Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Chief Bosun’s Mate Charles Chapman, Royal Navy, whose outstanding campaign service included the action against the Peruvian Rebel Turret Ship Huascar in 1877

Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (C. Chapman, Ord. H.M.S. Rattlesnake. 73-74) official correction to initial; South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (”Shah” C. Chapman A.B. H.M.S.); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 2 clasps, Alexandria 11th July, Suakin 1885 (C. Chapman. Cap: F’cle, H.M.S. “Penelope”); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (C. Chapman, Actg. Chf. Bos. Mate, H.M.S. Sphinx); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Chas. Chapman, Ch. Bos. Mte. H.M.S. Sphinx) impressed naming; Khedive’s Star, dated 1882, the silver medals all cleaned bright, light contact marks but generally very fine or better, a rare and exceptional group (6) £2,000-£2,400

Douglas-Morris Collection Part I, Dix Noonan Webb, October 1996; Dix Noonan Webb, July 2001.

Charles Chapman was born in Sutton, Kent on 9 October 1854. He joined the service as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Rattlesnake on 8 October 1870, advanced to Boy 1st Class on 15 November 1871, and Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class on 20 October 1872, prior to leaving Rattlesnake on 25 March 1874, after service in the Ashantte campaign. Advanced to Able Seaman in January 1875 he was drafted to H.M.S. Shah in August 1876, in which vessel he took part in the action against the Peruvian Rebel Turret Ship Huascar in 1877. He was paid off from Shah in October l879 after earning his South Africa campaign medal with clasp. He next joined H.M.S. Penelope as Petty Officer 2nd Class during January 1881 and advanced to P.O. 1st Class (Captain of Forecastle) in June 1882. He was not amongst those chosen to serve at Tel-el-Kebir aboard the armoured train. He transferred to H.M.S. Sphinx as Acting Chief Petty Officer on 19 January 1885, becoming her Chief Bosun's Mate in January 1886 and seeing service at Suakin and in Burma. He was awarded his LS & GC medal on 8 May 1886, and was pensioned during October 1892.