EAST & WEST AFRICA MEDAL 1892 BRITISH TO COURT MARTIALLED OFFICER LT. FOOT ROYAL NAVY: WESTERN AUSTRALIA

East and West Africa Medal 1892, attributed to Lieutenant Foot R.N., who as ‘acting commander of H.M.S. Encounter (Australia Station), was court martialled & awarded 6 months’ imprisonment with hard labour in Perth Western Australia, for embezzlement of mess funds.

East and West Africa Medal, with clasp WITU 1890. Impressed named C.M.FOOT. MID. H.M.S. CONQUEST. Mounted for display. Comes with copies service papers, medal roll, family tree, marriage & death registers, 1901, 1911 & 1939 census, court martial records, newspaper articles & research.

Charles Montague Foot was born Swanage, Dorset 14/10/1873. Enlisted 15/1/1887. Midshipman June 1889, served Witu expedition aboard H.M.S. Conquest 1/2/1889 – 11/5/1892. Acting Sub-Lieutenant June 1893, promoted Sub-Lieutenant 1893, Lieutenant 1895. Australia Station in H.M.S Encounter 21/11/1905. Acting Commander of ship 11/5/1906 – 15/1/07. Foot was appointed to H.M.S Encounter as first and gunnery officer on 21/11/1905. On 15/1/1907, a telegram from the Commander-in-Chief reported that Foot was absent without leave, supposedly deserted. From the newspapers of the time: “While president of the canteen committee applied 92 pounds of the men’s money to his own use. Discovery was imminent when Foote confided the position to the commander who advised him to go ashore and raise the money. Foote obtained leave of absence to do so but did not appear again ‘on board.’ Foot absconded with the mess funds, meant to be used to purchase sporting equipment & was subsequently seen at a race meeting in the ‘country’ and was eventually apprehended by police after a month of desertion, ‘drunk’ and in rags, within the vicinity of Murray Street, Perth.  He gave as his defence as a denial of any intent to desert and a repudiation of all crime by embezzlement, the accused claiming that by using the money he was merely running into debt. He was reported as arrested 4/2/1906, but this should read 1907. On 23/1/1907 he was sentenced by Court Martial to six months imprisonment with hard labour and to be dismissed H.M Service with disgrace. He was charged with desertion and embezzlement. The embezzlement charge was changed to fraudulently converting to his own use and benefit, money to which he had been entrusted.

The 1911 Census records Foot as being employed by Vickers Ltd as a worker in Armour and shells, 1939 General assistant armour plate department for Sheffield steelmakers John Brown & Company & Thomas Firth & Sons, as well as being an ARP warden. He died in 1948 in Sheffield. He married Nora Coalbank 19/9/1899 and they were still together on the 1939 census. His two brothers served in senior positions within the military - Admiral Cunningham Robert de Clare Foot & Brigadier General Richard Midway Foot.

This medal is an interesting piece of Western Australian history. It represents the service of a young man, from a good family, who disgraced himself as the commanding officer of his ship. Further investigating may divulge the reasons for the embezzlement of the ship’s funds. Our thoughts are that after a long sea journey, including service in the young West Australian colony, he gave into temptation of drink & gambling, forever jeopardising his promising career in the service.