Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas

The Naval General Service medal awarded to Samuel Green for his services as a Private Royal Marines on board the Ajax at Egypt and on board the Victory at the battle of Trafalgar, where he was wounded in action

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Egypt, Trafalgar (Samuel Green.) edge bruise and small French silver import stamp, minor nicks, otherwise toned, very fine £14,000-£18,000

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

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Collection

Cheylesmore Collection, July 1930; Sotheby’s, December 1990; Buckland Dix and Wood, March 1996. One other Samuel Green got the N.G.S. with 2 clasps, Implacable 26 Augt. 1808, 7 July Boat Service 1809. His medal was sold at Glendining’s in November 1927 and is known to be in the Patiala Collection in India.

122 clasps for Trafalgar issued to H.M.S. Victory.

Samuel Green is confirmed as a Private, Royal Marines, aboard the Ajax in Egypt, and aboard the Victory at Trafalgar where he was wounded and received an award of £10 from Lloyd’s. Of the six Seaman and two Marines aboard the Victory who were wounded and survived to claim the medal, only that to Green is known to survive.

Samuel Green was born at Bilston, Staffordshire, in 1777, and attested for the Marines at Wolverhampton on 23 January 1798, a bucklefiler by trade. He joined Ajax from Chatham Headquarters on 1 January 1800, and served in Egypt the following year, being one of the Marines landed to fight with the Army at Alexandria in 12 March. He joined the Victory in April 1803 and the musters confirm his presence aboard for the complete commission until Victory was paid off on 6 January 1806, after which Green was sent back to Chatham Headquarters. He was disbanded from the Royal Marines at Chatham on 20 October 1815.