The exceptional Victorian C.B. group of four awarded to Admiral C. Fellowes, Royal Navy, a...

The exceptional Victorian C.B. group of four awarded to Admiral C. Fellowes, Royal Navy, a seemingly fearless bluejacket of ‘splendid strength’ who on one occasion parried the thrust of an opponent’s bayonet and ‘literally tore his arm out of its socket’ Mentioned in despatches on several occasions, Fellows was promoted to Commander for his gallantry in actions against Chinese pirates in 1854 and to Captain for his deeds in the Second Opium War: wounded at the storming of Canton in 1857, he was the first member of the Naval Brigade to scale the city’s wall and seized a Chinese colour that Queen Victoria later gifted to Greenwich Hospital The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, 18 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1870, complete with gold ribbon buckle; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (Chas. Fellowes. Lieut. “Spartan”; Baltic 1854-55, unnamed as issued; China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Canton 1857, Taku Forts 1858, unnamed as issued, some light contact marks, otherwise good very fine or better (4) £4,000-£5,000 --- 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. C.B. London Gazette 20 May 1871. Charles Fellowes was born at Potterne, Wiltshire on 19 October 1823, the son of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Fellowes, C.B., by his second wife, Mary Anne Catherine, only child of the late Colonel Isaac Humphreys, Bengal Artillery. On passing his examination in October 1842, Fellowes served as a Mate on the North America, West Indies and Pacific Stations over the next two or three years. And it was during this period - whilst employed in H.M.S. America - that he had his close encounter with a bayonet-toting opponent. John Moresby, a shipmate, takes up the story in The Admirals: ‘An incident occurred in Rio which illustrated the strength and presence of mind of Charlie Fellowes. Three Yankee frigates were in the harbour at the same time as the America and frequent drunken brawls took place between the British and American sailors; in one of the more violent of these incidents, the Brazilian police tried to arrest the ring leaders, but the sailors joined forces against the police and the army was called in to assist. The Brazilian soldiers with fixed bayonets forced the sailors back, wounding several of them. At this moment, Charlie Fellowes, whose splendid strength and presence attracted notice wherever he went, ran up and placed himself at their head, holding the Brazilians in check as he retreated slowly towards the quay, where his men would be in comparative safety. He accomplished his object and was the last man back to the quay when a Brazilian soldier lunged at him with his bayonet. Quick as a thought, Charlie Fellowes jumped aside and catching the man by the wrist, literally tore his arm out of his socket and flung him on the ground. The affair produced a diplomatic row, the Brazilian Government immediately demanding that Charlie Fellowes be given up to the civil authorities. However the America left Rio at once and heard no more of the matter.’ Advanced to Lieutenant in June 1846, Fellows went on to witness active service in the Spartan and Winchester on the East Indies Station, being landed with the Naval Brigade for the expedition to Pegu. He was subsequently present in the boats of Spartan and Winchester on the Pegu River at the attack on the city of Prome in September 1852 and on the city of Pegu in November 1852, and was commended by Commodore Sir Rowly Lambert, K.C.B., Commander in Chief, East Indies Station. In November 1854, having been ‘most creditably engaged in various enterprises against pirates in Chinese waters,’ Fellows was selected by Admiral Sir James Stirling to take charge of Winchester’s boats and those of Spartan, five in number, to take action against a robbery which had been committed in one of the channels leading into the harbour of Hong Kong. Early on the morning of the 2nd, he destroyed three boats on the beach in Pilang Bay and burnt six houses, and the stronghold of the freebooters. On the same day the force under his command also brought out two junks which had run on shore in Tynmoon Bay, took two Hong Kong fast boats, torched two junks up a creek, and blew up one of 200 tons, killing from 40 to 50 men and capturing nine guns and seven gingals. During these operations the small British force landed frequently and was exposed to a sharp fire from the enemy who were often concealed behind rocks, some of the boats occasionally grounding. In his subsequent report to the Admiralty, Sir James Stirling expressed his hope that ‘the entire success of the operation, and the very judicious and gallant conduct evinced by Lieutenant Fellowes, and the excellent behaviour of all who were employed under him, might meet with their lordships approbation’ (London Gazette 8 October 1855, refers). Fellowes went on to destroy 19 junks at Tyloo, in the island of Lantao, the crews of which had been previously driven out by a few well aimed shot and shell from Encounter, once again winning Sir James Stirling’s highest commendation (London Gazette 8 October 1855, refers). On 11 November 1854, in Winchester’s launch, he accompanied an expedition under Captain O’Callaghan to co-operate with the Chinese authorities in an attack upon pirates at their headquarters at Coulan, in the island of Tyloo, which was reached on 12th. During the following night he was employed in effectively blockading the Bay of Coulan. In the course of the 13th, he landed under fire from a battery of 20 guns, with a small body of armed men, and assisted at the capture of a second battery of 7 guns, in addition to contributing to the destruction of about 50 strongly armed junks. On the 14th he was directed to superintend and cover in his launch the landing of 60 ratings and marines who had been embarked on board the P. & O. steam vessel Charles Forbes and who had been directed to search the scene of the previous day’s achievement for prisoners and for lost property. In narrating these events Captain O’Callaghan in his official letter to Admiral Sir James Stirling remarked, ‘For Lieutenant Fellowes, Senior Lieutenant of your flagship, I have to assure you I cannot say too much in his praise - always willing and ready for anything.’ In recognition of his sustained gallantry, Fellowes was promoted to Commander in January 1855. Having then served in Winchester in the Gulf of Peter the Great in August 1855, whilst searching for the Russian squadron commanded by Vasily Zavoyko, Fellowes was appointed to the Cruiser in July 1856. And it was in that capacity that he added further laurels to his distinguished record back on the China Station, a notable action being his part in the capture and destruction of more than 70 heavily armed junks in Fatshan creek in June 1857. Subsequently, at the storming of Canton City in the following December, he was attached to the 3rd Division of the Naval Brigade, under Sir Robert McClure, and with Captains J. L. C. Hamilton and J. F. Slight, had charge of the scaling ladders. In the event, he was the first man of the Naval Brigade over the city wall and received a wound in the head. As a reward for his gallantry on that occasion, in which he also captured a Chinese colour, he was promoted to Captain in February 1858 (London Gazette 11 January 1856, refers). Having then served as Flag Captain to the C.-in-C. of the Channel Squadron and C.-in-C. of the Mediterranean Station, Fellows commanded the Duke of Wellington and the Duncan, the la...