Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The group of three miniature dress medals attributed to Captain R. B. Creyke, Royal Navy

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Syria; Baltic 1854-55; St. Jean d’Acre 1840, silver, mounted on triple ribbon brooch bar with steel pin for wearing, nearly extremely fine (3) £200-£300

Richard Boynton Creyke entered the Navy in July, 1829, as first-class volunteer on board the Atholl, on the west coast of Africa, from which vessel, in April, !831, he was transferred to the Medina, where he remained until July of the same year. He joined the Ocean as a midshipman in December, 1831, the Magpie in November, 1832, and the Rolla in November, 1833. In these vessels he was employed at Sheerness, and on the North Sea and Lisbon stations. He went to the Mediterranean in April, 1834, in the Revenge, and as a Mate became attached to the Bellerophon in May, 1838. In the Bellerophon, as a Mate, he took part in the operations on the coast of Syria, and was present at the bombardment of St. Jean D’Acre.

In July, 1841, he was appointed to the revenue cutter Defence, employed in the North Sea, and was transferred, in July, 1843, to the steam vessel Blazer, Captain John Washington (afterwards Hydrographer) employed on surveying service in the same neighbourhood. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in September, 1843. From February, 1844, to October, 1845, he served on the west coast of Africa in the Penelope, Alert, and Growler, the former being the Commodore’s vessel on that station. He commanded the boats of the Alert in an attack on pirates at the Arguin islands, near Cape Blanco, for which he was mentioned favourably in the despatches of the Commodore.

In January, 1846, he was appointed to the survey of the west coast of Scotland, under Captain C. G. Robinson, in the Shearwater, and in October of the same year was made an Assistant-Surveyor. In October, 1847, his name was transferred to the books of the San Josef and subsequently to the Impregnable and Fisgard, his services throughout being continued in the survey of the west coast of Scotland.

In February, 1855, Lieutenant Creyke was appointed First Lieutenant of the Merlin, Captain Bartholomew J. Sulivan, attached to the Baltic fleet, in which vessel he assisted in surveying the north part of Cronstadt, as well as the vicinity of Sweaborg, previous to its bombardment, at which he was present. For his services on this occasion he was so strongly recommended by the Commander-in-Chief to the favourable consideration of their lordships, that he was promoted to the rank of Commander in September of the same year, and in the following November again resumed his duties as an Assistant-Surveyor on the west coast of Scotland, under Captain E. J. Bedford, with whom, as Chief Assistant-Surveyor, he continued to serve until about the year 1861. He was promoted to be Retired Captain on 11 February 1862, in consideration of his services and the impaired state of his health. For his war services Captain Creyke has received the Syrian and Baltic medals.

For the recipient’s full size medals, see Lot 247.