Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Persia (A. M. Grieve, Commr. Clive, Sloop) edge nick, good very fine £600-£800

Provenance: Captain K. J. Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, October 1996.

Albany Moore Grieve joined the Indian Navy as a Midshipman on 20 May 1831, and served aboard Elphinstone (1833-35), Coote (1835), Palinurus (1837), and Shannon (1838-39). A memorial signed by twenty four officers, including Midshipman Grieve, was sent in February 1838, stating that they agreed to abide by certain changes to service conditions, namely the conversion of the Indian Navy from sailing to steam vessels, and that they would stay in the service despite the stagnation in promotion prospects.

With seniority date of 11 October 1841 he was promoted to Lieutenant and served aboard Atalanta during the First China War 1842. In late 1845 he did important work when employed as an assistant surveyor on the Arabian Coast whilst aboard Palinurus (1844-50), also producing an unpublished survey, a large scale plan of Masireh Island and Straits in 1846. Reputed to be one of the ablest surveyors in the Indian Navy, he served in command of Euphrates from 1853 until promoted to Commander on 3 July 1856.

Grieve commanded the sailing Sloop-of-War Clive during the Persian War, and was closely involved in the bombardment of Mohammerah on 26 March 1857, when the firing of simultaneous broadsides with Falkland into the opposing batteries ‘drew forth expressions of admiration from nautical spectators aboard the on-looking transports.’ It was later reported that ‘this eminent surveyor and smart officer died suddenly on 17 January 1858.’

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