A Highly Unusual East and West Africa Medal (Benin 1897)
& 1914-15 Trio.
To:
143237. ARMOURER HENRY HEDGECOCK. ROYAL NAVY. HMS THESEUS, H.M.S. ORAMA
[THE MEDALS]
East and West Africa Medal [Benin 1897]
H. HEDGECOCK. ARMR. H.M.S. THESEUS.
1914-15 Star. (With original box)
143237 H. HEDGECOCK. ARMR. R.N.
British War Medal & Victory Medals.
143237 H. HEDGECOCK. ARMR. R,N.
The BENIN 1897 Clasp
This clasp was granted for the expedition to Benin City against Chief Overiami who was heavily involved in the slave trade and in practices of human sacrifice & cannibalism
[BIOGRAPHY] 1868-
Armourer Henry Hedgecock was born 17th April 1868 in Westbourne, near Chichester, West Sussex. Prior to his 12 year enlistment into The Royal Navy at age 19 in 1887, he had worked as a blacksmith.His papers confirm that he was serving on H.M.S. THESEUS as an Armourer when he qualified for the Benin 1897 clasp on his East and West Africa Medal.
He had served for 22 years when he was pensioned off in October 1909. He re-enlisted in August 1914 at the age of 46 for further service in the Great War.
HMS THESEUS In January 1897 Theseus was ordered from the Mediterranean to join Rear Admiral Sir Harry Rawson's fleet that had been sent to West Africa for a punitive expedition against Benin.
HMS ORAMA
The majority of his sea time during the Great War was as an Armourer in the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS ORAMA in which he served from September 1914 to August 1917.
He left ORAMA in Liverpool in August 1917 and it is of interest that Henry had a bit of a close call, as two months later on 19th October the ORAMA was lost after being torpedoed by the German Submarine U-62.
The ship sank at Lat 48.0, Long -9.3, 217 miles off the Isles of Scilly. The American destroyer USS Conyngham attempted unsuccessfully to ram the submarine.
The group comes with an excellent piece of naval scrimshaw in the form of a group of 3 sharks teeth set into a bakelite stand with a red enamelled brass plaque dedicated to “H.M.S. ORAMA 1914 – 1917” on the edge
An extract from HMS ORAMA’s Log during during Hedgecock’s service:
14 March 1915 – “The Battle of Más a Tierra” The sinking of SMS Dresden.
Severely damaged after an action with HMS ORAMA HMS KENT and HMS GLASGOW and then Scuttled by Captain Ludecke off Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile on 14th March 1915
4.00am: In company with HMS Glasgow –
5.30am: Island of Juan Fernandez N8E –
8.40am: Observed HMS Kent approaching from E –
8.50am: Observed German cruiser Dresden –
9.15am: Opened fire with port guns at 10,100 yards range –
9.21am: Cease fire, enemy hoisting white flag –
10.30am: Dresden blew up forward –
11.38am: Dresden sank –
1.00pm: Commenced embarking Dresden’s wounded.
HMS Orama took fifteen severely wounded German sailors to Valparaiso but four of them died.
The destruction of his ship had left Lüdecke in shock, and so Canaris took responsibility for the fate of the ship's crew.
An excellent & scarce Victorian-Great War Royal Navy group of four in choice condition with a good piece of classic “shark’s teeth” naval scrimshaw with provenance to HMS ORAMA.
All medals are practically Mint on Mint original ribbons. The group comes with various service papers.
£795
[THE MEDALS]
East and West Africa Medal [Benin 1897]
H. HEDGECOCK. ARMR. H.M.S. THESEUS.
1914-15 Star. (With original box)
143237 H. HEDGECOCK. ARMR. R.N.
British War Medal & Victory Medals.
143237 H. HEDGECOCK. ARMR. R,N.
The BENIN 1897 Clasp
This clasp was granted for the expedition to Benin City against Chief Overiami who was heavily involved in the slave trade and in practices of human sacrifice & cannibalism
[BIOGRAPHY] 1868-
Armourer Henry Hedgecock was born 17th April 1868 in Westbourne, near Chichester, West Sussex. Prior to his 12 year enlistment into The Royal Navy at age 19 in 1887, he had worked as a blacksmith.His papers confirm that he was serving on H.M.S. THESEUS as an Armourer when he qualified for the Benin 1897 clasp on his East and West Africa Medal.
He had served for 22 years when he was pensioned off in October 1909. He re-enlisted in August 1914 at the age of 46 for further service in the Great War.
HMS THESEUS In January 1897 Theseus was ordered from the Mediterranean to join Rear Admiral Sir Harry Rawson's fleet that had been sent to West Africa for a punitive expedition against Benin.
HMS ORAMA
The majority of his sea time during the Great War was as an Armourer in the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS ORAMA in which he served from September 1914 to August 1917.
He left ORAMA in Liverpool in August 1917 and it is of interest that Henry had a bit of a close call, as two months later on 19th October the ORAMA was lost after being torpedoed by the German Submarine U-62.
The ship sank at Lat 48.0, Long -9.3, 217 miles off the Isles of Scilly. The American destroyer USS Conyngham attempted unsuccessfully to ram the submarine.
The group comes with an excellent piece of naval scrimshaw in the form of a group of 3 sharks teeth set into a bakelite stand with a red enamelled brass plaque dedicated to “H.M.S. ORAMA 1914 – 1917” on the edge
An extract from HMS ORAMA’s Log during during Hedgecock’s service:
14 March 1915 – “The Battle of Más a Tierra” The sinking of SMS Dresden.
Severely damaged after an action with HMS ORAMA HMS KENT and HMS GLASGOW and then Scuttled by Captain Ludecke off Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile on 14th March 1915
4.00am: In company with HMS Glasgow –
5.30am: Island of Juan Fernandez N8E –
8.40am: Observed HMS Kent approaching from E –
8.50am: Observed German cruiser Dresden –
9.15am: Opened fire with port guns at 10,100 yards range –
9.21am: Cease fire, enemy hoisting white flag –
10.30am: Dresden blew up forward –
11.38am: Dresden sank –
1.00pm: Commenced embarking Dresden’s wounded.
HMS Orama took fifteen severely wounded German sailors to Valparaiso but four of them died.
The destruction of his ship had left Lüdecke in shock, and so Canaris took responsibility for the fate of the ship's crew.
An excellent & scarce Victorian-Great War Royal Navy group of four in choice condition with a good piece of classic “shark’s teeth” naval scrimshaw with provenance to HMS ORAMA.
All medals are practically Mint on Mint original ribbons. The group comes with various service papers.
£795