Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Naval General Service Medal with three clasps awarded to Ordinary Seaman Alexander Burns, R.N., who was badly wounded in action at Trafalgar when serving aboard H.M.S. Bellerophon

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 3 clasps, Camperdown, Egypt, Trafalgar (Alexr. Burns) with silver buckle brooch bar, slight edge bruising, very fine £9000-12000

Alexander Burns was born in Dumfries. He served on H.M.S. Agincourt from April 1796, aged 20 years. Serving on the ship as a Landsman, he was present at the battle of Camperdown, 11 October 1897, where the Dutch fleet, under Vice-Admiral Jan Willem de Winter was defeated by the squadrons led by Admiral Adam Duncan. Still ranked as a Landsman on the same ship, he then served off the coast of Egypt, July-September 1801, the ship being employed in landing troops in Aboukir Bay. Burns joined H.M.S. Bellerophon in November 1804 and as an Ordinary Seaman served on the ship at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805. He was wounded in action at Trafalgar, which resulted in the amputation of his left arm below the elbow. As a consequence he was awarded the sum of £40 from the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund. He was discharged as an invalid in June 1806, aged 27 years and was granted a pension of £6.13s.4d.

In the printed N.G.S. roll compiled by Colin Message, the recipient ‘Alexander Burnes’ (one on roll) is shown as being entitled to the clasps, ‘Camperdown’ and ‘Trafalgar’ and the recipient ‘Alexander Burns’ (one on roll) is shown as being entitled to the clasp, Egypt. In the N.G.S. roll compiled by Colin Message, appearing on the D.N.W. website, the two are recognised as being one and the same man. Research with the lot includes a letter from the compiler confirming that this is the case.

H.M.S. Agincourt was a 64 gun third-rate ship of the line. Four officers and 9 ratings of the ship were awarded the clasp, ‘Camperdown’ from a total of 298 awarded; two officers and 7 ratings of the ship were awarded the clasp, ‘Egypt’ from a total of 615 awarded. H.M.S. Bellerophon was a 74 gun third-rate ship of the line. Six officers and 50 ratings of the ship were awarded the clasp, ‘Trafalgar’ from a total of 1611. H.M.S. Bellerophon (Captain Cooke) entered the battle as the fifth ship in Collingwood’s lee column. She cut through the enemy line, firing two broadsides into the stern of the Spanish Monarca as she did. Then in a confused melee she became entangled with the French Aigle and found herself the target of the Spanish San Juan Nepomuceno and Bahama and French Swiftsure. Such was the closeness of the Bellerophon and Aigle that their gun crews were engaged in hand-to-hand fighting at the gun-ports. At length, all attacks were beaten off and Bellerophon was able to send boats to take the surrender of the Monarca and Bahama which had struck their colours. By the end of the battle the Bellerophon had sustained casualties of 27 men killed - including Captain Cooke, and 127 wounded - including Alexander Burns.

With copied research including muster roll extracts.