A unique pair of Chaplain’s Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840, clasp Syria awarded to the Marshall brothers. John Marshall would serve aboard H.M.S. Pique during the operations in Syria taking part in the bombardment of the city of Acre, his brother Joseph Marshall would be present aboard H.M.S. Castor during the operations in Syria taking part in the bombardment of the city of Acre on 3rd November 1840, he would go on to work as a Justice of the Peace and gained the title of Baron de Prigny de Querieux in France. 2 of just 26 Naval General Service Medals to Chaplains, including 11 for Syria, Unique when issued to brothers.
Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840, 1 Clasp: Syria; (JOHN MARSHALL, CHAPLAIN.)
Condition: minor edge-bruising, two edge-knicks to the reverse rim at 4 and 6 o’clock, Very Fine
John Marshall was appointed a Chaplain in the Royal Navy in 1828 and served aboard H.M.S. Sybille from 4th January until 6th February 1828, and then H.M.S. Revenge from 8th February 1828 until 25th October 1830, H.M.S. Barham from 12th April 1831 until 1st May 1834, H.M.S. President from 8th May 1834, H.M.S. Pique at August 1837 in which ship he was present during the operations in Syria.
In 1840 Pique saw service in the bombardment of the city of Acre under the command of Admiral Robert Stopford. For the engagement, Pique was assigned to the far northern end of the line, north-northeast of the much larger HMS Waterloo and at a greater distance from the city than the rest of Stopford's fleet. Despite this unfavourable position, accurate gunnery enabled Pique to score several hits on the town. In 2012 renovation works along Acre's city wall uncovered three cannonballs fired by Pique during the battle, the shots having struck within three metres (9.8 ft) of each other and embedded in the wall at depths of up to 65 centimetres (26 in)
The fleet was then instructed to retake Acre, which was the only coastal position left in Egyptian hands. The Mediterranean Fleet, commanded by Stopford, and supported by small Austrian and Turkish squadrons, moved into position against the western and southern sides of Acre on November 3-4 and opened fire at 14:00. The ships anchored closer to the shore than expected, at 450–800 metres, and the Egyptian guns were aimed too high. The fire of the ships was devastatingly accurate thanks to the training associated with the Royal Navy's new gunnery school, HMS Excellent. The Egyptians had no opportunity to correct their error; their guns were disabled by direct hits and by the walls of the fortifications falling on their crews. The sailing ships of the line were in two lines with steamers manoeuvring in between. At 16:20 a shell penetrated the main magazine in the south of the city, which exploded killing 1,100 men. The guns ashore fell silent and that night the city was occupied. British losses were light: 18 men killed and 41 wounded. The ships had fired 48,000 rounds.
Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840, 1 Clasp: Syria; this fitted with silver ribbon buckle; (JOSEPH MARSHALL, CHAPLAIN.)
Condition: minor edge-bruising, two edge-knicks. One to the obverse rim at 4 o’clock, and one to the reverse rim at 7 o’clock, Very Fine
Joseph Marshall was born in County Tyrone in 1801 and was the son of Reverend Cornelius Marshall and Margaret Brydge. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and was ordained a Deacon on 27th September 1829 and a Preist on 1st November following. He would be appointed a Chaplain in the Royal Navy in 1830 and was ordered to the Mediterranean as a Chaplain aboard H.M.S. Britannia. On 16th March 1830, he would be appointed to Ocean just previous to her return home, and on 28th April 1830 to the Briton at Portsmouth.
On 14th June 1831 he passed his full examination as a Schoolmaster, before on 7th May 1833 he would be appointed as Chaplain and Schoolmaster to Forte, and on 8th May 1837 to the Castor aboard which ship he would be present at the operations in Syria.
Castor took part in the Egyptian–Ottoman War, also known as the Second Syrian War, when the British Mediterranean Fleet under Admiral Sir Robert Stopford, supported the Ottoman Empire and took action to compel the Egyptians to withdraw from Beirut. During the Oriental Crisis of 1840 Castor was involved in the bombardment of St. Jean d’Acre on 3 November 1840. Four sailors (Seamen John O'Brein, Silneck Thomas, Smith William and Weaver Frederick) were killed on board at the capture of St. Jean D'Acre. They were buried in Malta, in the Msida Bastion Cemetery and Historic Garden, Floriana, Malta, where a monument is still visible.
His final appointment would be to the Victory from 17th October 1840 until 3rd February 1844, when his period of service expired and he was discharged on half-pay. He died at his residence at Parsonstown, Ireland on 25th December 1865, aged 63.
He would later live at Baronne Court, County Tipperary, Ireland. He went on to hold the office of Justice of the Peace and would gain the title of Baron de Prigny de Querieux in France.
26 Naval General Service Medals were issued to Chaplains, 11 of which were for Syria.
