Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (Chas. Carter, A.B. H.M.S. Shah.) a slightly later issue, minor edge nicks, nearly extremely fine £400-£500

Charles Carter was born in Market Lavington, Wiltshire, on 26 July 1857, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 1 January 1873. He served in H.M.S. Shah from 14 August 1876, and prior to arriving at the Cape for the Zulu campaign of 1879, he was in H.M.S. Shah when she took part in the engagement with the Peruvian iron-clad turret ship Huascar on 29 May 1877. In company with the corvette Amethyst, Shah engaged the rebel iron-clad in a 3 hour engagement. However, the Huascar managed to escape to shallow waters at the close of day and a subsequent cutting out expedition also failed.

Carter was promoted Able Seaman on 1 December 1877, but then spent several periods in cells and was discharged from H.M.S. Shah on 31 October 1879 with a ‘Bad’ character. Consequently, his South Africa Medal was not issued to him until October 1892.

Sold with copied service papers and medal roll extract.