Full medal write up
CRIMEA 1854, CLASP SEBASTOPOL ‘LIEUT. A.J. KINGSON, H.M.S. ST JEAN D’ACRE’, TURKISH CRIMEA, BRITISH ISSUE ‘LIEUT. A.J. KINGSON, H.M.S. ST JEAN D’ACRE’, BALTIC 1854 ‘LIEUT. A.J. KINGSON, H.M.S. ST JEAN D’ACRE’, MOUNTED FOR WEAR ON SILVER BAR.
Augustus John Kingston was born in Eling, Hampshire on 24 November 1827 and served as Acting Mate of Acorn between 8 January and 8 August 1848. Commissioned Lieutenant on 28 November 1848, he joined Polyphemus on 7 January 1849 and Alarm on 21 August that year, serving aboard until 30 October 1852. Paid off, he joined St Jean D’Acre on 23 May 1853, serving with this ship during the Crimean War and Baltic, before being paid off on 7 November 1856. Of his service in the Crimea, Kingston left a small diary which forms part of this group, this giving entries between 1 March and 28 April 1855 and extending to 36 pages. In it he gives a fascinating insight of the views of a naval officer. He describes landing at Sebastopol, the sights he saw, the condition of the army, visiting the battlefields etc and is extremely critical of the way the war was being run and the condition of the army. With St Jean D’Acre he would also see service in the Baltic.
Appointed to Indus on 6 December 1856, he was appointed Acting Commander of Imaum on 1 January 1859, rejoining Indus on 12 May that year. Serving briefly on Impregnable in July 1860, he was appointed Commander on 6 August 1860 and spent nearly two years without a ship until given command of 17 gun screw sloop Perseus, on 24 September 1862. Kingston was conspicuous for the part he played during the naval actions against Japan in 1863 and 1864, being one of two Commanders promoted to Captain (no higher promotions or rewards) for their service at the battle of Shimonoseki, Japan, September 1864. Kingston as Commander of Perseus and commander of the Light Squadron, was singled out for leading an assault and capturing a Japanese battery; the subject of which he had commissioned as a painting (sold as part of the group). He had previously been MID for his service at the bombardment of Kagoshima in 1863, one of 11 MID’s for the action; See the following links for details of the campaign:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimonoseki_campaign
Promoted Captain London Gazette 18 November 1864 “For valuable and gallant service at attack on batteries in Simono Seki Straits, Japan” His service record notes; 21 November 1864 “Specially promoted by board for services in Japan”.
Having been appointed Acting Captain of Pelorus on 13 September 1864 for his service in Japan, he was confirmed Captain on 21 November. Arriving in England on 19 April 1865, Captain Kingston married Clementina Sophia Heathcote in Newchurch, Hampshire in September 1867 but died in Southampton less than a year later whilst on Half Pay, 24 July 1868. He was just 40 years of age.
1) Crimea and Baltic Medals as described above; each contemporary engraved to him as a Lieutenant of HMS St Jean D’Acre. Original ribbons in frail condition, Crimea has come apart. Medals mounted red velvet back which has been removed from an old frame.
2) A fine contemporary over painted portrait photograph of Captain Kingston wearing the above medals. This, overpainting of photographs very much a style of the time and is in a 26.5 x 33.5 cm frame, the portrait itself 14 x 18.5cm.
3) A small diary (36 filled pages), detailing Kingston’s time ashore at Sebastopol, beginning of March until end of April 1855. His views on the various commanders and conditions are very critical indeed.
4) Kingston’s logbook/diary, as a Lieutenant on HMS Alarm in South America and the West Indies, November 1849 - September 1850. Approx 170 pages, some sketches and a map. Detailed descriptions of what he saw etc etc
5) A superb original watercolour painting by Charles Wirgram of the assault of the crew of HMS Perseus on a Japanese battery at Shimonoseki, September 1864. Kingston MID and promoted Captain for this. This in a 62 x 44cm frame, the watercolour itself 45 x 28cm Wigram a well known reported and artist who worked for the Illustrated London News resided in Japan at the time. Presumably Kingston commissioned the painting whilst in Japan.
6) A two page report (in clip frame to protect) by the Gunner of HMS Perseus, dated 22 September 1864, concerning the effectiveness of the new Armstrong guns in action at the battle of Shimonoseki. This report or a copy of it was sent to the Admiralty and published in full here:
7) A Commission for Kingston as Mate of HMS Acorn, dated 8 January 1848.
8) A period adventure/Boys own book entitled ‘The Three Commanders’ by W H G Kingston who was a cousin of Captain Kingston’s. It seems the author had drawn on his cousins experiences for this book and at least some of the details in Captain Kingston’s Crimea diary were copied word for word into ‘The Three Commanders’.
9) Also with the group are a number of letters to and from the National Maritime Museum concerning this group which they had seen in 1994. Looks like the museum was hoping to have it donated but was clearly kept by the family until I picked it up at auction in December.
A rare and impressive group to a naval Officer who was promoted Captain for his gallantry at Shimonoseki.