A Collection of Naval General Service Medals 1793-1840

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Victorious with Rivoli (William Allen.) good very fine £1,000-£1,200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Naval General Service Medals 1793-1840.

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Collection

Provenance: Christie’s, March 1989.

Approximately 67 clasps issued for this Gold Medal action.

William Allen is confirmed on the rolls as a Private Royal Marines aboard H.M.S. Rivoli. Four other men of this name appear on the rolls for various clasps.

On 22 February 1812, Victorious engaged the French seventy-four gun ship Rivoli, off Venice, at about 4.30 a.m., in an action that lasted for over four hours. The Rivoli was heavily damaged, her mizen mast shot away, and four hundred of her crew were killed or wounded. The loss to the Victorious was twenty-seven killed and ninety-nine wounded, including her Captain, John Talbot, was awarded the Naval Gold Medal, in addition to a knighthood. H.M.S. Weazel, cruising in consort, simultaneously fought the French brig Mercure, which eventually blew up without loss to the Weazel.