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

Eight: Admiral Sir F. W. Sullivan, Bt., K.C.B., C.M.G., Royal Navy

South Africa 1834-53 (Midshipman F. W. Sullivan); Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (Mate H.M.S. London) contemporary engraved naming; New Zealand 1845-66, undated reverse, unnamed; Egypt & Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp (Rear. Adml. Sir F. W. Sullivan, K.C.B.); Jubilee 1887, silver, with clasp, 1897, unnamed as issued; Al Valore Militare, ‘Spedizione D’Oriente 1855 1856, silver, unofficial type, unnamed; Turkish Crimea, Sardinian issue, unnamed; Order of the Medjidie, 2nd Class breast star, silver, gold and enamels, this damaged, contact marks and lacquered but generally very fine or better (8) £800-1000

Admiral Sir Francis William Sullivan, 6th Bt., was Midshipman of Castor during Kaffir war 1851-52 (Medal); Mate of London before Sebastopol; present in boats at landing at old Fort; attack on Sebastopol; Mate of the Glatton and subsequently Lieutenant of the Sphinx, and in command of her tender Bocuda in Black Sea (Crimean and Turkish medals, Sebastopol Clasp, Sardinian Medal); promoted to Commander on west coast of Africa into the Conflict; Commander of the Greyhound on the coast of Syria, 1860-61, during Maronite and Druse disturbances.

Commanded the Harrier in New Zealand, 1862-64; Senior Officer on the outbreak of hostilities; organised and commanded Waikato flotilla until arrival of Commodore Sir W. Wiseman, and subsequently chief of his staff until relieved in command of Harrier by Commander Hay; present at the action on Koheron Heights, battle of Rangiriri, and several minor affairs; promoted to Captain and C.B. for this service (New Zealand Medal).

A.D.C. to the Queen 1 January 1877 to 30 December 1878; when Commodore of the West Coast of Africa and Cape of Good Hope stations during the old Colony war, 1877-78, received the thanks of both Houses of Cape Parliament, the Governor, &c.; C.M.G. for this service; in Natal during the Zulu war, 1878-79, received the thanks of Sir Bartle Frere and General Lord Chelmsford for co-operation, &c, K.C.B. for this service (Zulu Medal, Clasp 1877-78-79).

Appointed to Command Detached Squadron, December 1881; joined Admiral Sir Beauchamp Seymour off Alexandria with the Squadron, 19 July 1882, employed under him off Alexandria till 20th August, the Senior Officer at Port Said till conclusion of war (Egyptian Medal, Khedive’s Bronze Star, Medjidie 2nd Class); thanks of both Houses of Parliament; Second in Command Channel Fleet, 14 August to 16 March 1883; Director of Transports, 1 April 1883; F.R.G.S., J.P. for Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. Admiral Sir Francis Sullivan retired in 1892, and died on 13 May 1906.

The above services have been taken from the Royal Navy List. It should be pointed out that in no other source is he listed as a recipient of the Sardinian ‘Al Valor Militare’. Technically, being in possession of the earlier medal for South Africa, he should only have received a clasp dated ‘1877-8-9’ to add to it, and this may explain the absence of a second medal. He should have received a New Zealand medal with reverse dates ‘1863 to 1864’, so the medal above must be a later claim or replacement with the undated reverse, stocks of the dated medals having run out.