A scarce Ashantee Coomassie casualty to later Egyptian War veteran Petty Officer Class 1, later Boatswain W. Bunt, Royal Navy who was 1 of 39 men of H.M.S. Argus to take part in the capture of Coomassie on 4th February 1874, the roll noting him as wounded during this action. He would later serve aboard Euphrates during the Egyptian War of 1882.
Group of 3: Ashantee Medal 1873-1874, clasp Coomassie; (W. BUNT. PY OFFR. 1 CL. H.M.S. ARGUS 73-74) Egypt Medal 1882-1889, dated reverse, no clasp; (W. BUNT. BO’SN. R.N. H.M.S. “EUPHRATES”) Khedive’s Star, dated 1882.
Condition: Good Very Fine
William Bunt was born at Preston on 25th December 1846 and first served as a Boy 2nd Class aboard Colossus from 25th December 1856. By 1st January 1873 he would be serving as a Petty Officer 1st Class aboard Excellent where he served until 27th March 1873, then transferring to Argus with whom he would be 1 of 39 men of the ship to serve during the Ashantee War including at the capture of Coomassie on 4th February 1874, the roll noting him as wounded during this action.
The catalyst for the war was the transfer of the port of Elmina on the Gold Coast of West Africa from the Dutch to the British in April 1872. Kofi Karikari, the King of the Ashantee, had received an annual payment from the Dutch for its use, but this stopped when the British took over.
In January 1873, an Ashantee army attacked the British Gold Coast Protectorate and by way of response, a British Expeditionary Force, under by Sir Garnet Wolseley, was sent to capture the capital of Coomassie (Kumasi). Wolseley landed at Elmina in early October, with a battalion of the West India Regiment, supported by a Naval Brigade of 300 men, and won his first victory at Essaman a few days later. British reinforcements having then arrived in the protectorate at the year’s end, Wolseley commenced the main advance on the capital in January 1874 and, under difficult circumstances, fought – and won – major engagements at Amoaful and Ordashu. Shortly afterwards, on 4 February 1874, the capital Coomassie was captured. Owing to an increasing number of sick and wounded, however, Wolseley decided to withdraw, but not before setting the capital on fire.
The capture of the King of the Ashantee fell to another force, approaching the capital from the east, and a peace treaty was signed on 13 February.
He would be promoted for his services in Ashantee subsequently serving as a Boatswain aboard Bellerophon from 28th May 1874, then Tara from 30th November 1874, Tyrian from 30th March 1875 to 16th April 1877 with his record noting he had been reprimanded for grounding Tyrian in the Firth of Forth on 19th April 1877, Temeraire from 1st August 1877 until 9th October 1879, Crocodile from 14th July 1880 until 10th July 1882, Euphrates from 11th July 1882 until 19th July 1883 including during the Egyptian War of 1882, Tyne from 7th September 1883, Phantom from 13th December 1883 until 17th March 1890 and Calliope from 15th May to 9th August 1890, being pensioned unfit the following day.
He was noted as very good Captain St. Clair noting as very zealous with great tact and judgement in dealing with ship’s company, and later stating he was most trustworthy, zealous and attentive, very strongly recommend.
