PRE WW1 BRITISH NAVY CHINA MEDAL 1900 A.B. G. SOWDEN HMS HUMBER BOXER REBELLION

Offered is an original China War Medal (1900) to Able Seaman Sowden, who served abooard H.M.S. Humber during the Boxer Rebellion. He subsequently deserted and was on the run in British Columbia, being apprehended and charged with ‘Desertion & doing away with his kit’. China War Medal (1900) impressed named G.S.SOWDEN. A.B.. H.M.S. HUMBER. Comes with copy service papers. George Sowden was born on the 8/3/1874 in Millbrook Cornwall. He enlisted on his 18th Birthday 18/3/1892 for 12 years, his occupation recorded was “gardener’. Served on the following ships: H.M.S. Impregnable (Wooden triple deck ship of the line, used as training ship.) H.M.S. Inflexible (Iron Clad battleship, Mediterranean Station), H.M.S. Bruiser (Destroyer, Med station), H.M.S. Vivid I (Screw yacht for port Admiral Plymouth), H.M.S. Melampus (Stores ship), H.M.S. Wild Swan (Osprey-class sloop), H.M.S. Liffey (Liffey-class screw frigate), H.M.S. Windsor Castle (1858 Triple deck ship of the line, used as gunnery training ship), H.M.S. Defiance (Torpedo training school) 1/12/1898-28/6/1900, H.M.S. Humber (Destroyer) 3/10/1900-24/7/1903. 7/3/1904 Time expired. Approximately 103 medals, all without clasp, awarded to the Destroyer H.M.S. Humber.