The Imperial Military Order of St. George was instituted on the 26th of November, 1769 by the Empress Catherine the Great to reward both military and naval officers for exceptional bravery. Nicholas Carlisle, in his book The Several Foreign Orders of Knighthood states some of the exemplary
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In a previous blog I wrote about the British Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840 (NGS) awarded to the most common type of vessel in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars, the Cruizer-class brig-sloop of 18 guns. Medals to these smaller vessels have always fascinated me, as
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The Military General Service Medal along with the Naval General Service Medal and Army of India Medal have long been known as The Three Classic Retrospective Medals in the British medal collecting community. Retrospective is an appropriate descriptor as the Military General Service Medal was finally issued
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The history behind the early appearance of Napoleonic miniature orders & medals worn by British Officers is not well documented. One significant comment regarding the origin of miniatures comes from the noted author J. M. Mayo in his publication entitled ‘Medals and Decorations of the British Army
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The Battle of Copenhagen on April 2nd, 1801 is commemorated on the British side by a clasp to the Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840 (NGS), issued in 1849. It falls in the category of NGS clasps approved because a commissioned officer was promoted, as opposed to it
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The Statutes of the British Most Honorable Order of the Bath were first issued on January 25th, 1725. Modeled off of the Statutes for the Order of the Garter, there would be Knight’s Stalls, Arms, Robes, Insignia and other similar attributes. The Knights of the Bath would
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The recent sale at DNW in London of the John Goddard Collection of Important Naval Medals, was a fantastic event for any collector interested in medals of the Napoleonic period – of course, particularly for those interested in the British Naval General Service medal 1793-1840 (NGS). I was able to attend
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Eleven days after the Duke of Wellington’s triumph at Waterloo, the British Parliament debated what steps should be taken to commemorate the great victory. Parliament had previously been opposed to granting any award to the common soldier. In this case, national sentiment ran high and an overwhelming
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• Examination : in 1797 (PRO ADM 6/95/170-171).
• Lieutenant : on 16 December 1797 (2).
• Commander : on 27 April 1801 (13).
• Post-Captain : on 5 March 1808.
• Died: on 5 October 1832.
Sources:
Marshall, vol ix, p. 295.
The Complete Navy List 1793-1815 (CD).
Received the Small Naval Gold medal for Lissa, and also claimed this NGS clasp along with six other clasps. One of 3 confirmed 7 clasp NGS medals. Served on the ‘Flag Officer’s Committee” overseeing the institution of the NGS medal 1847-50. For more details see: O’Byrne (1949)
KCB 2 Jan 1815, Kt.B 29 Jun 1815, GCB 5 Jul 1855
Died on 8 Jan 1869
Received the Small Naval Gold medal for Surprise wh. Hermione, and claimed the NGS medal with clasp for this action as well. For more details see: O’Byrne (1849)
Kt.B 1 Feb 1800, KCB 2 Jan 1815, Bt 26 Jan 1819
Died on 21 Mar 1851
Received the Small Naval Gold Medal for Victorious wh. Rivoli, and also claimed the NGS with this clasp. His medal group sold at Spink in Jun 1982. For more details see: O’Byrne (1849)
KCB 2 Jan 1815, GCB 5 Jul 1842
Died on 7 Jul 1851
For more details see: O’Byrne (1849).
KCB 2 Jan 1815, GCB 13 Nov 1827
Died on 28 Apr 1851
Admiral Robert Stopford (1768-1847)
Small Naval Gold medal for St. Domingo. He directed the operations that resulted in the capture of Java on 8 August 1811. His last active post, in his early seventies, was as commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet during the Syrian War. Claimed the NGS medal with six clasps, the medal is in the NMM. Colonel of the Royal Marines on 9 November 1805. Governor of Greenwich Hospital from 1 May 1841 till his death. For more details see: O’Byrne (1849).
KCB 2 Jan 1815, GCB 6 Jun 1831, GCMG 10 May 1837
Died on 25 June 1847
A veteran of the American Revolutionary War. Received the Small Naval Gold Medal for St. Vincent, which was stolen in 1900 from Greenwich Hospital (with Nelson’s Gold medals). Claimed the NGS medal with ‘St. Vincent’ clasp, the medal is in a private collection in the UK. Shown here as a GCB with Gold Medal. For more details see: O’Byrne (1849).
KCB 2 Jan 1815, GCB 17 Nov 1830
Died on 28 Oct 1849
The man who burned Washington
Claimed a six clasp NGS medal, supposedly the only medal issued to a Rear Admiral. The medal is in the NMM. For more details see: O’Byrne (1849).
KCB 2 Jan 1815, GCB 20 Feb 1818
Died on 19 Aug 1853
Sir Thomas Byam Martin, wearing the KCB star only, having been invested, but not installed in the Order yet.
A veteran of the American Revolutionary War. As Captain of HMS Santa Margarita captured the French frigate Tamise, June 1796. Commanding HMS Fisgard he captured the French Immortalité off Tory Island in October 1798. In the Baltic in August 1808, as Captain of HMS Implacable, took part in the capture the Russian ship Sewolod. Served on the ‘Flag Officer’s Committee’ overseeing the institution of the NGS medal in 1847-50. For more details see: O’Byrne (1849).
KCB 2 Jan 1815, GCB 3 Mar 1830, Kt.B 1814, KS (Sweden) 1808
Died on 21 Oct 1854
