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Really, this topic should be sub-titled "John Henry Hird: Twenty Six Years manning the Empire's Shield"


Egypt Medal, 1882 clasp "Alexandria 11th July" engraved to "J.H.Hird, A.B., HMS Alexandra"
East & west Africa medal, clasp "Gambia 1894" impressed to "J.H.Hird, PO1cl, HMS Raliegh'
QSA medal, no clasp, impressed to J.H.Hird, PO2 cl, HMS Pearl"
Khedive's Star, 1882 type, unnamed.


Aged just sixteen years, John Henry Hird enlisted in the Royal Navy as Boy, Cl.II on 2/10/1878; status single and occupation "butcher". Surviving the Devonport training ship, he was made up to Boy, 1st class a year later and was posted to the flagship HMS "Alexandra" on 25/5/1880. The flagship (a central battery armoured battleship) was known as having "a fetish for smartness" and our lad was shortly made up to Ordinary Seaman, briefly sent back to to a training sloop and then, ready for active duty, rejoined the flagship on 12/1/1881.
Active duty was not long coming. The security of the Empire's lifeline - the Suez Canal - was threatened. The situation had been brewing for some time - with even Chancellor Bismarck intriguing in the area. Egypt had fallen into crisis after crisis, was facing bankruptcy and in 1881 their army had staged a revolt against the Khedive and his foreign bankers. Serious anti-foreign disturbances had erupted in Alexandria in May of 1882 - with attacks upon staff of various embassies and merchants resulting in two hundred deaths. A show of force was decided upon by Prime Minister Gladstone.
Accordingly, that same month, a joint Anglo-French task force sailed for and anchored off Alexandria. That city's seaward defences were in the process of being greatly improved (with the help of German advisers and Krupp artillery) and, to make matters worse, a political crisis in France meant the withdrawal of the French Naval contribution. Vice Admiral Seymour negotiated with the Egyptians for the reduction of their defences. Talks failed. Escalating things, Seymour requested permission to bombard and reduce Alexandria's seaward defences. High Handed action indeed. With the Empire's lifeline seemingly at risk, Prime Minister Gladstone telegraphed his permission.
At 0620 hrs on 11/7/1882, the eight powerful battleships signalled "ready for action" and, thirty minutes later, the 11" guns of HMS "Alexandra" commenced the bombardment of its particular target; Fort Ras-el-Tin. The target was out of action by 1400hrs - as were the other forts against which the squadron was ranged. The action had not been one-sided. The Egyptian artillerymen - and presumably their advisers - fought with great determination; frequently hitting the British ships. Indeed, on Hird's ship, a Victoria Cross was awarded to a senior rating by that man stubbing out the smouldering fuse of an enemy 10" shell and dumping the thing into a bucket of water!. Later in the day, marines were landed to spike the remaining guns and the next day the city surrendered. Like it or not, thus began a long British involvement in the affairs of Egypt and later the Sudan.
Subsequently, Ordinary Seaman Hird was posted to HMS "Excellent" for gunnery training. "Excellent" was then under the command of firebrand Captain "Jacky" Fisher (motto; Hit First! Hit Hard! Hit Often") and our man was formally engaged in that trade in 3/1884. He clearly had promise - receiving extensive training over the next six years in both gunnery and torpedo work (torpedoes at that time meaning all under-water weapons). He was rated as Leading Seaman II on 6/5/1890 and further promoted on 1/10/1891; just in time to be transferred to the Iron Frigate HMS "Raleigh" for anti-slavery operations on the West Africa Station. The Royal Navy had, of course, long been involved in the suppression of that trade in human misery.
On this particular occasion, the ships of the West Africa Squadron , including HMS "Raleigh" and newly promoted Petty Officer Cl.II Hird, were headed for the "slave coast" of Gambia. On that aptly named stretch of coast, the most notorious slaver was one FODI SILAH; a gentleman with a force of three-thousand followers - and who had steadfastly refused British attempts to stop his trade. To that end, two columns were landed on the Gambia coast to attack SILAH's village. Returning from what they fondly imagined as punitive action, the column with the "Raeigh's" blue-jackets was ambushed; suffering no less then eighty-four casualties (including 18 killed). Both columns had to be hurriedly evacuated from Madini Creek under heavy enemy fire.
Of course, matters did not rest there. A larger force of vengeful blue-jackets landed days later and, with ship's gunfire support, FODI SILAH was comprehensively defeated - but he himself evaded capture. Fleeing to French territory, he was captured there and executed. IL must say that it was difficult to confirm that P.O.Hird took part in the Madini Creek affair. However, perusal of the clasp qualifications for E&WA medal reveals very few instances of a clasp being granted to those remaining on board ship. In any case, the expedition ended slavery on the Gambia coast. Illustrations of these small expeditions are hard to find; however, IL did locate a pen-picture of the action at Madini Creek which was published in the ILN of 1894.


Returning from his second tour of active service, our man was promoted to P.O. 1 and Gun Captain; then back to various postings concerned with torpedo boats. Promotion to Acting Chief P.O. followed; then Chief P.O. on 18/11/1898. Now at the top of his profession, there followed a prestigious posting to battleship HMS "Benbow" of the Channel Fleet. C.P.O. Hird's last medal was earned late in the South African campaign; serving in the cruiser HMS "Pearl" from 17/12/1901. Following the besieging of the mining town of O'Okiep by Smuts, "Pearl" escorted several supply and troop ships to Port Nolloth - from where a railway line ran to the relief force being assembled outside O'Okiep. Peter Singlehurst's "Afloat and Ashore" details the activities of the cruiser closely.


Herewith is a sketch of the type of cruiser he served in; from Brassey's 1897 Annual.

IL has to record that John Henry Hird was never able to add a Naval LSGC medal to his impressive set of awards. Unfortunately, five days in cells back in 1881 appears to have meant that his character was overall recorded as "Very Good". His last posting was to the fast cruiser HMS "Crescent" in 11/1904. However, manyyears presumably packed into close quarters - as was the custom for the lower deck in those days - saw him sent off to the RN Hostel at Simonstown, South Africa where - on 2/12/1904 at age just shy of forty-three years - he died of "tubercle of the lungs". TB. Fittingly, IL has learned that his gravestone in Seaforth Cemetery, Simonstown is marked with the name of the last ship in which he saw active service; HMS "Pearl".

Twenty-six years of the Pax Britannica. Unfortunately, prior to 1912, there was no upwards pathway to a Commission from the lower deck. Otherwise, who knows what a dedicated man like John Henry Hird might have achieved. By the time of his death, however, the Royal Navy was headed for the throes of change. The Fisher/beresford feud would erupt, "Jacky" Fisher would triumph - and eventually the Royal Navy was transformed from Colonial Policing into the mighty force mobilised in 1914. IL is sure that CPO Hird would have approved.
Regards to all
IL.