The campaign group of five awarded to Staff Commander Robert Graham, Royal Navy, promoted...

The campaign group of five awarded to Staff Commander Robert Graham, Royal Navy, promoted for services on the coast of Syria and capture of St Jean d’Acre in 1840, and Master of the Calliope in New Zealand in 1846-47 Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Syria, unnamed, not erased; New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1846 to 1847 (B B Graham. Master H.M.S. Calliope) note first initial; Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol, unnamed as issued; St. Jean d’Acre 1840, silver, unnamed as issued, fitted with floreate silver bar suspension; Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed as issued, light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (5) £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Alan Hall Collection, June 2000. 62 New Zealand medals issued to Royal Navy and Royal Marines with these reverse dates, all to H.M.S. Calliope. Robert Brown Graham was born circa 1807 and at the age of 20 he joined H.M.S. Isis in August 1827 as a Volunteer 2nd Class. He paid off this vessel in August 1829, but signed on again the following day and remained in the ship until June 1830. In August 1830 he joined Prince Regent as a Master's Assistant remaining in the ship until January 1832. He next served aboard Revenge in January 1832 as a Master’s Assistant but was discharged to Haslar Hospital in December 1832. He was next afloat as a Master's Assistant aboard Vestal in May 1833 and remained in this ship until September 1833. In October 1833 he was Master’s Assistant aboard Favourite where he remained until paying off in February 1837. In April 1837 he was examined at Trinity House, London as was the custom for Officers of the Navigation Branch, and found competent to take charge as Master of any of His Majesty's sloops of war and smaller vessels. In November 1840 he was appointed Acting Master of Hazard and served in this ship until October 1841 having taken part in the fleet action of Syria in 1840 being promoted for his services on the coast of Syria, and capture of St. Jean d’Acre. In 1843 he was again examined at Trinity House and found competent to take charge of any of her Majesty's ships of the fifth and sixth rate. He was next afloat as a Master on joining Calliope in June 1845 and remained in this ship until January 1849. During time spent on the Pacific Station the ship's Naval Brigade took part in the New Zealand Wars in the South Island during 1846-47. In January 1846 the Naval Brigade was present at the action which resulted in the capture of 'Bats Nest' at Ruapekapeka. The Brigade also fought a number of smaller actions and skirmishes later in the year. In May and June 1847 the Naval Brigade took part in the actions up river at Wanganui. On leaving Calliope in January 1849 he was further examined at Trinity House in July 1849 and pronounced fit to take charge of any of Her Majesty's line of battleships and all smaller ships of war. He was placed on reserve half-pay and allowed to take an appointment in the Coast Guard Service in November 1849, being posted to Long island where he served until 1854, prior to returning to active service for the Crimea War. In 1856 he returned to the Coast Guard Service and was posted to Dunbeacon Station, and in 1858 he was transferred to Larne, County Antrim, Ireland. On 11 June 1863, he was promoted to Staff Commander, and following his promotion he was next posted in 1864 to Carlingford, South Ireland, where he is believe to have remained until his name disappears from the Navy List in 1869.