Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas

The 2-clasp Naval General Service medal awarded to Thomas E. Davis for his services as Captain of the Maintop in the Virginie at the capture of the Dutch frigate Guelderland in May 1808, and as Able Seaman in the Berwick at Gaieta in July 1815

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Virginie 19 May 1808, Gaieta 24 July 1815 (T. E. Davis.) a very minor edge bruise, otherwise nearly extremely fine £7,000-£9,000

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

Peter Dale Collection, July 2000.

21 clasps issued for Virginie 19 May 1808, and 89 for Gaieta 24 July 1815.

Thomas E. Davis is confirmed on the rolls as Captain of the Maintop in the Virginie, at the capture of the Danish frigate Guelderland in May 1808, and as Able Seaman in the Berwick at Gaieta in July 1815.

‘The thirty-eight-gun frigate Virginie, Captain E. Brace, on May 19th, cruising in latitude 46° North, longitude 14° West, saw and chased a strange sail, which proved to be the Dutch frigate Guelderland, thirty-six guns. At a quarter to ten p.m. the Virginie got near enough to hail the stranger and order her to strike, which she refused to do, and was fired into by the British frigate. An action commenced, during which, in wearing, the Guelderland fell on board her opponent, but the night was so dark, and the swell so great, that the British were unable to board. About eleven p.m., the Guelderland, having all her masts and bowsprit shot away, surrendered, with twenty-five officers and men killed, and her captain and forty-nine men wounded. The Virginie had one man killed and two wounded, and her chief damage was caused by her prize running foul of her during the action.’ (Medals of the British Navy by W. H. Long refers).



‘Gaieta, in the Kingdom of Naples, held out in the cause of Napoleon, for several weeks after the Battle of Waterloo. An Austrian force under Baron de Lauer, invested the place by land, and the British ships Malta, eighty, Captain W. Fahie, and Berwick, seventy-four, Captain E. Brace, blockaded it by sea. After several bombardments, the Governor being informed by Captain Fahie of the surrender of Napoleon to Captain Maitland in the Bellerophon, capitulated on August 8th. The casualties on board the British ships in these operations were - Malta, four men wounded, Berwick, one man wounded.’ (Medals of the British Navy by W. H. Long refers).