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

Pair: Rear-Admiral Robert O. Leach, Royal Navy

Baltic 1854-55, unnamed as issued; New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1860 to 1861 (R. O. Leach, Lieut. H.M.S. Cordelia) officially impressed naming, mounted on a twin buckle brooch bar, extremely fine (2) £600-800

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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Lieutenant Robert Leach's New Zealand medal was issued on 28 March 1871. 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 which 20 are known including one with reverse dated 1860 (Commander Charles E. H. Vernon) and 3 with reverses undated.

Robert Leach was appointed Mate on 7 April 1852. He was promoted to Lieutenant in August 1854 and transferred to Duke of Wellington until September 1854, when he was transferred to Conflict until March 1856, seeing service in the Baltic Campaign on both ships. On 31 August 1855, Rear-Admiral R. S. Dundas reported his having been engaged at the Destruction of the Enemy's Shipping at Domeness in the Gulf of Riga. Again, on 9 October 1855, Rear Admiral Dundas recommended him for further proceedings in the Gulf of Riga. On 20 October 1855, Admiral Dundas enclosed a report of his gallantry in an engagement with Cossacks on the Coast of Courland.

Leach was paid off in November 1856 until April 1857, when he was appointed to Cordelia, in which he served in the Second New Zealand War. Captain C. E. H. Vernon of Cordelia gave him the highest character rating during this period. He was paid off from Cordelia April 1862 until appointed to Shannon in June 1862, in which he served until promoted to Commander on 9 May 1863. He served in Liverpool from July 1863 to August 1867, when he was again paid off, with Captain Seccombe recommending him for promotion. He joined Boscawen in April 1868, was promoted to Captain in February 1869, was placed on Half Pay from March 1869, and retired as Captain on 1 October 1873. Rear-Admiral Robert Leach died on 21 December 1920, of arterial sclerosis and pleurisy.