India General Service Medal 1854. Silver issue. With clasp 'Perak' (W. Lavis, Caulkrs Mate, H.M.S. "Ringdove")

Medal & Clasp Verification: The medal and clasp confirmed as entitled per the respective cited Admiralty medal roll:

- India General Service Medal 1854. With clasp 'Perak': ADM 171/39. Medal sent to recipient on 16 February 1881

Only 106 x medals & clasps awarded to H.M.S. Ringdove

William Lavis was a native of Tholdon, Devon, England. where he was born on, 28 November 1835 and enlisted as Shipwright with Thalia on 1 January 1873. Posted to Ringdove the next month, he was advanced Caulker's Mate on 1 April 1874. Ringdove was refitting at Hong Kong in November that same year when news came of the murder of the British Resident in Perak. Immediately Ringdove was deployed to the area and provided a contingent to the Naval Brigade. These men were integral to the success of the expedition as they manned the guns and rocket batteries necessary to reduce the Malay fortifications. After the war Lavis went on to serve with Indus and Resistance, being promoted Caulker with the latter on 1 August 1877. He was discharged on 28 August 1878

H.M.S. RINGDOVE Malay States & Far East Service 1872-1877:

1872: 7 October troopship Thalia sailed Devonport for Hong Kong with new crews for the Ringdove and Midge. 31 January Thalia arrived Hong Kong Colony

1873: 1 February 'Ringdove' re-commissioned at Hong Kong Colony. 20 March Commander Robert Pitman appointed to the command: March-April sent in search of pirates. June-July at Hankow. Dember at Shanghai

1874: 22 January Commander Uvedale Singleton appointed to the command. February to Yokohama, Japan. March-April at Yokohama/Nagasaki. May-June Yokosuka where it was docked and cleaned. July at Yokohama / Hiogo / Nagasaki. August sailed to Shanghai Vladivostock & Hakodate. September at Hakodate / Yokohama. October at Yokohama. November at Kobe / Nagasaki. December at Shanghai

1875: January - March at Shanghai. 11 January fire on board Curlew; sent parties to assist with fire-fighting. Marh-May at Hong Kong Colony. 31 May rendered good service during the typhoon which occurred at Hong Kong, this included going to the Nine islands, Macao to assist the steamer Payang. June - October at Hong Kong. 9 November sailed for Perak, Straits Settlements including Singapore (18 Nov) arrived Perak. 21 November at Penang. December at Perak landed
landed 24 men plus two officers to join a naval brigade, When advancing up the Perak River from Banda Bahra to Blanga, the four boats fitted with guns and rockets of the Naval Brigade, had to be poled, under an intensely hot sun, by the seamen for five consecutive days, carried out with the greatest cheerfulness. Commander Uvedale Singleton of the Ringdove rendered great service in his whaler by leading the flotilla and sounding ahead

1876: January-March at Penang. 7 March sailed for Perak. Ringdove then conveyed the Sultan Ismail and the regalia of Perak from Penang to Singapore after his capture. March at Singapore & Penang. April -June at Singapore / Straits of Malacca. 17 Jun sailed Singapore for Hong Kong. July-August at Hong Kong, September at Foochow. October-December at Amoy. 19 December at Hong Kong. 27 December sailed from Hong Kong

1877: January arrived at Singapore. 19 February arrived Malta Colony. 26 February arrived at Gibraltar. 12 March sailed from Gibraltar. 19 March arrived Plymouth. 21 March arrived at Spithead. 5 April Ringdove paid off

Sold together with a hard-copy set of the recipients 'service sheet'

A choice example to a small ship that saw extensive service ashore and afloat during the Perak Campaign

Condition: About EF

Code: 24529