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Auction: 13002 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 76

Naval General Service 1793-1840, two clasps, Trafalgar, St. Sebastian (William Mead.), good very fine

William Mead served as Private, Royal Marines in H.M.S. Leviathan 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 Leviathan was in the weather column, 'she was closely engaged with the French flagship Bucentaure, 80 guns, and the Spanish 140 gun Santisima Trinidad and the 74 gun San Augustin, the latter of which she easily outmanoeuvred, boarded, and carried without opposition. Lashing the Spaniard to her port side, she brought on herself a nasty fire from the French 74 gun Intrepide, until the Africa, Orion, and other ships came to the rescue. Her losses in the battle amounted to twenty-six killed and wounded. The mainpiece of her head was shot through, all three masts, bowsprit, and most of her lower and topsail yards wounded, her mizzen topsail yard shot away, and a great part of the rigging cut to pieces. She received eight shots between wind and water, and had three guns completely disabled' (The Trafalgar Roll, The Officers, The Men, The Ships, Colonel R.H. Mackenzie, refers); Mead served as the same rank in H.M.S. Beagle, which assisted in the capture of St. Sebastian when some ship's boats were employed in the inner blockade, 8.9.1813.

Provenance: Glendining, September 1923

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Sold for
£8,500