Description
South Africa General Service Medal 1877-79 to A.B. Joseph Griffin, H.M.S.Shah.
Joseph Griffin is confirmed as having been on the cutter crew sent in the Torpedo expedition Party from H.M.S. Shah 31st May 1877.
Joseph Griffin was born in Poulton Wiltshire on the 15th March 1855. He entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class aboard HMS Clyde 14th June 1870. He then served on the Lord Warden, Revenge, in Naval Barracks and Excellent before joining the crew of HMS Shah 14th August 1876. He served on Shah until 31st October 1879 and then served on Hercules, Warrior and Repulse until March 1883.
Peruvian Monitor Huascar
Service papers confirm that Joseph Griffin was on the crew of H.M.S. Shah during the naval action that is sometime referred to as the Battle of Pacocha, 29th May 1977 between the rebel-help Peruvian Monitor Huascar and the Royal Navy ships H.M.S. Shah and H.M.S. Amethyst. This engagement is historically known for being the launching, by H.M.S. Shah, of the first ever torpedo. This inauspicious event resulted in no damage and the torpedo being “out-run”, by the target, the Huascar.
The Battle of Pacocha was a naval battle that took place on 29 May 1877 between the rebel-held Peruvian monitor Huáscar and the British ships HMS Shah and HMS Amethyst. The vessels did not inflict significant damage on each other, however the battle is notable for seeing the first combat use of the self-propelled torpedo. Huáscar escaped after a fierce exchange of fire. Her guns were undermanned, and she fired just 40 rounds. Shah’s mast was damaged by splinters. On the British side, Shah fired 237 shots and Amethyst 190, but they carried no armour-piercing ammunition. Huáscar was hit 60 times, but her armour shield caused all the shots to bounce off harmlessly. In a last-ditch effort to sink Huáscar, two small torpedo rams from Shah attempted to torpedo her, but Huáscar escaped under the cover of darkness. The rebel crew was forced to surrender their ship to the Peruvian government ships squadron just two days later. This battle saw the first use of the newly invented self-propelled torpedo, which at the time had just entered limited service with the Royal Navy. The monitor Huáscar evaded the torpedo.
HMS SHAH
During her time as flagship she also visited Pitcairn Island. On her voyage home in 1879, she called at St. Helena, where news was received of the British defeat at Isandhlwana. Shah was diverted to carry soldiers (one battalion of 88th Connaught Rangers and a Field Artillery battalion) to Durban in South Africa. Arriving 7th March 1879 she disembarked 16 Officers and 378 men of her crew at Durban, led by Commander John Brackenbury, R.N. to join the newly formed Naval Brigade. On 18th March 1879 the force heading to relieve Eshowe was joined by 10 Officers and 218 men from H.M.S. Boadicea led by Commander Francis Romilly, R.N.
The Naval Brigade fought at the Battle of Ginginlovu on 2nd April where the Royal Navy and their guns held the corners of the British square. After the Relief of Eshowe on 4th April, Commander Campbell was placed in command of the whole Naval Brigade numbering over 800 officers and seamen and marines. With much of the fighting already over the detachment from HMS Tenedos re-embarked on 8th May. HMS Active’s and HMS Shah’s contingents reembarked on 21st July. The men of the Boadicea were the last company of the Naval Brigade to return their ship, doing so on 31st July 1879.
Despatches from Frederick W Richards, Commodore, The Secretary of the Admiralty, Whitehall confirms the above as follows. (Refer to London Gazette November 7th 1879 pp 6310 for the full account and reports from of the Naval Brigade in the Cape.) extracts below –
As their Lordships are aware, The “Shah” arrived at Natal with reinforcements on the 6th MArch, and the Boadicea on the 15th and contingents from these vessels were immediately lander and pushed forward to the Lower Tugeloa, where yhey arrived in time to take part in Lord Chelmsford’s advance for the successful relief of Ekowe, inwhich the “Tenedos” contingent took part also,. My despatches of the 11th APril, Nos 18 and 19, with enclosures, have acquainted their Lordships with the particulars of that expedition and of the part taken by the Naval Brigade in the action at Ginginlovu.
On the 4th April, at Ekowe, I appointed Acting Captain Campbell of the “Active” to the command of the United Naval Brigade in the field, a force numbering over 800 men. He retained command until re-embarked at Port Durnford on the 22nd July.
I mentioned the name of Commander Brackenbury (and enclose the report of that offficer, who commanded at the action of Ginginlovu. Commander Brackenbury was from H.M.S. Shah.
Medal, confirmed on medal roll ADM 171/40 p 4 (Medal sent to Warrior 26th August 1881 and WO 100/40 – South Africa Medal with 1879 clasp to SHAH. J. GRIFFIN A.B. H.M.S.
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