Orders, Decorations and Medals

China 1842 (T. G. Drake, Lieut., H.M.S. Cornwallis), original straight bar suspension, very fine £800-1000

Thomas George Drake was born on 7 April 1816, the second son of Colonel Thomas Drake of Amersham, Buckinghamshire. Educated at the Royal Naval College, he entered the Royal Navy in 1831, serving on the Alfred and thence the Volage. After briefly serving on the Cornwallis in March 1836, he removed to the Imogene on the South American Station. Here he was severely injured and returned to England in July 1837. Upon his recovery he was appointed Senior Mate on the Hyacinth for service in the East Indies. Proceeding then to China, he was present on the Hyacinth in the attack on Macao in August 1840 and present at the storming of Chuenpee, 7 January 1841, the capture of several craft and the last fort protecting the approaches of Canton, March 1841 and at the capture of the city on 18 March. Promoted to Lieutenant in July 1841, he was employed on the Cruizer and present at the storming of the batteries and defences of Amoy, the recapture of Chusan and the assault on the fortified heights and citadel of Chinghae. In January 1842 he was appointed to the Cornwallis, the flagship of Sir William Parker, and during the course of the year witnessed the defeat of the Chinese at Chapoo, Woosung and Chin-Kiang-Foo, and was present at the pacification of Nanking. With all his exertions in China, Drake returned to England in March 1843 as an invalid. After a period of recovery, on Half Pay, he was appointed to the Modeste and service in the Pacific. Returning home, he was promoted to Commander on 12 January 1846. He was then appointed to the command of the Conflict, in October 1849, serving off the coasts of Portugal and Brazil until December 1851 when he was compelled to resign his comand due to ill health.