orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink

orders, deCoratioNs, CampaigN medaLs aNd miLitaria
164
164
Naval General Service 1793-1840, one clasp, Syria (Henry H. Bingham,
Senr. Lieut. R.N.), suspension re-constituted, very fine
£400-600
Henry Hope Bingham served as Senior Lieutenant in H.M.S. Princess Charlotte
during operations on and off the coast of Syria, 1840.
Captain Henry Hope Bingham, R.N., second son of the Reverend Richard
Bingham, Canon of Chicester; joined the Royal Navy as First Class Volunteer,
December 1813, and was appointed to H.M.S. Rosamond (commanded by his uncle
Captain D. Campbell), in which he accompanied with convoy to Hudson’s Bay; he
served in the Leven, co-operating with the Royalists in La Vendee, 1815; attained
the rank of Midshipman whilst serving in H.M.S. Rivoli; and served in the Carron
(Captain J. Furneaux), ‘under whom he was wrecked, as Master’s Mate, in the Bay
of Bengal, on the night of 5 July, 1820, and, with others, cast senseless on the beach’
(O’Byrne refers); passed his examination, August 1821, whilst serving in H.M.S.
Queen Charlotte (flag-ship of Sir James Whitshed); subsequent postings included in
the Seringapatam, ‘in the boats of which frigate we find him as Mate, repeatedly
employed in the suppression of piracy in the Grecian Archipelago - and the Warspite,
fitting at Portsmouth, towards the close of 1825, for the flag of his uncle, Rear-
Admiral Bingham, whose premature death, when on the point of sailing, proved in
a great measure detrimental to his prospects’ (Ibid); Lieutenant, January 1826;
served in H.M.S. Hyperion, 1828-1831, ‘lying in Newhaven harbour for the
purposes of the extended Cost Blockade.... and experienced during that period
much arduous boat-service. From 8 May, 1833, until 17 June, 1836, he served as
Senior of the Larne... on the West India station, where he appears to have been very
actively employed, the latter part of the time in protecting the British mercantile
interests on the coasts of New Granada and Venezuela, then in a state of
insurrection. The Larne was also present throughout the siege of Puerto Caballo, by
Gen. Paez..... Mr. Bingham joined the Princess Charlotte bearing the flag in the
Mediterranean of Sir Robert Stopford, and for his services as First Lieutenant of that
ship, during the operations on the coast of Syria, particularly at the capture of St.
Jean d’Acre, was advanced to the rank of Commander 4 Nov. 1840, and appointed,
15. Dec. following, her Second-Captain’; appointed Second-Captain, H.M.S.
Formidable, August 1842....in March, 1844, Commander Bingham witnessed the
settlement of the Greek Constitution at Athens....Captain Bingham... was also
presented with the Gold Cross of the Order of the Saviour of Greece, but existing
regulations prevented him from accepting it’ (Ibid); he was latterly employed as
Inspecting Commander, Coast Guard, 1845-1850; retired Captain, April 1856.
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