| Naval Good Shooting Medals _________________________________________________ |
The BLUEJACKET Medal for Good
Shooting in the British Fleet
Shooting in the British Fleet
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The Bluejacket medal was sponsored by “The Blue Jacket & Coastguard Gazette” & was introduced
in 1900. The gazette was the official publication of the Royal Naval Provident Fund & the Coastguard
Benevolent Fund.
The idea that was put forward in 1902 was to present annually a silver medal to the best shot in the
RN. In all probability the idea of the award was put forth by Capt Percy Scott, the father & reformer
of Naval Gunnery at that period of time. At that time there was no official medal for good/prize
shooting in the fleet. However, it was pointed out that the number one of the crew (the Gun captain
who actually fired the gun) could not make good shooting without the co-operation of the entire
Guns crew. It was therefore agreed that the Gun Captain would be presented with a silver medal &
the members of the guns crew would each be awarded the medal in bronze. The Gazette decided
that the medal would be retroactive to 1900.
The medals were to be named with the recipients name & the top clasp was to be engraved with
the name of the ship in which the man served at the time of the award.
In 1900 two Guns crew of HMS Terrible (which was commanded by Capt Percy Scott) won the medal
as they both had identical scores in the prize firing of that year. Both crews had the amazing score
of 6 rounds fired in one minute with 100% hits. HMS Terrible also provided the winning crew for
1901, this time with 8 rounds with 8 hits in one minute. In 1902 the medals were awarded to the
RMA guns crew of HMS Ocean who also scored 9 hits with 9 rounds in 1 minute. All the of guns were
6 inch breech loaders.
In the 1903 series of prize firings were separated into Battleships & Cruisers, (instead of the former
practice of combining them) so two sets of medals were awarded that year – one to the RN crew of
the battleship HMS Majestic & one set to the RMA crew of the cruiser HMS Good Hope, both firing 6”
guns.
The Bluejacket Medal at the time was quite prized by ratings – taken from a Gazette of Apl ’04 …….”
and there can be no doubt that much emulation was thus caused throughout the Fleet; for the
announcement in the Bluejacket carried the knowledge that these medals were to be won to every
mess deck in the British Fleet, no matter how far from Home Ports.”
in 1900. The gazette was the official publication of the Royal Naval Provident Fund & the Coastguard
Benevolent Fund.
The idea that was put forward in 1902 was to present annually a silver medal to the best shot in the
RN. In all probability the idea of the award was put forth by Capt Percy Scott, the father & reformer
of Naval Gunnery at that period of time. At that time there was no official medal for good/prize
shooting in the fleet. However, it was pointed out that the number one of the crew (the Gun captain
who actually fired the gun) could not make good shooting without the co-operation of the entire
Guns crew. It was therefore agreed that the Gun Captain would be presented with a silver medal &
the members of the guns crew would each be awarded the medal in bronze. The Gazette decided
that the medal would be retroactive to 1900.
The medals were to be named with the recipients name & the top clasp was to be engraved with
the name of the ship in which the man served at the time of the award.
In 1900 two Guns crew of HMS Terrible (which was commanded by Capt Percy Scott) won the medal
as they both had identical scores in the prize firing of that year. Both crews had the amazing score
of 6 rounds fired in one minute with 100% hits. HMS Terrible also provided the winning crew for
1901, this time with 8 rounds with 8 hits in one minute. In 1902 the medals were awarded to the
RMA guns crew of HMS Ocean who also scored 9 hits with 9 rounds in 1 minute. All the of guns were
6 inch breech loaders.
In the 1903 series of prize firings were separated into Battleships & Cruisers, (instead of the former
practice of combining them) so two sets of medals were awarded that year – one to the RN crew of
the battleship HMS Majestic & one set to the RMA crew of the cruiser HMS Good Hope, both firing 6”
guns.
The Bluejacket Medal at the time was quite prized by ratings – taken from a Gazette of Apl ’04 …….”
and there can be no doubt that much emulation was thus caused throughout the Fleet; for the
announcement in the Bluejacket carried the knowledge that these medals were to be won to every
mess deck in the British Fleet, no matter how far from Home Ports.”
In April 1904 the Admiralty decided to
introduce the Naval Good Shooting Medal to
be awarded to the top shots for each class
of gun in the RN at the Annual Prize
Shooting competition. The first awards of
the NGSM were awarded for the prize firing
of 1903 but not actually awarded to the
recipients until Jan 1906. With the
introduction of the NGSM the Gazette
decided to discontinue the awards of the
Bluejacket medal.
