Lot 2112

Description

New Zealand Medal, undated. E Barnes AB HMS ESK. Impressed. Very fine.

Ex Captain Douglas-Morris Collection 1996, DNW (London) 1997. Royal Navy recipients are considered scarce. The New Zealand Medal was only awarded to men who went ashore as part of a Naval Shore Party (in action) and thus the medals were only awarded to a small percentage of ship crew. Edward Barnes was born in Paddington, London on 18 January 1840 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 1st Class aboard HMS 'Excellent' on 16 January 1857. He was drafted to HMS 'Racoon' as an Ordinary Seaman in April 1858 and subsequently to HMS 'Asia' in January 1862. He transferred to HMS 'Esk' on 15 April 1863 and was later promoted to the rank of Able Seaman in September 1864. Serving aboard 'Esk' in New Zealand he took part in the engagement at Te Awamutu and later at Gate Pa and Te Ranga in 1864. As an Able Seaman aboard HMS 'Challenger' he took his discharge at Sydney, Australia on 27 January 1867 at the end of his first ten year engagement. He appears to have settled in Australia and was awarded a medal belatedly on 21 December 1890. He was subsequently awarded a replacement medal on 26 July 1905. The impressing style on this medal implies it is the original award.