The Ron Tuppen Collection of Naval Medals to Engine Room Officers

Family group:

Three: attributed to Chief Carpenter George Henry Church, Royal Navy
Baltic 1854-55, unnamed as issued; Crimea 1854-562 clasps, Azoff, Sebastopol, unnamed as issued, clasps loose on ribbon; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed, pierced with ring and scroll suspension, each with matching ornate brooch bars, contact marks

Six: Chief Engine Room Artificer Henry Frederick Winterton Church, Royal Navy
1914-15 Star (141633 C.E.R.A.1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (141633 C.E.R.A.1, R.N.); Coronation 1902, bronze; Coronation 1911, these unnamed; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Ch. E.R.A.2 Cl., H.M.Y. Osborne)

A Q.S.A. awarded to Petty Officer Frank Algernon Church, Royal Navy
Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (F. A. Church, P.O. 1st Cl., H.M.S. Pelorus) small impressed naming, nearly very fine and better (10) £650-750

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Ron Tuppen Collection of Naval Medals to Engine Room Officers.

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George Henry Church was born in Chatham, Kent, 1828. Entering service with the Royal Navy, he served as Chief Carpenter’s Mate aboard Algiers during the Baltic campaign and aboard Miranda during the Crimean War. He attained the rank of Chief Carpenter in October 1877 when serving on Fisguard. He was pensioned on 13 April 1885 and died in Woolwich, Kent on 23 August 1900. With copied service papers and research.

Henry Frederick Winterton Church was the son of George Henry Church and Sarah Ann Bailey, born in Charlton on 28 December 1865. He entered the Royal Navy as an Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class on 25 May 1887 and was confirmed in that rank in September 1888. He was promoted to E.R.A. 3rd Class in May 1890 when on Warspite; E.R.A. 2nd Class in May 1894 when on Edinburgh; and C.E.R.A. 2nd Class in February 1897 when on Scylla. Church served on the Royal Yacht Osborne, January 1901-November 1906, on which he was awarded the Royal Navy L.S. & G.C. in 1902 and was promoted to C.E.R.A. 1st Class in February 1903. Further service on H.M. Yachts Osborne, Alexandra and Victoria and Albert followed. He was pensioned ashore in December 1909 but returned to the Service in August 1914, serving throughout the war on Vindictive, Victory and President. Church was demobilised in July 1919 and died in Brighton on 23 November 1941. With copied Birth Certificate and service papers.

Frank Algernon Church was the son of George Henry Church and Sarah Ann Bailey, born in Charlton on 22 January 1869. He entered the Royal Navy as Boy 2nd Class on 16 August 1884. Serving on Agincourt, June 1886-May 1889, he was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in January 1887 and Able Seaman in April 1888. He was advanced to Leading Seaman in December 1891 when on Thunderer and Petty Officer 2nd Class in November 1895 and Petty Officer 1st Class in June 1896 when on Cambridge. Church retired with a pension in November 1910 and joined the R.F.R. in December 1911. With the onset of war he returned to the Service as a Petty Officer but was invalided in September 1915 suffering from neurasthenia. In later life he became a Builder. He died in Plymouth on 6 March 1947.

With Birth Certificate and copied service papers.