China Medal 1900 : Able Seaman S E Potter, HMS Barfleur

China Medal 1900 with the clasps 'TAKU FORTS' and 'RELIEF OF PEKIN'. The recipient's details are impressed on the edge. Obverse: The crowned and veiled head of Queen Victoria and the legend 'VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX' around the rim. Reverse: A collection of war trophies, with an oval shield bearing the Royal Arms in the centre, all positioned under a palm tree. Above is the legend 'ARMIS EXPOSCERE PACEM'. In the exergue is 'CHINA 1900'. The medal is fitted with a straight bar suspender and has a piece of 32 mm wide crimson ribbon with yellow edges.

Instituted for service during the Boxer Rebellion and the subsequent punitive expeditions. The medal is similar to the 1857 - 60 China medal with the date in the exergue altered to 1900. There were three clasps issued with the medal which was in silver for combatants and bronze to native bearers. 70 medals with the clasps 'Taku Forts' and 'Relief of Pekin' were issued to HMS Barfleur. This Barfleur, the third of that name, was a 14-gun twin-screw battleship, launched at Chatham in 1892. In 1900 the Barfleur commanded by Captain George Warrender, and flying the flag of rear Admiral James Andrew Bruce, took part in the third China War or Boxer Rebellion. On 9 June 1900 a detachment from the ship, under Commander David Beatty, joined a Naval Brigade nearly 2000 strong, and of mixed nationalities, under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Seymour, sent to the relief of Peking. The expedition experienced some severe fighting before withdrawing after suffering the loss of 2 officers and 63 men killed, and 20 officers and 210 men wounded. Commander Beatty showed conspicuous gallantry, and was twice wounded on this and subsequent occasions. On 17 June 1900 a detachment from the Barfleur formed part of another naval brigade of mixed nationalities, consisting of 35 officers and 869 men under Commander Christopher Cradock of the Alacrity which attacked and captured the Taku Forts. The British lost 1 killed and 13 wounded, the dead man being an ordinary seaman from the Barfleur. A detachment from Barfleur also assisted in the relief, defence, and capture of Tientsin, and lost 2 officers and 7 men killed, and 8 officers and 48 men wounded. During these operations Midshipman Basil John Guy of the Barfleur 'coolly attended a wounded man under a very hot fire, and then helped to carry him into shelter', for which he was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross. In August the Barfleur contributed a number of officers and men to the British Naval Brigade which advanced to the final and successful relief of Peking with 20,100 troops under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Alfred Gaselee.