A diary of Morris Edward Cochrane, Sub-Lieutenant on HMS Centurion, China, June 1900

Recently up for auction was a diarised account of the invasion of China by the Eight Power Allied Army in 1900 in response to the Boxer Uprising and the Siege of the Legations. It was written by Morris Edward Cochrane, Sub-Lieutenant on HMS Centurion, part of the 2,000 strong force led by Admiral Edward Seymour that left Tianjin attempting to reach Peking by rail. Having received orders on Sunday 10th June at 5.30am to make ready his men within the hour, Sub-Lieut. Cochrane describes in great detail the advance and subsequent retreat back to Tianjin of the multi-national force ending his account on Thursday 25th June, in jubilant mood having just met with the Russian relief column, the force having been under almost constant fire with few provisions for much of the preceding two weeks. The journal is accompanied by a letter to his family dated June 29th written once back onboard Centurion.

Morris Edward Cochrane was born in 1879, the youngest son of J. H. Cochrane and Charlotte Newton. He entered the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet on 15 January 1893. He was appointed a Midshipman in February 1895 and was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant in August 1898. On 9 November 1900 he was promoted to Lieutenant for his services in China. He later served in Somaliland and was mentioned in despatches. He was advanced to Lieutenant-Commander in November 1908 and Commander in May 1919. For his services in the Great War he was awarded the D.S.O., the Italian Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus and the Serbian Order of the White Eagle.