Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Singles

Lot 2288    SESSION 14 (2.30PM THURSDAY 28TH NOVEMBER)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Singles

Estimate $7,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $10,000

NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL 1793-1840, - two clasps - Egypt, Trafalgar. Charles Phillips. Impressed, with the last letter of the surname being added by engraving. Display mounted, repaired at suspender claw and with slight edge knocks and some slight traces of brooch mounting, otherwise fine.

Ex Glendining and Spink Australia Sale 27 (lot 2419) and Noble Numismatics Sale 72 (lot 2166).
Together with copies of both ships' Muster Lists and the Medal Claim Returns for both bars; also book titled, 'Trafalgar An Eye-Witness Account Of A Great Battle', assembled and edited by Stuart Legg, first edition 1966, hardcover, 133pp with b&w photos and drawings throughout, with foxing; book titled, 'Trafalgar', by John Terraine, first published in 1976, this edition published in 1998, softcover, 295pp plus 4pp Index, with b&w photos throughout, with minimal foxing; book titled, 'The Mammoth Book Of How It Happened Trafalgar', edited by Jon E. Lewis, first edition 2005, softcover, 492pp, with foxing.
Both bars confirmed on roll. Three men of this name on the roll, but this is the only one with this combination.
Charles Phillips, seaman, born 1782 at London, UK; Enlisted in Royal Navy and ops in Egypt as Landsman on HMS Deft; to HMS Colossus as Able Seaman 01Nov1804; present on Musters on 07, 14, 21 and 28Jul1805; present on Musters on 04, 12, 20 and 28Aug1805; present on Musters on 06, 13, 20 and 27Sep1805; present on Musters on 03, 07, 20 and 29Oct1805 including ops at the Battle of Trafalgar against the French and Spanish on 21Oct1805; present on Musters on 01Nov1805; Disch.22Dec1805 from HMS Colossus on orders for Canada; HMS Colossus had the most casualties of the fleet - 200 with 40 dead.
Recipient served as Landsman in HMS Delft in Egypt and as Able Seaman in HMS Colossus at Trafalgar (information ex Glendinning and Spink Australia Sale 27). The 74-gun Colossus, under Captain James Nicoll Morris, was in the lee column at Trafalgar, her losses being greater than those of any other ship in the fleet. She engaged the French 74, Swiftsure, and the Spanish 74, Bahama, which had been captured from the British on a previous occasion, both of which she captured. Her losses in the battle amounted to 40 killed and 160 wounded, while she herself was badly damaged. The mainmast was so damaged that, during the ensuing night, it had to be cut away. The foremast was shot through in several places, two anchors and three of her boats were destroyed, and a number of guns disabled. Four of the starboard lower-deck ports were also knocked away by ramming the Spanish 80-gun ship Argonauta, and the hull in every part was much shattered. Her Master was killed and fourteen other officers, including her captain, were wounded. Colossus had a chicken-coop onboard, and during the battle the rooster escaped and perched on Captain Morris's shoulder, crowing loudly, much to the amusement of the sailors, who cheered while they kept up the fighting. Captain Morris was severely wounded in the thigh, but after a tourniquet was applied he remained on deck until the close of the action, when he fainted from loss of blood and was carried below for treatment.
With research by Mostly Unsung and other research.