Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (Charles F. A. Courtney, Surgeon, H.M.S. Sidon) contemporary engraved naming, fitted with silver ribbon brooch and original ribbon, good very fine £250-300

Charles Frederick Augustus Courtney entered the Royal Navy as Assistant Surgeon on 28 July 1848. After serving for a while at the Royal Hospital, Haslar, he joined the Plumper, in which vessel he sailed for the North America and West India station. From September 1849 until September 1852, he was employed on particular service in the Encounter; and in November 1852 he was appointed to the Sidon. In that frigate he served on the Home station and in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. On 4 October 1854, he shared, with the Inflexible and two French steamers in an attack made on Fort Nicholaef and on several gunboats under its protection, whereby a large force was prevented from crossing the Duieper Bay to the relief of the garrison in Sebastopol, a service for which the Board of the Admiralty returned its thanks.

Courtney accompanied the expedition to Kertch in May 1855; joined in the night attack of 17th June following on the sea defences of Sebastopol, preparatory to the unsuccessful assault on the Malakhoff and Redan) on which occasion the Sidon had 17 men killed and wounded; and was present at the bombardment and the capture of the southern part of the town on 8th September. In October of the same year, he assisted at the capture of Kinburn (Medal with clasp).

Promoted to Surgeon in May 1856, he subsequently served on the China station in the Calcutta, Assistance and Highflyer, during which time he saw service with the Royal Marines, and later witnessed the disastrous affair at the mouth of the Peiho River in June 1859.