THE 1840 SYRIA OPERATIONS AND BALTIC OPERATIONS 1854-55 TRIO TO PRIVATE (LATER GUNNER) GEORGE WATCHAM, WHO SAW SERVICE AS A PRIVATE IN THE ROYAL MARINES ABOARD HMS PHOENIX DURING THE SYRIA OPERATIONS OF 1840 AND AS A GUNNER IN THE 7TH ARTILLERY COMPANY ROYAL MARINES ABOARD HMS HARRIER DURING THE BALTIC CAMPAIGN OF 1854-55.
WATCHAM WAS COURT MARTIALED IN THE 1850s WHILST SERVING ABOARD HMS HARRIER FOR STEALING THREE BOTTLES OF WINE AND DRUNKENNESS, A "LASH" OFFENCE, RESULTING IN FIELD PUNISHMENT BEING ADMINISTERED VIA "CAT OF NINE TAILS" PUBLIC FLOGGING.
Three: Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Syria (officially named, impressed in serifed block capitals: GEO. WATCHAM.);Baltic Medal 1854-55 (unnamed, as issued); St Jean d'Acre Medal 1840, bronze, holed to take bronze suspension loop and with replacement bronze straight bar suspender (unnamed, as issued). Scattered surface contact marks, rim nicks and edge bruises to Naval General Service and Baltic Medals (probably from contact between medals), otherwise generally Good Very Fine,St Jean d'Acre Medal somewhat better, virtually Extremely Fine
George Watcham is a unique name on the Naval General Service Medal roll, which confirms service as a Private in the Royal Marines aboard HMS Phoenix during the Syria campaign of 1840.
Medal accompanied by copied extract service records (ADM 157/424) and Muster Roll for HMS Phoenix for the period 1 July 1840 to 30 September 1842 (ADM 38/8720), copied Naval General Service Medal rolls (2, original and published), confirming NGS Medal and clasp, Baltic Medal roll, confirming service aboard HMS Harrier as a Gunner, and extract 1871 census return.
George Watcham was born in parish of St Benedict, Norwich, Norfolk circa 1815. He enlisted into the Royal Marines as a Private at Woolwich on 5/11/1836. At the time of enlistment he was 21 years and 9 months old and gave his trade as that of labourer. Watcham first saw service aboard HMS Hastings, 15/7/1838 to 7/6/1839. Muster roll for HMS Phoenix confirms Watcham as having joined that ship on 1/7/1840 and that he saw service aboard the Phoenix until 19/1/1841. He subsequently saw service aboard HMS Formidable, 8/9/1841 to 21/10/1845. Watcham transferred to the 7th Artillery Company, Royal Marine Artillery, on 1/6/1846, and subsequently saw service aboard HMS Driver, 28/7/1848 to 11/9/1848 and HMS Harrier, 30/8/1854 to 7/9/1859. Baltic Medal roll records Watcham as having been "sent home 18/7/57 (1857). He was discharged on 20/9/1859 with the rank of Gunner after 22 years and 320 days service with the colours, with total service afloat and on foreign stations of 11 years and 238 days and service at home of 11 years and 82 days. Service papers confirm service in Syria and the Baltic.
Watcham is recorded as having received "corporal punishment" for a "lash offence" on 22/7/1856 for stealing 3 bottles of wine and drunkenness while serving aboard HMS Harrier
The punishment that Watcham received in 1856 would have been inflicted with the "cat of nine tails" lash, and given the seriousness of his offence, essentially a double offence, would probably have been fairly high up the tariff of up to 48 lashes for a single offence, with the ship's surgeon supervising proceedings to ensure that Watcham's life was not placed in jeopardy.
Watcham is recorded in the 1871 census as a 56 year old married labourer resident in the parish of Heigham, Norwich, with his 55 year old wife Mary.
HMS Phoenix was a 6 gun steam paddle sloop, built at Chatham in 1832. She was rebuilt as a 10 gun screw sloop in 1844-45, was fitted out as an arctic store ship in 1851 and sold for breaking up in 1854.
