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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 1

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Egypt (G. Ramshay, Master's Mate.), nearly extremely fine, housed in an attractive Victorian velvet-lined, glazed, mother of pearl case

George Rodney Ramshay was born in May 1782. He entered the Royal Navy as a Midshipman on 29 May 1798, serving as Master's Mate aboard H.M.S. Northumberland, 74 guns, at the blockade of Malta and in the Egypt campaign of 1801. The British fleet, commanded by Vice-Admiral Lord George Keith, landed General Sir Ralph Abercrombie's force of 17,000 men at Aboukir Bay on 8 March. The British had spent the previous month practising the landing at a deserted bay on the Turkish coast, and it was one of the most daring amphibious operations in British military history. Severe gales put the fleet at the mercy of French shore batteries, but the landing was highly successful.

Ramshay served aboard H.M.S Leda, 38 guns from September 1802 and H.M.S. Colossus, 74 guns from July 1803. On 1 March 1804 he fell from the rigging while assisting the crew, receiving a severe back injury and fracturing his skull. Unable to speak for nine days, he was trepanned three times. He nevertheless became Acting Lieutenant aboard H.M.S. Eugénie, 16 guns, on 26 January 1805. Eugénie was tasked with conveying the explorer Mungo Park (1771-1806) to the coast of Guinea, proceeding with him 270 miles up the River Gambia. Ramshay became a full Lieutenant aboard his old ship, Colossus, on 29 August 1807. He rose to Commander on 11 January 1844.

Ramshay died at Evenwood, County Durham on 17 March 1863, the cause of death given as 'Bronchitis'. His Naval General Service Medal remained with the family, and is mentioned, along with its ornate case, in a family letter sent from 68 Henley Road, Ipswich on 15 October 1942; sold with the original family letter.




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Sold for
£2,100