Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Trafalgar (William Bath.) nearly extremely fine £5,000-£7,000

Hayward & Hall, December 1970; Baldwin’s, November 2001.

William Bath is confirmed on the roll as Yeoman of the Sheets aboard H.M.S. Defiance (Captain Philip Durham) at the battle of Trafalgar. He was born in Cornwall and was aged 30 at the battle.

H.M.S. Defiance joined Lord Nelson on the 4th October, and under Captain Durham fought at Trafalgar on the 21st October 1805, in the lee column. As she got into the confusion of the allied line, she exchanged shots with the Spanish 112, Principe de Asturias, and about 3 P.M. ran alongside the French 74, Aigle, to which she lashed herself. The enemy was boarded, and appeared to be subdued, but no sooner had the boarding party hoisted the British colours over her than the Aigle's people rallied and drove them off. Captain Durham thereupon cut loose the lashings, and, sheering off ten yards or so, opened so heavy a fire that in about twenty minutes the French ship, which had very gallantly defended herself, asked for quarter, and was taken possession of. The Defiance subsequently made a prisoner of the Spanish San Juan Nepomuceno, which struck to the Dreadnought. Her losses in the battle amounted to seventy killed and wounded, amongst the latter being her captain. Her bowsprit, fore and main-masts were shot through, and her mizen-masts, three topmasts, jib and driver booms, and gaff wounded. Her rigging and sails were likewise much cut, and her hull in several places struck with shot.