An Important Collection of Medals for the Maori Wars, 1845-1866

The very rare ‘1860’ New Zealand medal awarded to Captain C. H. Vernon, Royal Navy, who earlier participated in the Franklin Search Expedition from 1848 to 1854 as a Lieutenant in the Plover

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1860 (Commander C. E. H. Vernon, H.M.S. Cordelia) officially impressed naming, fitted with silver ribbon brooch, nearly extremely fine £2000-2500

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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One of only six known New Zealand War medals dated 1860 awarded to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and a unique date to H.M.S. Cordelia; three are also known to H.M.S. Iris and two to H.M.S. Niger. Vernon's Medal was issued on 12 November 1870. 29 medals (4 to R.N. officers, 16 to R.N. ratings, and 9 to R.M. N.C.Os. and men) were awarded to H.M.S. Cordelia for the Second New Zealand War. Of these 29, 20 are known as extant including this one with reverse dated 1860, three with undated reverses, and the remainder with reverses dated 1860-1861.

Charles Egerton Harcourt Vernon was born in 1827, and his seniority as Lieutenant in the Royal Navy dated from 2 February 1849. He was posted to Daedalus on 27 July 1849, and to Plover in September 1851.

As a Lieutenant he took part in the Franklin Search Expedition in the Plover, under Captain Moore, wintering at Port Clarence during 1851-52, and during another commission of the Plover, under Commander Maguire, from 1852-54, wintering at Point Barrow during 1852-53 and 1853-54. A vessel from the Pacific squadron communicated with the Plover each year, after the departure of the Herald. In 1851, H.M.S. Daedalus (Captain Wellesley) was sent to Port Clarence on this duty, and it would seem that Vernon transferred from Daedalus to Plover at that time. The Amphitrite took up Captain Maguire in 1852.

On 30 June 1852, Captain Moore of the Plover recommended Vernon for his active and zealous conduct during the Arctic expedition; and on 29 October 1854, Commander Maguire spoke in the highest terms of Vernon's valuable services in the Arctic Seas. On 24 February 1859, Captain Loring reported his useful proceedings in the Navigators Islands.

Promoted to be a Commander in April 1855, he was posted to Surprise in March 1856, and to Cordelia in April 1857. In 1859 H.M.S. Cordelia paid a punitive visit to the Samoan island of Savii, to demand the surrender of a young chief who had murdered an English trader by the name of William Fox two years earlier. After destroying houses and canoes the chief was delivered up and then promptly strung to the yardarm, his body being returned for burial. The effect of the punishment was as marked as it was lasting. Cordelia saw service in New Zealand during 1860 and 1861, but Vernon was made Acting Captain of Iris in December 1860, and promoted to Captain in August 1861. Captain Vernon died on 14 May 1872.