It is estimated that 51 of the Bluejacket
medals were awarded of which 6 would have
been silver. The nominal rolls of each of the
Prize crews for 1900 to 1903 exists except
for 1902 (the RMA crew of HMS Ocean). The
BJ & CG Gazette of Jan 1905 however states
only 32 Bluejacket medals had been awarded
– from this it would appear that not all of
the medals were actually presented to or
received by the recipients.
introduce the Naval Good Shooting Medal to
be awarded to the top shots for each class
of gun in the RN at the Annual Prize
Shooting competition. The first awards of
the NGSM were awarded for the prize firing
of 1903 but not actually awarded to the
recipients until Jan 1906. With the
introduction of the NGSM the Gazette
decided to discontinue the awards of the
Bluejacket medal.
It is estimated that 51 of the Bluejacket
medals were awarded of which 6 would have
been silver. The nominal rolls of each of the
Prize crews for 1900 to 1903 exists except
for 1902 (the RMA crew of HMS Ocean). The
BJ & CG Gazette of Jan 1905 however states
only 32 Bluejacket medals had been awarded
– from this it would appear that not all of
the medals were actually presented to or
received by the recipients.
The medal itself was apparently also designed by Percy Scott & is larger than the regular
campaign/long service medals, being 48 mm (1 7/8”) wide in dia, & thicker (3/16”) than normal
medals. The medal is suspended from a blue ribbon edged with stripes of red & white. The medal is
struck in high relief with the obverse showing a profile of Lord Nelson & is encircled by his famous
signal flown just prior to engagement at Trafalgar: “England Expects That Every Man Will Do His
Duty” & “Admiral Lord Nelson”. The reverse shows a guns crew in the process of leading a heavy
calibre gun & the words: “Prize Firing Blue Jacket Medal Heavy Gun – British Fleet”.
The outer perimeter of both obv & rev of the medal is lightly milled but the edge surface is smooth
& the medals were ENGRAVED with the recipients initial(s) & last name in block capitals - no rank,
rating, or number is included in the naming.
There are two clasps that complete each medal & as these are lose on the ribbon,& might be found
missing if one is lucky enough to find one of these ‘rare birds’.
The middle clasp has in the centre the Naval Crown & on either side is engraved PRIZE (crown)
CREW & the top clasp is engraved with the recipient’s ship & the year of the award. Both clasps
have chain link edging around the perimeter.
How many of these medals have survived is unknown – One complete example appeared in the
book The Naval Good Shooting Medal Roll (Scarlett) to: G. Richardson, & one missing both clasps &
ribbon was ex Douglas Morris Collection to: E.J. Baker (both awards to HMS Good Hope 1903), &
the one in my collection to W. McMullen also of Good Hope 1903.
None from any other gun's crew or years has been sighted by this writer.
campaign/long service medals, being 48 mm (1 7/8”) wide in dia, & thicker (3/16”) than normal
medals. The medal is suspended from a blue ribbon edged with stripes of red & white. The medal is
struck in high relief with the obverse showing a profile of Lord Nelson & is encircled by his famous
signal flown just prior to engagement at Trafalgar: “England Expects That Every Man Will Do His
Duty” & “Admiral Lord Nelson”. The reverse shows a guns crew in the process of leading a heavy
calibre gun & the words: “Prize Firing Blue Jacket Medal Heavy Gun – British Fleet”.
The outer perimeter of both obv & rev of the medal is lightly milled but the edge surface is smooth
& the medals were ENGRAVED with the recipients initial(s) & last name in block capitals - no rank,
rating, or number is included in the naming.
There are two clasps that complete each medal & as these are lose on the ribbon,& might be found
missing if one is lucky enough to find one of these ‘rare birds’.
The middle clasp has in the centre the Naval Crown & on either side is engraved PRIZE (crown)
CREW & the top clasp is engraved with the recipient’s ship & the year of the award. Both clasps
have chain link edging around the perimeter.
How many of these medals have survived is unknown – One complete example appeared in the
book The Naval Good Shooting Medal Roll (Scarlett) to: G. Richardson, & one missing both clasps &
ribbon was ex Douglas Morris Collection to: E.J. Baker (both awards to HMS Good Hope 1903), &
the one in my collection to W. McMullen also of Good Hope 1903.
None from any other gun's crew or years has been sighted by this writer.
The medal is larger than
the standard campaign
medal. To the right, a
Baltic medal is shown
for comparison
the standard campaign
medal. To the right, a
Baltic medal is shown
for comparison
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