Description
China Medal 1900, bar Taku Forts, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, Stoker Petty Officer Herbert John Vick, Royal Navy.
One of only 37 recipients to the ship of the single bar Taku Forts.
China 1900 Officially impressed: “H. J. Vick. Sto., H.M.S. Orlando.”
1914-15 Star impressed: “292322, H. J. Vick, S.P.O., R.N.”
WW1 Pair imrpessed: “292322. H. J. Vick. Act. Ch. Sto. R.N.”
Medals all on silk ribbons, WW1 trio almost unworn, slight contacting to China 1900 from Star and minor general wear.
With 2 Original HMS Montagu Post Cards sent home to his Mother and Uncle when the ship got grounded during 1906 an an original photo of HMS Orlando at “Woo Sung, China 1901” by “A-Boo” Shanghai.
Herbert John Vick, who served over 20 years with the Royal Navy, was first present with the Naval Brigade in China from HMS Orlando, then survived the crash and grounding of HMS Montagu in 1906, served throughout WW1 with HMS Roxburgh, where she would capture a German Merchantmen in 1914, attacked several times and hit by a torpedo from SM U-39 in 1915 and later in 1918 rammed and sank German Submarine SM U-89 near Ireland leaving no survivors.
Out of 541 medals issued to HMS Orlando, 220 had no bars, 194 earned the Relief of Pekin and 81 earned 2 bars for Relief of Pekin and Taku Forts, however Vick was amongst only 32 men to earn the single bar for Taku Forts.
A replica of the bell taken from Taku Forts by the Men of HMS Orlando is part of a handsome memorial to the crew who died in the campaign in Portsmouth. It used to display the original bell but this was later replaced, believed to have been returned home to China during the 1990s.
He was born on Christmas Day, 25th December 1880 in Bristol, Gloucestershire.
Attested for service on 21st June 1899 as a Stoker 2nd Class at HMS Vivid II for 12 years.
Joined HMS Tamar from 1st March 1900, promoted to Stoker on 7th April 1900, until 21st May 1900. (This was the shore station in Hong Kong at the time)
Joined HMS Orlando for service in the China war on 22nd May 1900 where he served until 25th July 1902.
Notably during the war, HMS Orlando were the first to arrive as they were already stationed in the area. At the beginning of operations the Orlando had 486 Officers and men, of whom 31 were posted to Peking, 99 took part in the Capture of Taku Forts, 16 were sent on other duties with 124 left on board.
Following on from the war, he would see numerous ship postings he served on HMS Mntagu from 31st October 1905 until 12th August 1906, during this time promoted to Stoker 1st Class on 1st July 1906.
His short service in HMS Montagu came to an end around 30th May 1906, when the ship was grounded on rocks around Lundy Island at Shutter Point during thick fog, there had been a navigation error whilst undergoing secret radio communication trials, this led to them being unaware they were heading straight into the island.
He sent home 2 postcards, they were stuck there for a while as it was complex crash, the Royal Navy would have to spent 15 years attempting to salvage the ship where it stood.
A postcard to his uncle back in Bristol reads: “Dear Uncle, this is a birds eye view of the position our ship is in and we have had to abandon her this last 4 days owing to Atlantic gales now raging her.”
Another to his Mother reads: “Dear Mother, I am pleased to tell you that we all are most comfortable and more than satisfied with our lodgings.”
