Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 3 clasps, Benin River 1894, Brass River 1895, Benin 1897 (G. Treeby, Dom. 3 Cl., H.M.S. Widgeon.) minor edge bruise, good very fine, rare clasp combination £1000-1400

George Alfred Treeby was born at Plymouth, Devon, on 18 August 1874, and joined the Royal Navy as a Domestic 3rd Class on 29 November 1892. He transferred in this rate to H.M.S. Widgeon on 15 September 1893, and served in her for all three expeditions in Southern Nigeria. Promoted to Cook’s Mate in H.M.S. Cambridge, 11 August 1898, he was advanced to Chief Ship’s Cook on 1 February 1912, and served during the Great War in various shore based establishments. He was demobilised with the rate of Chief Petty Officer Cook on 10 June 1921.

Sold together with a photograph of H.M.S. Widgeon.

Treeby’s medal is believed to be one of only three with this clasp combination to the Royal Navy, the other two being that to Domestic 2nd Class Daniel Statt, H.M.S. Widgeon (sold as part of the Captain Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, February 1997); and that to Chief Stoker F. Densham, H.M.S. Widgeon (sold as part of the Commander Ron Champion Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, September 2002).