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Coastguards and the Crimean War
Rosalyn
My great great grandfather was John Anderson who served as a coastguard around Ireland. From 1849 to 1857 my information (brilliantly supplied by your Forum) says that he was a chief boatman at Kilcorgan.

I have just found a wonderful newspaper article from December 1924 in which his son (my great grandfather) William Anderson (also a coastguard for some years) is sharing his early Naval seafaring experiences. The article ends by saying that John Anderson, his father, "... served during the Russian War, in which he lost an eye."

So my question is, if he was coastguard at Kilcorgan, how could he have been involved with the Crimean (or Russian) war, where he lost an eye?
 
crimea1854
Due to a manpower shortage some 2600 serving Coastguards entered the Navy, returning to their normal duties at the end of the war.

I have only one John Anderson on my database of those CGs who served with the fleet during the Crimean War. Based on the information I have he was born in Stood, Kent around 1816. If this is your man then I can confirm that he served on HMS Princess Royal in both the Baltic and the Black Sea, receiving the Baltic Medal, Crimean Medal with Sebastopol clasp and the Turkish Crimea Medal.

Martin
Edited by crimea1854 on 06/01/2015 14:14
 
Rosalyn
Thank you for this information Martin. The John Anderson born in Stood, Kent, is not my relative.
I found 3 John Anderson's in the coastguard service before you were able to provide me with details of the career of the correct person. My relative first served at Ballycastle as an extra man in 1831, then went on to serve at Whitstable, East Lane End, Bathurst, Dunkeehan (where my great grandfather was born), Kilcorgan, North Isle of Arran, and finally to Ross. He was discharged with a pension in 1869. Sadly, I have found no way of obtaining more information about him.
 
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