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Auction: 12002 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 496

Naval General Service 1793-1840, one clasp, Trafalgar (Richd. Marsh.), very fine Estimate £ 5,500-6,500 Richard Marsh served as Landsman in H.M.S. Dreadnought during the major fleet action off Cape Trafalgar between the British fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson and the Franco-Spanish fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral P.C. de Villeneuve, 21.10.1805. At Trafalgar the Dreadnought ´was one of the rearmost ships in Collingwood´s division; but met with and gave some hard knocks. At one time she was engaged with two Spanish ships and one French vessel. She tackled the Spanish 74, San Juan Nepomucheno, which had already been severely handled, and although that ship was to some extent supported by the Spanish 112, Principe de Asturias, and the French 80-gun Indomptable, she ran on board the San Juan in little more than a quarter of an hour. But the Principe de Asturias, to which she next devoted her attention, got away. The Dreadnought´s losses in the battle amounted to thirty-three killed and wounded. She had her masts cut with shot and her maintop sail-yard shot away.´ (The Trafalgar Roll, The Officers, The Men, The Ships, Colonel R.H. Mackenzie refers). Richard Marsh, born circa 1787; joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer at Port Mahon, Minorca, April 1803; after service in the Dreadnought he was discharged to H.M.S. Captain, June 1806; whilst serving with the latter in the West Indies he was discharged to the Naval Hospital at Barbados as ´Sick´, July 1808 and the following month took passage in H.M.S. Ramillies back to England. Provenance: Glendining, July 1956Glendining, May 1973 Sotheby, November 1977

Sold for
£8,500