AUSTRIAN OFFICER'S GILT CROSS.
Central Africa, 1895.—Payne has in his collection the only Central African 1895 medal believed to have been issued to the navy. It was awarded to Lieutenant J. S. Brogden, R.M.L.I., who afterwards became Captain R.N.
BOER WAR
During the Boer War a naval contingent was employed, and their assistance in the defence and relief of Ladysmith is one of the outstanding features of that long conflict. The men of H.M.S. "Powerful," who helped in the defence of Ladysmith under Captain (afterwards Admiral Sir) Percy Scott, R.N., whose genius was such a material asset to the beleaguered, did excellent work, while the naval brigade which took part in the Natal campaign and the relief of Ladysmith made splendid efforts. It comprised 39 officers and 403 men of the Royal Navy, and 2 officers and 50 men of the Natal Naval Volunteers, who during the fighting leading up to the relief, on February 28th, 1900, had fired 4,000 rounds of ammunition from the 4·7-inch guns, and 12,000 rounds from the 12-pounder quick-firing guns.
Bars Gained by Navy.—The officers and men of H.M.S. "Powerful" received the bar for the DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH. The bar for the RELIEF OF LADYSMITH was awarded to officers and men from H.M.S. "Terrible" and "Philomel." Men from the latter ships also took part in the battle of the TUGELA HEIGHTS. The sailors from the "Philomel," in addition to the bars already mentioned, received those for ORANGE FREE STATE and LAING'S NEK, while men from the "Monarch" and "Doris" were awarded bars for BELMONT, MODDER RIVER, PAARDEBERG, DRIEFONTEIN, DIAMOND HILL, and BELFAST. Men from H.M.S. "Naiad" fought in, and received bars for, CAPE COLONY, TRANSVAAL, WITTEBERGEN, and SOUTH AFRICA 1902.
Medals with bars to the navy are rare, and those with more than two particularly so. A leading stoker of H.M.S. "Doris" received, in addition to those mentioned above as awarded to men from his ship, the rare one for WEPENER, but though this bar to the navy was afterwards recalled, Dr. Payne has this rare medal with this and six other bars in his collection.
The crews of the following ships received the medal: H.M.S. "Barracouta," "Barrossa," "Beagle," "Blonde," "Doris," "Dwarf," "Fearless," "Forte," "Gibraltar," "Magicienne," "Magpie," "Monarch," "Naiad," "Niobe," "Partridge," "Pearl," "Pelorus," "Philomel," "Powerful," "Racoon," "Rambler," "Rattler," "Redbreast," "Sappho," "Sybille," "Tartar," "Terpsichore," "Terrible," "Thesis," "Thrush," and "Widgeon."
Africa General Service Medal.—This medal, described on page [254], was awarded to the army and navy. It was instituted by King Edward VII to commemorate and recognise the naval and military operations in East Central and West Africa, and on its institution the East and West and Central Africa medals were no longer issued.