Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas

The Naval General Service medal awarded to Commander William Edwards, Royal Navy, for his services as a Midshipman aboard the Defiance at Copenhagen in April 1801

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Copenhagen 1801 (William Edwards, Midshipman.) good very fine £4,000-£5,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

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Spink, July 2005.

William Edwards was born on 30 October 1781, and entered the Navy on 21 January 1796, as an Ordinary Seaman on board the Atlas 98, stationed in the Channel, where he speedily attained the rating Midshipman. Soon after his removal to the F+Defiance 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Thomas Graves, he witnessed Lord Keith’s capture on 19 June 1799, of three frigates and two brigs under Rear-Admiral Perrée. He fought in the same ship at the battle off Copenhagen on 2 April 1801, and afterwards served aboard the Dreadnought 98, the Dryad 36, and the Prince of Wales 98, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Calder, under whom he bore a part in the action of 22 July 1805. Attaining the rank of Lieutenant, 15 August 1806, he was next appointed to the Agamemnon 64, and, in command of a party of seamen belonging to that ship, he joined the naval brigade employed at the siege of Copenhagen in September 1807. He afterwards saw service off the coast of Brazil, and in the Downs, and transferred to the Impress service at Waterford in 1813. In January he was appointed to the Command of the Lynx Revenue-cutter, and was placed on half-pay in 1821. He was appointed Retired Commander on 16 January 1840, and died in 1859 or 1860.