Lot Archive

Download Images

Lot

№ 238 x

.

26 March 2009

Hammer Price:
£3,200

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Copenhagen 1801 (Robt. Watton) good very fine £2500-3000

Rolls confirm as Robert Walton, Able Seaman, H.M.S. Edgar at Copenhagen

Robert Walton was born in London circa 1778 and joined the Royal Navy aboard the Minerva on 16 December 1795, aged 17. He was transferred to the Princess Royal in July 1797 and joined the Edgar as an Able Seaman in September 1799, being present in this ship at the battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801, when the Edgar suffered much damage and had 143 officer, ratings and marines killed or wounded. Walton joined the Lively in June 1805, received promotion to Boatswain’s Mate and was on board when she ran aground on rocks near Point Coura, Malta, while escorting a convoy and was wrecked in 1810, fortunately without any loss of life. During the remainder of the war with France he served aboard the San Josef and Jalouse. He later served as Boatswain aboard the Champion during the Burmese war, arriving at Rangoon on 14 November 1825 to join Alligator and Arachne for the commencement of hostilities in that campaign. Walton lived to claim his Army of India medal with clasp for Ava but this is not known to have survived. Sold with research.