Description
Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, VR, Plumber William Henry Kressinger, HMS Asia, a half German, half English Sailor.
Officially impressed: “Willm H. Kressinger. Plumber. H.M.S. Asia.”
Awarded during September 1882.
Also earned the Egypt Medal, undated, for his service on HMS Jumna during the Egypt and Sudan War.
William Henry Kressinger or Kressenger, was born on 3rd October 1849 in Plymouth Devon.
He would later pass on his name to his son William Henry Kressinger (1878-1960, also a Plumber from Plymouth) who passed it down to his son William Henry Kressinger (1918-1998, Plymouth, Royal Signals)
William was Half German and Half English, being the son of Christian Kressinger, Born 1823 Glottertal, Baden, Germany, died 1888 Plymouth, a Watchmaker who came to England as a young man, marrying an English lady, Elizabeth Ball.
Before coming to England the family had lived in Baden for generations, going back to at least 1730.
During the mid to late 1800s many Germans left home for brighter pastures overseas, most of them at least passing through Britain either to remain there or venture onwards over the Atlantic to the USA.
William saw entry into the Royal Navy at HMS Indus on 19th July 1872 as a Plumbers Crew.
He would remain in the service until 1892, when he retired to pension having climbed the rankings from Plumbers Crew to Plumbers Mate during 1878 to Plumber during 1879, a Petty Officer rank.
During his service, he was on board HMS Jumna from 12th September 1883 – 26th June 1886 as Plumber, earning the Egypt & Soudan Medal without clasp.
During that time the ship brought back the York and Lancaster Regiment home from Sudan from 29th March to April 1884. Later colliding with the German Steamship Hesperia in the Suez Canal but was not damaged. (hopefully they asked William how they might apologise in German to the ship).
He was discharged to pension after 20 years on 27th June 1892.
