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Auction: 26001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 55

The India General Service Medal awarded to Commander The Hon. J. W. S. Spencer, Royal Navy, the great-great Grandson of the Duke of Marlborough and a relative of Sir Winston Churchill

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (Hon. J. W. S. Spencer. Commr. "Contest"), light contact marks, otherwise very fine

107 clasps for Pegu to H.M.S. Contest and this the most senior rank.

John Welbore Sunderland Spencer was born at London on 12 March 1816 and was the sixth son of Francis Almeric Spencer (1st Baron Churchill, 1779-1845) and grandson of George, 3rd Duke of Marlborough. He studied at the Royal Naval College and joined the Royal Navy on 24 December 1830 and passed his examination on 23 April 1835. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 23 November 1841 having only been nominated Mate of the Isis shortly before. He was re-appointed to the Isis on 7 December and sailed for the Cape of Good Hope where he remained until the early part of 1845.

Spencer was appointed to the St.Vincent on 7 November 1845 followed on 9 May 1846 to the Terrible and was attached to the Channel Squadron. Spencer was superseded from the Terrible in December 1846 and promoted to Commander on 12 October 1847. He served as Commander Contest from 4 December 1849 serving in the East Indies and then served on Firebrand as Captain from 7 March 1856. Spencer served as Captain in Topaze from 11 June 1859 - 31 December 1863 before serving as Captain in Pembroke from 27 April 1866 - 11 June 1869. Spencer then served as one of the Naval Aides de Camp to Queen Victoria from 1869 until he became flag rank. Promoted to Rear-Admiral on 1 April 1870, he became a Vice-Admiral retired on 22 January 1877 and retired Admiral on 9 June 1882. He died at Elmore, near Newbury on 17 October 1888 and is buried in St.Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Speen, Berkshire.


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Estimate
£500 to £700

Starting price
£400