The Richard Magor Collection of Medals Relating to India and Africa, and other Fine Awards

A rare Benin River 1894 operations D.S.O. pair awarded to Lieutenant J. D. Hickley, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue; East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Benin River 1894 (Lieut., R.N., H.M.S. Phoebe) extremely fine (2) £4000-5000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Richard Magor Collection of Medals Relating to India and Africa, and other Fine Awards.

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One of just three D.S.Os to the Royal Navy for Benin River 1894.

D.S.O. London Gazette 21 December 1894: ‘In recognition of the services of the undermentioned Officers in the recent operations against the Chief Nana of Brohemie in the Benin River.’

John Dennis Hickley was born at either Angelsea, Hampshire, or at Walton Rectory, Somerset, in January 1862, son of Admiral H. D. Hickley, R.N., and was educated at Mannamead School, Plymouth and at Foster’s, Hampshire, and entered Britannia as a Naval Cadet in July 1874. Advanced to Midshipman two years later, he enjoyed several seagoing appointments before joining H.M.S. Phoebe as a Lieutenant in December 1892.

By the time of the Benin River operations of 1894, Hickley was serving as Phoebe’s First Lieutenant, and was a natural candidate for service ashore in the Naval Brigade. And as evidenced by details contained in the despatches of Captain F. Powell of the Phoebe, and Admiral F. G. D. Bedford, C.B., C.-in-C. of the West Africa Coast Station, he served with no little distinction (London Gazette 21 December 1894 refers).

Powell states that he landed Hickley with 25 Bluejackets at a point near the enemy’s stockade at Brohemie Creek on 27 August 1894, with orders to make a breastwork and form a rallying point for the Houssas in case they were attacked and driven back by the enemy. Two days later, Powell was able to advance his force against some enemy houses, firing volleys into them before rushing them. In addition:

‘Rockets and 7-pounder shell were fired into the town and set fire to some of the houses. The enemy’s fire was getting warmer, and the Houssas became reluctant to advance, so I ordered Lieutenant Hickley to take Phoebe’s company to the front and take the houses, which he did at once ... [yet] ... to stay where we were for the night was impossible, so as it was now nearly five o’clock there was nothing for it but to return to the ships, which we did leisurely in excellent order, Phoebe’s company under Lieutenant Hickley forming rear guard and keeping the enemy in check.’

As it transpired, Brohemie was not attacked again until late September 1894, after a superior force led by Rear-Admiral Bedford had arrived on the scene. Once again, according to the official despatches, Hickley played a major part in the operation, nearly witnessing the capture of Chief Nana and eventually ending up in command of the Chief’s captured town. Bedford states:

‘19. I immediately despatched the steam pinnaces of this ship and the Phoebe under Lieutenant Streatfield, my Flag Lieutenant, and Lieutenant Hickley, with orders to take up positions on each side of the supposed opening and hidden as much as possible under the bushes. They reached their position about midnight and kept as quiet as possible in the inky darkness.
20. About 3 a.m. on the morning of the 28th, Lieutenant Streatfield heard whispering a short distance from his boat; he could see nothing, but immediately began to move his boat out. A slight noise was made, four men splashed into the water and were into the bush in a moment, leaving a canoe, which, on examination, was found to contain all the valuables belonging to Nana which could be packed into a moderate-sized canoe, including £327 in money, and among other things two hideous carved wooden arrangements, which the natives declared were the war Ju Ju of Nana and Bizanne, and which they would certainly have with them. It seems most probable therefore that they were in the canoe.
21. It is a most hopeless task trying to follow up natives in this bush, but Alecto sent a party of kroomen to search about, while Lieutenant Hickley returned to the ship, delivered up the valuables, and I arranged that some of the Houssas should go up and endeavour to trace the fugitives; in this they were unsuccessful, and returned in the evening. Next morning, however, Nana’s cap and coat were found near by and recognized as those he was wearing, and there is no reason to doubt that he was in the canoe.’

It was on the following day, the 29th, that Bedford recalled Captain Powell and reduced the garrison ashore, leaving Lieutenant Hickley in command of the town. And in the specific ‘mentions’ at the end of his despatch, the Admiral concluded that ‘it would be difficult to find two more able and zealous Officers’ than Streatfield and Hickley.

In November 1894, when the Phoebe called into St. Helena, Hickley sat down to write an article about the recent Benin operations for the United Services Magazine, a photocopy of which is included. In it, he describes at length all of the above operations and the great difficulties encountered in moving the guns ashore in the deep, stinking mud of mangrove swamps, together with details of some of the casualties sustained. On a lighter note, he also points out that the Nana’s captured canoe also contained six quarts of champagne. But this perhaps surprising discovery paled into insignificance when the Nana’s house was taken, for ‘over 3000 cases of gin, each containing six bottles’ were found stored within. Magor astutely observes that the subsequent destruction of these many gin bottles must have upset the Navy no end!

Tragically, in circumstances which remain a mystery, the much-talented Hickley was drowned at Lourenco Marques on 17 February 1895, while out shooting with a native. He was 33 years of age.