NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL WITH SYRIA CLASP TO MATE E. BOURCHIER

MacDonald Bourchier was born on 6 Aug 1814 was the eldest son of Capt. Henry Bourchier, Royal Navy, entering the Royal Naval College on 6 Sep 1827, embarkin on board Madagascar (46) on 27 June 1829 under Captain Hon. Sir Robert Cavendish Spencer in the Mediterranean and joining Ganges (84) as Mate under Captain Barrington Reynolds, serving on board her in the operations off the coast of Syria in 1840, present at the blockade of Alexandria.

Promoted to Lieutenant on 23 Nov 1841, Bourchier was posted in 1844 to the gunnery ship Excellent under Capt. Sir Thomas Hastings, Actaeon in 1845 under Captain Geo. Mansel, Vanguard under Capt. George Wickens Willes and Queen from 8 July 1845, bearing the flag at Devonport of Sir John West.

Bourchier married Mary Eliza, the daughter of Rear-Admiral John Hancock, C.B. on 5 Dec 1843.