Miniature Medals

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Hawke 18 Augt 1811, the impressed naming almost completely erased except for faint traces of the first and final letters (W and S.), otherwise as issued, nearly extremely fine and very rare £1200-1500

Ex Jubilee Collection 1992.

Sold with full report from the Home Office Forensic Science Laboratory, Chorley, which concludes:

“An impressed inscription has been removed from the bottom, circumferential edge of the medal by a filing action. The only visible remains of the inscription are what may be part of a letter ‘W’ at the start of the inscription and what may be part of a letter ‘S’ and a full stop at the end of the inscription. The bottom edge of the medal has been chemically treated and the following parts of the inscription have been recovered: W I L - - - - P E - K - N S.

Examination of the Naval General Service Medal submitted confirmed the opinion that the original recipient was William Perkins.”

William Perkins/Perkis is confirmed on the rolls as an Ordinary Seaman aboard Hawke at the capture of the French brig Heron near Barfleur, 18th August, 1811. Only 6 clasps issued for this frigate action and no other William Perkins or Perkis shown on the rolls.

William Perkis was born at Ryde, Isle of Wight, in 1789, and entered the Navy aboard H.M.S. Dryad as a Boy 3rd Class, aged 14, in 1803. He joined Hawke in July 1809 and took part in the successful action against the French National brig Heron, and was severely wounded on that occasion. Consequently, he entered Haslar Hospital suffering from gun shot wounds on 23 August 1811, remaining there until the end of October. His subsequent service appears to have been as a Ship’s Cook, the effects of his wounds not doubt preventing him from carrying out the normal duties of a Seaman. He was finally discharged from H.M.S. Victory as Supernumerary Cook on 11 April 1837. He died, as a Greenwich out-pensioner, on 24 May 1855, after hanging himself at his home at Southsea, Hampshire. Sold, in addition to the forensic reports, with a large quantity of additionla research.