Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Lieutenant R. J. Sweet, Royal Navy

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 2 clasps, Brass River 1895, Benin 1897 (R. J. Sweet, Gunr. R.N., H.M.S. Barrosa.); British War Medal (Lieut. R. J. Sweet. R.N.) good very fine (2) £600-700

Robert Joseph Sweet was born at Stoke Damerel, Devon, on 22 December 1859, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 20 March 1875. He rose steadily to become Chief Petty Officer in November 1892 and was promoted to Gunner in June 1903. He was subsequently promoted to Chief Gunner on 6 April 1911, and to Lieutenant on the Retired List on 30 September 1914.

As Gunner of Barrosa he served in the punitive expedition under Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford, K.C.B., formed from the St George (Flag), Thrush, Widgeon and Barrosa, against King Koko, of Nimby, the chief town of Brass, on the River Niger, which was destroyed in February 1895 (General Africa Medal, Brass River 1895 clasp); served in the naval brigade landed by Rear-Admiral Rawson, C.B., at Mombasa, from the St George, Phoebe, Barrosa, Racoon and Blonde, accompanied by sixty Soudanese and fifty Zanzibar Askaris, for the punishment of Mburuk, a rebellious Arab chief, resulting in the capture of his stronghold, M’weli, 17 August 1895 (”M’weli 1895” engraved on rim of General Africa Medal); served in the punitive naval expedition commanded by Rear-Admiral Rawson, C.B., and landed from the Squadron to punish the King of Benin for the massacre of the political expedition, 1897, ending in the capture of Benin City, 18 February 1897 (Benin Clasp).

Sold with copied record of service and medal roll confirmation, including ‘Mwele’ entitlement.

The first clasp on the East and West Africa Medal is Brass River 1895, not Benin River 1894