The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals (Part 1)

Indian Mutiny 1857-58, no clasp (John Goodfellow, Capt. Forecastle. Pearl) very fine

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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John Goodfellow was born in London and joined the service as a prime seaman aged 23 years when signed aboard H.M.S. ARDENT for her four year commencing 23 May 1846. Whilst aboard H.M.S. FOX his first advancement to Petty Officer status took place in April 1851, passing through the duties of Captain of the Mast and then the After Guard before becoming a Quarter Master, in which rank he earned the Baltic medal whilst aboard CRESSY. He was received aboard PEARL on 26 November 1855 as Captain of the Forecastle which he retained until she was paid off in June 1859, after serving, as Captain Sotheby stated on Goodfellow’s Certificate, “in Pearl’s Naval Brigade from 12th September 1857 to 2nd February 1859 in India in the Light Battalion as Captain of Horse Guard”.

He was mentioned in Captain Sotheby’s despatch dated 28 December 1857 in which his comments on the recent action at Sohunpore stated that he was “..greatly indebted for the steadiness and efficiency of ... and John Goodfellow, Captain of the Forecastle, who scarcely ever missed his object and did much execution with his gun [12-pounder howitzer].” He was also mentioned in Sotheby’s despatch from Amorha Camp on 9 March 1858 (see previous lot for details). For a third time Goodfellow featured in a despatch, that dated 3 September 1858, which commented on the third action at Amorha. During this eight hour engagement, with hot sun above and wet under foot, John Goodfellow commanded one of the two-horsed 12-pounder howitzers and was reported to have fired his piece with the most telling effect.

His reward, also recorded on his Certificate, was that of being selected to receive the ‘Good Conduct Gratuity’ when PEARL was paid off. These ‘end of Commission’ gratuities for Petty Officers of the Fleet had been introduced by the Navy in January 1849, in lieu of the scheme adopted by the Royal Marines with the introduction of the Royal Marine Meritorious Service Medal. He next served aboard H.M. Ships SIDON and ADVENTURE as Captain of the Forecastle and Chief Bosun’s Mate, but in the latter vessel was suddenly accorded the rate of ‘Ship’s Cook’ half way through her commission on 25 April 1866. When she was paid off he was recommended for and received the L.S. & G.C. medal and gratuity on 7 August 1867, and was pensioned to shore with 20 years service.