Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 11

The historically interesting Naval General Service Medal awarded to Volunteer 2nd Class W. J. Neale, Royal Navy, who, despite a relatively brief Naval career, maintained a strong connection with the Senior Service throughout his life by marrying into the Nelson family and becoming a well-known author of popular sea stories

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Navarino (W.J. Neale, Volr.), additionally contemporarily engraved in upright capitals 'H.M.S. Talbot.' and '20. Octr. 1827.' before and after naming respectively, mounted on a two-pronged silver buckle, good very fine

Provenance:
Spink, 1898.
Langrige, 1972.

William Johnstoun Nelson Neale was born in Devon on 8 November 1812, son of Adam Neale - an Army physician - and his wife Margaret, and as was normal for the time went to sea in 1824 at the tender age of 12 years old. Being appointed to the 28-gun frigate H.M.S. Talbot as a Volunteer 2nd Class, Neale did not have long to wait until his first taste of action at the Battle of Navarino on 20 October 1827.

Though a frigate would not traditionally stand in the 'line of battle' during a fleet engagement, Admiral Sir Edward Codrington's Allied fleet (comprising British, French and Russian vessels) was vastly outnumbered by the opposing Egyptian-Turkish force; he therefore needed to commit every vessel he could. After much political, and physical, manoeuvring over the preceeding weeks, at 2 p.m. on 20 October Condrington's fleet sailed into Navarin Bay with the flag signal 'Prepare for Action' flying from the flagship, H.M.S. Asia. Ordered not to open fire unless fired upon, a boat from H.M.S. Dartmouth was shot at and soon a general action developed. Undoubtedly many officers and men of the Royal Navy present that day would have regarded the date as an auspicious one, it being the eve of the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. Talbot, commanded by Captain the Hon. Frederick Spencer (later 4th Earl Spencer), sailed into position around the Ottoman right wing and came under heavy fire from several enemy frigates and a shore battery. Though British gunnery was far superior to that of their foe (a factor which played a significant part in the Allied victory), nevertheless many shots struck home and casualties began to mount; it can only be imagined what young Mr. Neale was thinking and experiencing at this time. After a fierce and prolonged exchange of broadsides for over an hour, both Talbot and the French frigate Armide were relieved by the appearance of several Russian frigates which finally overcame their immediate foes. Talbot ended the engagement with the highest 'Butcher's Bill' of all the British vessels other than the battleships, with six killed and 17 wounded, testimony to the skill and courage of her crew that day, and Spencer was shortly afterwards appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath. The battle had been a resounding victory for Codrington, with not a single Allied ship lost whereas all but eight of the 78 Ottoman vessels had been sunk, captured or burned.

It appears that sometime shortly afterward, Neale decided that a career in the Royal Navy was not for him (perhaps a reasonable view considering the decades of peace in Europe that were to follow) and instead decided to practice Law. In January 1833 he is noted as a 'Student of Law' at Lincoln's Inn before transferring to Middle Temple, and was called to the Bar on 25 November 1836 before practicing on the Oxford Circuit in addition to around Shropshire and Staffordshire. However, he had not severed all ties with his former career.

From the 1830s a number of former officers of the Royal Navy began writing 'sea stories' for the popular market, some semi-autobiographical and some entirely fictional, but with most using the Napoleonic Wars as their backdrop. Undoubtedly one of the most well-known of these authors today is Captain Frederick Marryat C.B., whose 'Mr. Midshipman Easy' is still in print. However, Neale too became - at least in his day - a highly-regarded figure for similar works, including: 'Cavendish, or the Patrician at Sea', 'The Port Admiral, a Tale of the War', 'Gentleman Jack, a Naval Story', and 'History of the Mutiny at Spithead and the Nore'. Somewhat amusingly, Marryat and Neale were known to each other in less than complimentary terms - indeed, they came to blows one day in November 1834 in Trafalgar Square! It appears that Neale felt Marryat had given him an unfavourable review of a recent book in the Metropolitan Magazine, and believed his honour to have been called into question. A newspaper takes up the story:

'Fracas Between Naval Authors'

Mr. William Johnson [sic] Neale, the author of "Cavendish" and "Port Admiral", and other works of a like nature, and Mr. M. Neale, his brother, young men of gentlemanlike exterior, appeared before Mr. Minshull and Mr. Halls, at Bow-street police-office, London, on Saturday, on a warrant which charged them with assaulting and beating Captain Frederick Marryat...Captain Marryat, having been sworn, stated that on Wednesday last he was walking past the new National Gallery, when he met the two defendants. They came up to him, and William Johnson Neale, who had a large stick in his hand, addressing him said, "Captain Marryat, I believe." "Even so." The defendant then raised his stick, and said "You are a scoundrel, a liar, and only want the courage to become an assassin". He then attempted to strike the complainant, but he succeeded in warding the blow, and knocked the defendant down. He got up, however, and before the witness could call a policeman they both ran away. The defendant, in answer to the charge, was about to advert to the correspondence which had previously taken place between the parties, in order to show what provocation he had to commit the breach of the peace of which he had been guilty, when he was interrupted by the Magistrates, who said that they could listen to no such statements. He then said that Captain Marryat had refused to give him the satisfaction which one gentleman had a right to expect from another. The Magistrates put an end to the discussion, by ordering both the defendants to find bail for their appearance at the sessions...the required sureties having been entered into the defendants were discharged.' (Warder and Dublin Weekly Mail, Wednesday 12 November 1834, p. 2, refers). Thankfully this appears to have been Neale's only brush with the law and did not negatively affect his subsequent career or reputation.

Continuing to write and practice Law, on 12 December 1846 added further to his Naval connections by marrying Miss Frances Herbert Nisbet, daughter of Captain Josiah Nisbet R.N. - the latter being none other than the late Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson's step-son, Frances was both the granddaughter and a co-heiress of Frances 'Fanny' Nisbet, Viscountess Nelson. Their marriage appears to have been a long and happy one, with Neale continuing in the legal profession and was in August 1839 appointed Recorder of Walsall. The couple were living at 11 Promenade Terrace, Cheltenham, at the time of his death at age 81 on 27 March 1893.

Sold together with a comprehensive bound booklet of research.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Estimate
£1,800 to £2,200

Starting price
£1400