A very fine Baltic, Crimean War Azoff and Sebastopol and Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Victoria, wide suspender with years on edge awarded to Quarter Master G. McCarthy, Royal Navy, who would serve aboard H.M.S. Stromboli in both the Baltic and Crimea where he would be present during the actions at Sebastopol and Azoff. He would later receive a Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with a wide suspender whilst serving as a Quarter Master aboard H.M.S. Orontes for his 20 years service on 21st December 1866.
Group of 4: Baltic Medal 1854-1855, unnamed as issued; Crimea Medal 1854-1855, 2 Clasps: Azoff, Sebastopol, top bar loose on ribbon, unnamed as issued; Turkish Crimea Medal, Sardinian issue, double ring suspension; Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Victoria, wide suspender with years on edge; (G. MCCARTHY. QR. MR. H.M.S. ORONTES.20 YRS)
Condition: Good Very Fine
George McCarthy is noted as having been borne aboard H.M.S. Malta in March 1829 when the ship was laid up ‘In Ordinary’ Reserve at Plymouth. It would have been usual for the three Warrant Officers, Gunner, Boatswain and Carpenter of her last commission at sea to be living aboard, along with a Ship’s Cook, and some ship-keepers. McCarthy was not the son of a Warrant Officer aboard, nor was there a McCarthy Warrant Officer in the Navy at the this time.
The likelihood is that he was the son of a shipkeeper, whose family lived aboard the seeming hulk with no parts standing.
His early training days were spent in San Josef and Melampus, both ships operating out of Devonport. His advancement to Able Seaman was not spectacular, but took place under normal circumstances and time.
Whilst born on the books of Edinburgh, a tender to the Gunnery Training Ship H.M.S. Excellent, he passed his examination for Seaman Gunner on 17th June 1853.
H.M.S. Stromboli took part in both the Baltic and Crimean campaigns whilst he was aboard that vessel. Although he served Stromboli in four different rates, Able Seaman, Captain of the Fore Top, Leading Seaman and Boatswain’s Mate (All with the added non-substantive suffix S.G.), he was noted for both Medals as ‘Able Seaman’. His Baltic was despatched to him on 18th April 1857, and sent to H.M.S. Cambridge. He earned two clasps to his Crimea Medal – Sebastopol and Azoff and he received his award whilst aboard Stromboli on an unknown date. His Turkish Crimea Medal was sent later on an unspecified occasion.
He had a touch of living ashore whilst earning time for his Pension when he was a ‘Seaman Rigger’ at Devonport Dockyard from 21st August 1858 until 11th March 1859.
He was a denied any ‘Bonus Time’ for serving as an ‘S.G.’ due to the inefficiency of an Admiralty Clerk, who never thought to enter the 20% additional time on his official service papers. Many seamen lost time and money due to such lax administration at the Admiralty.
The Doris was a Frigate operating out of Devonport, whilst the Orontes was a Troopship used on ‘Particular Service’ as events dictated to all parts of the Empire at that period of time.
His Long Service and Good Conduct would be Type C with sloping ‘Years’ on the edge, since its award date of 21st December 1866 falls within known brackets for these facets.
It was usual for a ‘Pensioner’ to be reverted to serve as an ‘Able Seaman’ if he served beyond his pensionable time, although in certain special cases this rule did not apply. McCarthy was to serve out his remaining years in the Navy as an ‘A.B. Pensioner’ aboard Indus, a Harbour bound ship with the duty of Guard Ship of the Reserve and Flag Ship of the Admiral Superintendent, Devonport, the Asia carried similar duties at Portsmouth.
His original sized Pension granted him in December 1866 would have been increased for his extra service time on 12th February 1874 – he having left the Royal Navy for good some 8 days earlier.
