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Great Britain: Launch of Boer War Battleship H.M.S. Powerful

Great Britain: Launch of Boer War Battleship H.M.S. PowerfulGreat Britain: Launch of Boer War Battleship H.M.S. Powerful
Great Britain: Launch of Boer War Battleship H.M.S. PowerfulGreat Britain: Launch of Boer War Battleship H.M.S. Powerful
Great Britain: Launch of Boer War Battleship H.M.S. PowerfulGreat Britain: Launch of Boer War Battleship H.M.S. Powerful
Form: Circular. Sometimes holed.
By: W.T. Story of Barrow
Date: 1895
Ref:  BHM: 3484; Laidlaw: 0679b;
Variations:
SizeMetalMassValue
41 mmBronze
41.6 mmCopper-Nickel26.6 gm$70
41.5 mmBronze (re-strike)$90

Edge: Plain.

Obverse: Port broadside view of battleship at sea steaming to the left. In the exergue: “H.M.S POWERFUL (in quotes)” ” with an ornate line below. At the foot round the rim: "W.T. STORY BARROW . ."

Reverse: Across: "“(star) / LAUNCHED / BY HER GRACE THE / DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE / AT (ornate line on each side) / BARROW IN FURNESS / 24TH. JULY 1895 / (star)”. Legend on a band: "“H.M.S. POWERFUL LENGTH 500 FEET 25000 HORSE POWER (star)".

Notes: HMS Powerful was built by the Naval Construction and Armaments Company Limited (later Vickers) at their yards in Barrow-in-Furness and launched on July 24, 1895 by the Duchess of Devonshire.

HMS Powerful and her sister ship, HMS Terrible, are best known for the land action of their Naval Brigades during the Boer War. HMS Powerful, under the command of Captain Hedworth Lambton, was on her way home from China when ordered to Durban on 26 October 1899. On arrival there the naval guns, specially modified for use on land, were urgently transported to Ladysmith reaching there on 30 October. The siege of the town commenced two days later, isolating the Naval Brigade, but their guns forced the Boers to keep their distance until the siege was relieved on 28 February 1900.

The third medal here is a re-strike made again by W.T. Story after the ship was decommissioned in 1929. Part of the reverse was altered to read: "THIS MEDAL IS MADE OF BRONZE FROM H.M.S. POWERFUL".

A silver tribute medal (Laidlaw 0795) was awarded to the naval brigades of the two sister ships by the City of Portsmouth. A similar medal in silver (Laidlaw 0679a) also commemorates the launch.