Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Matthew Boulton’s Medal for Trafalgar 1805, white metal, named in reverse field ‘Rn. Cruse TONNANT’, sometime removed from glazed case and lacking edge inscription, the reverse with considerable corrosion, therefore good fine, the obverse good very fine £800-£1,000

Robson Cruse was born at Frome, Somerset, on 16 June 1785, and was employed for six years in the packet service on board different vessels sailing from Falmouth, prior to joining H.M.S. Tonnant on 2 June 1803. He was promoted to Midshipman on 1 November 1803 and served as such in the Tonnant, Captain Charles Tyler, at the battle of Trafalgar. He was promoted to Master’s Mate from 24 February 1806, and afterwards served as Acting Lieutenant in Thrush, December 1809 to March 1810; Lieutenant in Savage, June 1810 to June 1811; Lieutenant in Vestal, August 1811 to July 1813; and finally as Lieutenant in Grampus, July 1813 to August 1815. From 1 November 1820 he served as a chief officer in the Coastguard. Lieutenant Robson Cruse died at Speenhamland, Berkshire, on 3 May 1831.