arnold.) contemporarily engraved naming, very fine £200-260

John Arnold was born at Bethnal Green, Middlesex, on 7 April 1836. After a brief appearance in H.M.S. Waterloo, he joined H.M.S. Rodney as a Boy 1st Class in March 1854, receiving rapid promotion to Ordinary Seamen and then to Able Seaman, and seeing service with the Naval Brigade at Sebastopol (His officially impressed Crimea medal with Sebastopol clasp was sold by D.N.W. in March 2005, ex Stirling-Lee Collection).

He joined H.M.S. Cruizer in August 1856 and saw extensive service in her throughout the China campaign of 1857-60, gaining further advancement to Leading Seaman and the China medal with three clasps. He left Cruizer in January 1861 and, after brief appearances in three other vessels, joined H.M.S. Firm, gunboat on the China station, until July 1862. After a period in Excellent, gunnery school, November 1862 to November 1863, he qualified as Seaman Gunner and was appointed to H.M.S. Conqueror as Leading Seaman, advancing to Captain of the Fore Top and then Gunner’s Mate. During 1864 he was present at the bombardment and capture of Simono Seki, Japan, for which service no medals were awarded. His remaining service was as Gunner’s Mate, in Excellent again from February 1866, in H.M.S. Dasher from January 1867, and finally back to Excellent in January 1870. He was finally discharged in June 1872, having served 19 years 364 days, just one day short of enough time for his Long Service and Good Conduct medal.