Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, 1 June 1794, 23 June 1795 (James Wheeler.) dark toned, nearly very fine £1800-2200

Provenance: Glendining’s, June 1947; Sotheby’s, March 1988.

James Wheeler is confirmed on Colonel Hailes’ rolls as an Ordinary Seaman aboard H.M.S. Queen Charlotte at the ‘Glorious First of June’ and as an Able Seaman aboard Boyne on 23 June 1795. Boyne, however, was not present in this action and it is thought he was serving aboard Aquilon. His name also appears on the roll for 14 March 1795, again in the Boyne but this ship also not present in the action. It is clear that quite a number of men are recorded in the rolls for these three actions but whose ships were not actually present, causing some confusion in the creation of accurate rolls. One other man with this name appears on the roll, also for the clasp ‘1 June 1794’, as a Landsman aboard H.M.S. Pegasus.