Five: Captain of the Mizzen Top John Bruce, Royal Navy, later Commissioned Boatman in the Coast Guard

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol, unnamed as issued; China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Canton 1857, Taku Forts 1860, unnamed as issued; New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1864 (J. Bruce, Captn. Mzn. Top, H.M.S. Esk) officially impressed naming; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (John Bruce, Comd. Btmn. H.M. Coast Gd.) engraved naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed, the first two with contact marks, very fine, otherwise good very fine or better (5) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Important Collection of Medals for the Maori Wars, 1845-1866.

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Bruce's New Zealand War medal was issued on 4 March 1871. 119 medals (16 to R.N. officers, 79 to R.N. ratings, one to R.M. officer, and 23 to R.M. N.C.Os. and men) were issued to H.M.S. Esk for the Second New Zealand War, of which 48 are known including 4 with undated reverses (all to R.N. ratings) and the rest with reverses dated 1863-1864.

John Bruce was born in March 1836 at Buckie, Banffshire. His earlier service records have not been sought but he first enlisted in 1851 and re-engaged for Continuous Service No. 27044 on 2 February 1866 to complete his time. He had seen service in the Crimea as a Boy 1st Class in H.M.S. Furious, in China as an Able Seaman in Actaeon, and in New Zealand as Captain of the Mizzen Top in Esk. He was appointed Commissioned Boatman from 1 January 1873 in the Black Prince, Aurora, and Narcissus, where he was promoted to Chief Boatman in January 1878, and then served in the Hercules and Warrior, before being transferred to Lord Warden and promoted to Chief Boatman in Charge in November 1881. He saw further service in Devastation and finally Iron Duke from which he was Shore Pensioned on 14 January 1891. He obtained the category of Seaman Gunner 2nd Class, which ceased on 31 December 1877. His record is annotated “Traced Pension 13.11.1890”.