The 'Yonnie Expedition 1887' gold D.S.O. group of three awarded to Lieutenant Francis A....

The ‘Yonnie Expedition 1887’ gold D.S.O. group of three awarded to Lieutenant Francis A. Valentine, Royal Navy, who commanded the Naval Brigade attached to the military expedition, one of three such awards for this expedition but unique to the Navy Distinguished Service Order, V.R., gold and enamels, with integral top riband bar; South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (Sub: Lieut: F. A. Valentine, R.N, H.M.S. “Boadicea”); East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, 1887-8 (Lieut. F. A. Valentine R.N., H.M.S. Acorn.) mounted as worn, nearly extremely fine (3) £8,000-£10,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Alan Hall Collection, June 2000. D.S.O. London Gazette 9 March 1888. One of three awards of the D.S.O. for this expedition, the other two going to Army officers. Lieutenant Valentine commanded the Naval Brigade attached to the military expedition against the Yonnies in 1887 under Colonel Sir Francis De Winton, being Gazetted with praise and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Only 38 medals with clasp ‘1887-8’ awarded to the Royal Navy. Francis Alfrid Valentine was born on 25 March 1858, at Whixley Vicarage, York. He was the only son of the Reverend William Valentine, Vicar of Whixley. He entered the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet aboard the Training Ship Britannia on 15 July 1871, when aged 13 years. On passing out of Britannia in 1873 he was awarded a 1st Class Certificate and gained 12 months' seniority and was immediately promoted to Midshipman. On 19 July 1873 he was appointed to H.M.S. Northumberland and served in this vessel until he was transferred to Narcissus on 9 June 1875. Subsequently appointed to the receiving ship Duke of Wellington on 23 May 1877. On promotion to Sub Lieutenant on 18 July 1877 he joined Excellent for a Gunnery Course and College Examinations. On passing out of College he obtained a 2nd Class Certificate in Gunnery and 3rd Class Certificates in Seamanship and Navigation. Following his appointment to Boadicea on 13 September 1878, he saw service in the Zulu war and was awarded the Zulu Medal without clasp. Whilst serving a three and a half year commission aboard Boadicea he was promoted to Acting Lieutenant, during the period 3 March to 13 May 1881 and 18 September 1881 to 3 February 1882, whilst deployed on detached service during anti slave running patrols off the East African coast whilst in Command of Boadicea’s cutter. He was praised by Captain F. W. Richards for his share in the expedition for the destruction of Batanga villages on 22 March 1880. On paying off from Boadicea he was confirmed in the rank of Lieutenant on 15 February 1882, and appointed to Thalia on 11 April 1882. He joined Duke of Wellington on 25 March 1882, followed by Osprey on 19 September 1882. In the latter vessel he was to continue his previous service in the suppression of the slave trade. During nearly four years spent in this vessel he spent a considerable time on detached service in Command of Osprey’s various small boats and was deployed far and wide. His patrol areas included the Red Sea, Zanzibar, the Maffic Channel in the Common Islands, and off the east cost of Arabia. On paying off from Osprey he returned to England for a period of well earned paid leave followed by three months on half-pay. He was next appointed to Shannon on 7 August 1886, and to Acorn as 1st Lieutenant on 22 February 1887. During a four and a half year commission aboard Acorn he was landed in charge of a small Naval Brigade from H.M. Ships Acorn, Icarus and Rifleman, which was attached to the military expedition under Colonel Sir Travvers de Winton sent to punish the Yonnies, a tribe of people living in the hinterland of Serira Leone. This service was extremely arduous owing to the density of the forest which had to be traversed and the continual fusillade which was kept up by the concealed enemy from their muzzle loaders which fired rough bits of iron and small shot. During the campaign the Yonnies showed much skill in devising ambush stockades and other obstacles so as to bring the troops to a standstill under their fire. Robari, the Yonnie stronghold, was eventually reached, shelled, set on fire by rockets, and taken. The rebellious chiefs then submitted and the expedition returned to the coast. For his services on the expedition Valentine was specially recommended by Colonel Sir F. De Winton and Rear-Admiral Sir W. J. Hunt Grubbe and in consequence their Lordships awarded him the Distinguished Service Order. He also received their Lordships' expression of satisfaction for the services he had rendered to the military expedition. When Acorn was paid off on her return to England he was appointed to Wildfire whilst he took three months' full pay leave, followed by a further three months' on shore at half-pay. His next appointment was to Audacious which he joined on 23 December 1891. He was then returned ashore on half-pay on 18 September 1892. He next joined President for Transport Duties on 10 February 1893, then again was placed on shore with half-pay on 27 June 1893. He rejoined President for Transport Duties on 24 June 1893 and then retumed to shore on half-pay until appointed to Victory on 14 July 1894. Whilst in this posting he was placed in charge of reliefs for Nyassa and for Special Service Gunboats on 25 September 1894. He was next appointed to Excellent on 1 December 1894, for Instructional Duties on the Acting Sub Lieutenant's Course. Whilst in this posting he became ill and was discharged to Haslar Hospital on 21 August 1897, and died from heart failure on the following day, at the comparatively young age of 39 years. His funeral took place on 24 August 1897, and he was buried in the 'New' Haslar Cemetery in Clayall Road, Portsmouth, the burial service being conducted by Chaplain J. Black of H.M.S. Excellent.