Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Trafalgar (Joseph Barrit.) a few minor marks and scratches, otherwise nearly extremely fine £5,000-£7,000

Sir Godfrey Dalrymple-White Collection, Glendining’s, July 1946.

Joseph Barrit, a unique name on the roll, is confirmed as a Private Royal Marines aboard H.M.S. Leviathan.

At Trafalgar the Leviathan was in the weather column: 'she was closely engaged with the French flagship Bucentaure, 80 guns, and the Spanish 140 gun Santisima Trinidad and the 74 gun San Augustin, the latter of which she easily outmanoeuvred, boarded, and carried without opposition. Lashing the Spaniard to her port side, she brought on herself a nasty fire from the French 74 gun Intrepide, until the Africa, Orion, and other ships came to the rescue. Her losses in the battle amounted to twenty-six killed and wounded. The main piece of her head was shot through, all three masts, bowsprit, and most of her lower and topsail yards wounded, her mizzen topsail yard shot away, and a great part of the rigging cut to pieces. She received eight shots between wind and water, and had three guns completely disabled' (The Trafalgar Roll, The Officers, The Men, The Ships, by Colonel R. H. Mackenzie, refers).