Miniature Medals

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Martinique (Fredk. Walsh, Midshipman) edge bruise, otherwise very fine £700-800

Ex Payne Collection.

Frederick Walsh was born in London and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class, aged 17, in August 1807 aboard H.M.S. Ulysses. He was promoted to Volunteer 1st Class shortly afterwards and transferred to the Intrepid in August 1808. Promoted to Midshipman the following month he was present at the capture of Martinique in that ship during February 1809. After a short spell in hospital at Antigua with fever, Walsh transferred to the Captain and returned to England, the ship being paid off at Portsmouth in December 1809. He next served in the Vanguard and the Victory before joining the Trincolo in July 1811.

By the end of January 1813 it would appear that Walsh had fallen by the wayside, being reduced in rate to Landsman on the 31st, and further reduced to Able Seaman on 1st February. On 13th February, he entered the sloop Savage, Commander Bissell, rated Midshipman on entry but again reduced to Landsman on 3rd April. The log for that day shows that he was disrated for “contempt”. The vessel was at Quebec during the summer of 1812 but by early 1813 had returned to Portsmouth. Here, Commander Bissell wrote to the Commander-in-Chief, requesting that Walsh be dismissed the service in the following terms:

“I have to request that you will be pleased to apply to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to grant me an order to discharge from His Majesty’s Service Mr Frederick Walsh, acting Midshipman of this Sloop. This young man has been absent 16 days, in which time he has ran in debt at many of the Inns at Portsmouth, and, through his example, has induced a young Midshipman, belonging to the Savage, to draw bills on his friends which have not, and could not, be honoured. As I have no hope of reclaiming Mr Walsh, either by threats or promises, you will, I doubt not, see the necessity I am under to trouble you on this occasion.”

Walsh was duly dismissed the service. Sold with numerous copies from ship’s books and musters.