Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 copy clasp, Sylph 28 Sepr 1801 (Admiral Sir Charles Dashwood KCB, GCTS) neatly re-engraved naming in a style to match the official impressed style, good very fine £200-£300

Captain K. J. Douglas-Morris lists Dashwood as receiving a three clasp Naval General Service Medal, with clasps for 1 June 1794, 12 Octr 1798 (Verified aboard, not on roll), and Sylph 28 Sepr 1801. Colin Message lists Dashwood as receiving a single clasp Naval General Service, with the clasp 1 June 1794.

The only other recipient of the Sylph 28 Sepr 1801 clasp is Lieutenant Samuel Burgess, who received a five-clasp medal (also with clasps for 1 June 1794, Trafalgar, Boat Service 27 July 1809, and Algiers), and whose medal formed part of the Hamilton-Smith Collection.

Sir Charles Dashwood was born on 1 September 1765 and entered the Royal Navy as a Midshipman in January 1779. Serving in H.M.S. Impregnable at the Glorious First of June, he ‘so distinguishing himself on that occasion that he was promoted to a Lieutenancy in the same ship on the 20th of that month.’ He was promoted to the command of H.M.S. Sylph, 18 guns, on 2 August 1799, and on the night of 28 September 1801 ‘particularly distinguished himself by his gallantry in beating off the French frigate L’Artémise, of 44 guns and 351 men, after a vigourous action of two hours and five minutes off the north coast of Spain; the Sylph, though her loss in men was trifling, suffered considerably in hull, masts, ands rigging.’

Promoted to Post-rank on 2 November 1801, Dashwood was presented with the honour of a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and the Sword on 28 March 1825, and was nominated a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 4 July 1840. He was promoted Vice-Admiral of the White on 23 November 1841, and died in service on 21 September 1847, being posthumously promoted to the rank of Admiral the following day.