Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A most unusual Coronation 1902 C.B. pair awarded to Paymaster-in-Chief G. P. Martin, Royal Navy, a veteran of the Second Burmese War who for many years acted as Deputy Judge Advocate to the Fleet

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Civil) Companion’s breast badge, converted for neck wear, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1902; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (Geoe. P. Martin, Secy., “Hastings”), the first with edge nicks and a little polished, very fine, the last rather better (2) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee.

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C.B. London Gazette 26 October 1902.

George Peter Martin was born in October 1823, the second son of John Martin, R.N., of Stoke Damerel, Cornwall, and was appointed an Acting Paymaster in the Royal Navy in June 1843.

His first taste of active service occurred during his time aboard H.M.S. Alarm in 1848, during the San Juan de Nicaragua dispute, when boats from his ship were employed in the destruction of the fort at Serapaqui. Advanced to Paymaster in the following year, for his ‘special services in connection with the settlement’ of this dispute, Martin was next appointed Secretary to the Flag Officer and C.-in-C. East Indies, in which capacity he found himself embroiled in the Pegu operations of 1852, when boats from his ship, the Hastings, assisted at the capture of Prome.

His next posting was as Secretary to the C.-in-C. Pacific, Rear-Admiral David Price, aboard the President, a commission that would lead to him witnessing the bombardments of Petropolovski in August and September 1856. Martin enjoyed several more staff postings to senior officers over the coming decade, and served as a Fleet Paymaster in the royal yacht Victoria and Albert 1867-75, a commission that witnessed him qualifying as a Barrister-at-Law in 1872. Three years later he was appointed Deputy Judge Advocate to the Fleet, an appointment he would hold until long after his retirement in 1879 - indeed he retained this office until 1902, the year in which he received his C.B.

Martin died in October 1910, Who Was Who noting that ‘from the time bicycles were introduced into England he was an enthusiastic cyclist. He was of opinion that the bicycle (and in later years the tricycle) was the principal cause of the remarkbale health with which he was favoured.’