Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (J. Barrett, P.O. 2 Cl., H.M.S. Terrible) good very fine £400-£500

John Barrett was born in Lancaster on 19 May 1872. A labourer by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in Impregnable on 2 February 1888, being advanced to Boy 1st Class in February 1889. He was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in Invincible in May 1890 and Able Seaman in Blanche in May 1891. Barrett served in H.M.S. Terrible, 24 March 1898-October 1900 and attained the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class on 5 June 1900. He served in Wilde’s 12 pounder gun unit in South Africa (entitled to Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasp for Relief of Ladysmith) and in China he served with a 12 pounder gun unit detachment. He was wounded at Tientsin on 9 July 1900. He died on board the transport ship S.S. Malta whilst on passage from Hong Kong to England - from acute alcoholism followed by exhaustion and heart failure.

Sold with copied record of service, medal roll extracts, and other research.