The Naval General Service medal awarded to Commander Alexander G. Stirling, Royal Navy, who was a Midshipman aboard H.M.S. Bellerophon at Admiral Cornwallis’ celebrated ‘retreat’ on 17 June 1795
Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, 17 June 1795 (A. G. Stirling, Midshipman.) extremely fine £5,000-£7,000

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

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Colin Message Collection, August 1999.

42 clasps issued including 11 to officers.

Confirmed on roll as a Midshipman aboard H.M.S. Bellerophon at Lord Cornwallis’ celebrated ‘retreat’ on 17 June 1795. 42 clasps were issued for this action, including 11 to officers.

On 17 June 1795, a force of five ships-of-the-line led by Cornwallis' flagship Royal Sovereign 100 and two frigates managed to escape from a vastly superior French fleet of 12 ships-of-the-line, as many large frigates and other smaller vessels to a total of about 30. Cornwallis was inhibited by the poor sailing qualities of Bellerophon and Brunswick, and the rear of the line, especially Mars, came under heavy fire, but he was able to persuade the enemy that the rest of the British fleet was just over the horizon, in part by having his frigates make signals to imaginary ships. If the French admiral had closed the British would surely have been destroyed.

Alexander Garthshore Stirling, of Craigbarnet, Stirlingshire, was born on 21 January 1773, son of James Garthshore of Alderston and Charlotte Stirling, and upon succeeding his uncle, John Stirling of Craigbarnet, in that property in 1805, he assumed the additional surname of Stirling. Alexander Garthshore entered the Navy on 17 July 1790, as Able Seaman, on board the Assistance, Captain Lord Cranstoun, next joining in September and November 1791 the Vengeance 74, Captain Thomas. Pasley, and Hind 28, Captain Hon. Alexander Cochrane. From February 1793 until January 1796, Garthshore Stirling was once again employed with Lord Cranstoun in the Raisonnable 64 and Bellerophon 74; and after serving for nine months in the Venerable 74, flag-ship of Lord Duncan, he was made Lieutenant on 14 October 1796 into L’Espiègle 16, Captain James Boorder. He cruised next, between 1797 to 1799, in the Endymion 40, Captain Sir Thomas Williams and, for a short time in 1801, he was employed in the Berschermer 54. While attached to the Bellerophon he was present in Admiral Hon. William Cornwallis’ celebrated retreat of 16-17 June 1795. He served on the Home station in all the above-mentioned ships mentioned. He was placed on the Junior list of Retired Commanders on 26 November 1830, and on the Senior list on 1 February 1838. Commander Alexander Garthshore Stirling died at Craigbarnet, Stirlingshire, on 21 April 1852.