Beschreibung:

The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals The rare gold Albert Medal group of five awarded to Mr A. T. Shuttleworth, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Bombay District) late Indian Navy (a) Albert Medal, 1st Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea, gold and enamel, the reverse officially numbered ‘No. 14’ and inscribed (Presented in the name of Her Majesty to A. T. Shuttleworth. Wrecks of the “Berwickshire” “Die Vernon” and “Terzah” 1866 and 1867) the reverse of the crown with maker’s cartouche ‘Phillips Cockspur S’, fitted with silver-gilt ribbon buckle (b) India General Service 1854-94, 1 clasp, Persia (A. T. Shuttleworth, Captns. Clk. Ferooz S.F.) fitted with silver ribbon buckle (c) Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society, gold (Allen Shuttleworth, Esqr. 1867) fitted with silver-gilt ribbon buckle (d) Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea, 1st large type glazed silver medallion, 73mm (Allen Thornton Shuttleworth Esq. late Indian Navy. 25th September 1867) lacking reverse lunette (e) Royal Humane Society, large bronze medal (Successful), (Mr A. T. Shuttleworth, 1 August 1866) fitted with bronze ribbon buckle, generally good very fine (5) £12000-15000 Footnote Allen Thornton Shuttleworth, the son of Digby Edward Shuttleworth, Indigo Planter, was born in the Meerpore district of Pubna on 21 October 1839. He was educated under Mr J. Whitely at Woolwich Common and was nominated for the post of Captain’s Clerk in the Indian Navy by Captain John Shepherd on the recommendation of his uncle. Shuttleworth was admitted into the Indian Navy on 12 December 1855, and having taken the oath ‘to be true and faithful to the said Company, and faithfully and truly execute and discharge the trust reposed in me, to the utmost of my skill and power. So Help me God’, he left Gravesend on the Cairngorm on the 24th. In a letter dated ‘31 December off the Isle of Wight’, the captain of the Cairngorm reported that they had commenced their voyage to Bombay. Shuttleworth landed after a four month voyage on 21 April 1856, and was appointed Captain’s Clerk on the 8-gun H.E.I. Company’s Steam Frigate Ferooz. He was then one of twenty-four Captain’s Clerks in the Service and was paid Rs. 50 per month, which if he attained the rank of Captain in 30 to 35 years time could be expected to rise to rise to Rs. 600-800 per month. During the build up to war with Persia in 1856, Commander Rennie of the Ferooz was ordered to sail to Bushire with despatches for the Political Resident. The Ferooz left on 19 September 1856, but on reaching the Persian coast, Commander Rennie was advised to abandon his mission on account of ‘the excited state of the population’. Despite the warning, Rennie resolved to deliver his despatches on shore. C. R. Low, the author of the History of the Indian Navy, who was then a shipmate and contemporary of Shuttleworth’s, later recalled, ‘We remember, being then a Midshipman on board the Ferooz, how this judicious, as well as gallant, officer [Commander Rennie], who had ‘an eye to business’ whenever any fighting was on the tapis, took advantage of this last opportunity of reconnoitring Bushire, to take careful soundings both in going ashore and returning, to be of use in eventualities.’ Having returned to Bombay the Ferooz sailed again for Bushire in late November, this time towing two transports containing men of Major-General Stalker’s division. In the absence of any response to the British ultimatum demanding the Persian withdrawal from Herat, war was declared. The Union flag was hoisted at Kharrack for the first time in sixteen years and a Royal salute fired from the guns of the Ferooz. Offensive operations began in November with the capture of Bushire. Troops were landed at Hallilah Bay under covering fire from eight gun boats, and proceeded to storm fort of Reshire. That night Commander Rennie sent a boat with muffled oars to buoy a fourteen-foot channel off the batteries which next day enabled t