Very rare Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, V.R., wide suspension, dated ‘1848’ under the bust to QM John Seale.
Officially named to John Seale QM. HMS. Bellerophon. 23 Ys.
Good very fine and rare.
Approximately 100 medals issued with the date 1848 under the bust of Queen Victoria. Confirmed on the roll by Captain Douglas-Morris.
John Seale was born in Portsmouth 1807. He entered the R.N. on 4 May 1824 as a Boy aged 16 yrs. He was advanced to AB whilst serving on board HMS Madagascar. He then served on HMS Southhampton & Edinburgh from 1829 to 1836. He served as a Carpenters & Gunners Crew rating on these ships. He next served on HMS Princess Charlotte & saw action in the 1840 Syria campaign, the last campaign in which sailing ships participated. Drafted to the HMS Driver on 7 Sept 1841 he was advanced to Capt. of the Forecastle (PO1 rate) & spent the next 6 years overseas serving on the Pacific station & took part in the New Zealand 1845-47 Maori wars. Returning to U.K., his next draft was to the HMS Bellerophon where he was rated to Quatermaster from 2 Sept 1847 to 1 Nov 1850. He was recommended for his LS medal on 24 Oct 1849, but did not receive it until 1 year later, on 29 Oct 1850. He was pensioned on 6 Nov 1850 after 26 1/2 yrs in the R.N. His LS medal is one of the rare dated 1848 types, & is engraved "23yrs".
Product Code: EM4224
