Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Ashantee 1873-74, 1 clasp, Coomassie (Lt. H. Ponsonby, R.N. 73-74) polished, therefore nearly very fine and an important medal for this campaign £900-1200

Henry Ponsonby was born on 23 March 1851, and entered Britannia as a Naval Cadet on 15 September 1865, becoming Midshipman in December 1867, and Sub-Lieutenant in June 1872. Whilst a Midshipman he landed with Rodney’s Naval Brigade in the expedition against the piratical towns of Tang-tung, Poting, and Outingpoi, near Swatow, China, in January 1859.

He joined H.M.S. Active in October 1873 and was employed during the Ashantee expedition of 1873-74 with the Volta Expeditionary Force under Special Commissioner Sir John H. Glover. He was favourably mentioned in Glover’s despatch dated Fort Anamoboe, February 25, 1874, who reported:

‘Sub-Lieutenant Ponsonby, Her Majesty’s Ship “Active,” joined us just before the crossing of the Volta, on the 24th and 25th December. His skilful firing was referred to in General Orders of that date. He was left in charge of the steam launches on the Volta, and subsequently received orders to join Head Quarters, which he did at Chibbi, on 11th January. He accompanied Lieutenant Barnard in charge of rockets to Jaarsie, and in his reports of attack on Odumassie, 26th January, Lieutenant Barnard remarks on “the splendid way in which the rockets cleared the bush.” On this occasion he was struck by a spent slug on the knee, with such violence as to cause him to fall. He was also with Lieutenant Barnard on the 2nd February, when the enemy were driven from the line of Annonu River. He has since acted under Commander Larcom, in charge of artillery of the expedition, and on the return march has had charge of the loads and transport.’

Ponsonby also commanded the rear-guard in the advance on Coomassie. For his services during the Ashantee expedition Ponsonby was specially promoted to Lieutenant on 31 March 1874, received a letter of thanks from the Admiralty, and the special thanks of the Colonial Office, with £100 to buy a sword, inscriber “Presented to Lieutenant H. Ponsonby by H.M. Secretary of State for the Colonies, in token of his gallant and faithful services in connection with the expedition of Sir J. Glover against the Ashantees, 1873-74.”

In June 1875, Ponsonby was allowed to take service under the Mexican Government and commanded the Mexican gun-vessel Independencia for nine months, in the Gulf of Mexico, during the revolution of 1875, and received the thanks of the President. Whilst in Avon, which he joined in June 1876, he landed with seamen and marines to burn native villages in the Congo river, 26 December 1876. Lieutenant Ponsonby retired from the Royal Navy on 17 June 1881.