Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Captain of the After Guard James Griffin, Royal Navy

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (James Griffin. A.B. H.M.S. Vengeance.) ‘officially’ engraved naming, clasp loose on ribbon; China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Fatshan 1857, Canton 1857, unnamed as issued; New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1860 to 1861 (Jas. Griffin, Captn. A. Gd., H.M.S. Niger) officially impressed naming; Turkish Crimea, Sardinian issue, unnamed as issued, pierced with rings for suspension, suspension claw re-fixed on the second, otherwise generally good very fine (4) £1,000-£1,200

Approximately 66 medals issued to H.M.S. Niger with these dates. Men from the ship were present at the capture of Te Kohia Pah, Omato and Waireka in March 1860; at Mata-rikoriko in December 1860, and in various small skirmishes in 1861.

James Griffin was born in London on 17 November 1824. He was present at Fatshan and Canton as Captain of the After Guard in H.M.S. Niger, and was still in the same ship for service in New Zealand in 1860-61, being discharged to Fisgard on 13 September 1861.