Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 26003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 206

Pair: Able Seaman G. Zaro, Royal Navy

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Syria (Gayton Zaro.); St. Jean d'Acre, cast silver, suspended in silver ring with braided edge fitted with loop, silver hallmarks to loop, contact wear, very fine (2)

Gayton Zaro appears on the medal roll as 'G. Zaaro' and on the books of H.M.S. Thunderer as Gaetano Zahra.

Zaro was born in Malta and enlisted for service in the Royal Navy, joining H.M.S. Britannia as a Landsman in June 1833. He was rated Able Seamen upon moving to H.M.S. Canopus in May 1836 and retained that rating when he went aboard H.M.S. Rodney in November 1837 and then to H.M.S. Thunderer on 20 June 1840. He was 27 years old while serving with Thunderer, and his 'usual place of residence' listed as Malta. He served with her during the Syria campaign before being discharged from her books in September 1842.

Zaro appears to have changed his branch of naval service in 1852, at which point he began to be rated as a Stoker whilst with H.M.S. Triton. This might have been a financially motivated decision, as at the time a Stoker was better paid than an Able Seaman. Regardless, he was likely not well-suited to that line of work as he undertook yet another career change in 1859 with his new rating as Ship's Cook while aboard H.M.S. Argus. In cooking, Zaro seems to have then found a more agreeable role which he retained for the remainder of his service, which ended when he left H.M.S. Cockatrice on 16 July 1867. Zaro's service record is peppered with assessments of 'fair' behaviour and he was invalided from the service for a number of years on a few different occasions, which together would have prevented him from being in receipt of a L.S. & G.C. medal despite his 34 years of service; sold together with copied research.


Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Estimate
£700 to £900

Starting price
£550