Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

South Africa 1834-53 (M. Clipsham, Private R.M.) edge bruising and contact marks, therefore good fine but scarce £350-400

Matthew Clipsham served as a Private, Royal Marines, aboard H.M.S. Castor. He is confirmed as one of only 140 R.N. and R.M. officers and men who were landed in Kaffraria at the Buffalo River mouth in 1851. It was originally proposed by the Army that only the members of this small Naval Brigade, commanded by Captain C. Wyvill, R.N., should be eligible for the South Africa medal, on the basis that only they had made a contribution to the operations by land. In the event all crews of the ships that took part in the operations were granted the medal, regardless of whether they went ashore or not.