Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Suakin 1885 (J. Wheelerbread. S. Cook. 2.Cl: H.M.S. “Seagull”.) pawnbroker’s mark to rim, initial and first two letters of surname officially corrected, edge bruise and light pitting, very fine £160-200

John Wheelerbread (alias Wheelbread), who was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire in September 1842, and originally entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker in August 1869, but was re-rated as a Cook in April 1878. He remained actively employed in the latter rate until being pensioned ashore from the Royal Adelaide in August 1889. In the interim, he witnessed active service off Egypt in the Seagull in 1882 (108 no clasp Medals to ship) and as a member of crew of the Condor in the Suakin operations of 1885 (122 clasps to the ship)