Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Off Tamatave 20 May 1811, Phoebe 28 March 1814 (William Morgan.) extremely fine £2500-3000

Provenance: Cheylesmore Collection 1930 (No. 125 in the catalogue of his collection, 1880); J. B. Hayward & Son 1973.

Approximately 78 clasps issued for Schomberg’s action off the east coast of Madagascar, 20 May, 1811, including 23 to the 36-gun frigate Phoebe; and 29 clasps issued for the capture of the American 32-gun frigate Essex by the Phoebe and Cheub, off Valparaiso harbour, Chile, 28 March, 1814, the only N.G.S. clasps issued for an action in the Pacific Ocean proper.

William Morgan is confirmed on the rolls as a Private Royal Marines aboard H.M.S. Phoebe at the first action, and as a Corporal Royal Marines aboard the same ship at the second action. Moreover, Morgan is also shown on the roll for the M.G.S. medal with the clasp for Java, being one of the party of marines from Phoebe who were actually landed on the island. Three other men of this name are shown on the rolls of the N.G.S. medal, one for Java, and two for Algiers.

William Morgan was born at Mortley, Worcestershire, and enlisted into the 38th Company Royal Marines (Portsmouth Division) at Kidderminster, on 20 February 1806, aged 24 and a Weaver by trade. His entire service was aboard the frigate Phoebe, from March 1806 until he was discharged on 27 December 1814, being ‘unserviceable’ due to ‘wounded thighs’. Sold with research including London Gazette entries and copied medal rolls.