MIDSHIPMAN (LATER CAPTAIN) JAMES ROBERTSON, ROYAL NAVY. Two: Crimea Medal 1855-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol Turkish Crimea Medal, Sardinian flag to the fore

MIDSHIPMAN (LATER CAPTAIN) JAMES ROBERTSON, ROYAL NAVY. Two: Crimea Medal 1855-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol Turkish Crimea Medal, Sardinian flag to the fore (both medals with identical contemporary naming, engraved in upright serifed capitals: Jas. ROBERTSON, N. MIDSHn. H.M.S. QUEEN, 110 GUNS).

Medal accompanied by 2 pages of photocopied service papers. James Robertson entered the navy aboard HMS Queen as a Master’s Assistant on 15th September 1853, and saw service aboard that ship in that rank to 15th August 1856. He was subsequently promoted 2nd Master, 23rd December 1859 (Acting Master, 11th January 1861 to 27th April 1861 and 25th November 1861 to 22nd December 1861), Master, 23rd December 1861, Lieutenant, 8th May 1866, Staff Commander, 25th July 1872, and Staff Captain, 3rd May 1886. Roberston was appointed Queen’s Harbour Master at the Malta yard, 13th June 1899, and retired with the rank of Captain on 5th June 1894. Captain Robertson, who saw service in a wide variety of sea-born and land establishments, qualified for service with battleships, 21st November 1865.

HMS Queen saw service in the Black Sea during the Crimean War, and took part in the Combined Allied Fleet’s attack on the forts of Sebastopol on 17th October 1854. During the initial phase of this action HMS Queen had to unmoor after having been fouled by the Turkish battleship Mahmoudih. Later, after re-mooring, HMS Queen was twice set on fire and forced to withdraw from the engagement. She subsequently suffered a damaged rudder-head during the hurricane of 14th November 1854.

HMS Queen (formerly Royal Frederick, name changed 1839), a 110 gun First Rate three-deck battleship, was built at Portsmouth dockyard (ordered 29th October 1827, keel laid 1833 and launched on 15th May 1839). In 1858-9 she was converted to a two-decker 86 gun screw battle ship, and was broken up in 1871.