Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas (Part I)

The 2-clasp Naval General Service medal awarded to Admiral Alfred Luckraft, Royal Navy, a Midshipman aboard the Mars at the battle of Trafalgar where he was wounded in the leg; he subsequently distinguished himself in 1828 as First Lieutenant of the Blonde under Captain Edmund Lyons in the operations, jointly with the French, against Morea Castle, the last stronghold of the Turks in the Peloponnesus, being decorated with the Legion of Honour and the Redeemer of Greece

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Copenhagen 1801, Trafalgar (Alfred Luckraft Midshipman) lightly polished, otherwise good very fine £10,000-£14,000

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

Fergus Gowans Collection.

Confirmed on the rolls as a Volunteer First-class aboard H.M.S. Monarch at Copenhagen, and as Midshipman aboard the Mars at the battle of Trafalgar,

Alfred Luckraft was born on 2 April, 1792, is brother of the present Captain William, and half-brother of the late Lieutenant John Luckraft, R.N.
This officer, whose name had been borne since 25 July 1799, on the books of the Monarch 74, Captain James Robert Mosse, embarked in that ship in January 1801, and on the 2nd of the following April was present, as First-class Volunteer, in the action off Copenhagen. After a servitude of 19 months in the Blenheim 74, bearing the flag of Sir Archibald Dickson, Oiseau frigate, Captain Phillips, and Courageux 74, Captain John Okes Hardy, he joined, in April, 1803, the Mars 74, Captains John Sutton, George Duff, Robert Dudley Oliver, and William Lukin. While in that ship, in which he soon attained the rating of Midshipman, he was present and slightly wounded in the leg at the battle of Trafalgar 21 October 1805.

Under the command of Captain George Duff she was distinguished and lost heavily at Trafalgar, on the 21st October 1805. She was in the lee column, and followed the Belleisle into action. When endeavouring to find an opening at which to pass through the hostile line, she was engaged from astern by the French 74, Pluton. To avoid running into the Spanish Santa Ana, she was obliged to turn her head to wind, and so exposed her stern to the fire of the Spanish Monarca and French Algésiras, which punished her severely, until the coming of our Tonnant took off their attention. Quite unmanageable as she had become, the Mars paid off, but was further wounded by the French Fougueux, and again by the Pluton, one of whose shots carried off the head of Captain Duff. Her losses amounted to ninety-eight killed and wounded. Her main topmast and spanker boom were shot away, and all her lower masts left in a tottering state. She had several guns disabled, her rudder head injured, and all her yards more or less shot. On the surrender of the French Commander-in-Chief and his retinue, they were received on board the Mars.

Contributing next to the capture, 28 July 1806, of Le Rhin, of 44 guns and 318 men – assisting also, 25 September in the same year, at the taking, by a force under Sir Samuel Hood, of four heavy French frigates, two of which, the Gloire 46 and Infatigable 44, struck to the Mars – and accompanying, in 1807, the expedition to Copenhagen. In consideration of the wound he received at Trafalgar he was presented with a gratuity from the Patriotic Fund. He became Sub-Lieutenant, in March 1808, of the Steady gun-brig, Captain Arthur Stow, and in the course of the same year sailed for South America, where, in January and February 1809, and May 1810, he was in succession nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Agamemnon 64, Captain Jonas Rose, Hyacinth 18, Captain John Carter, and President 38, Captain Adam Mackenzie. On his return to England he was confirmed, 3 September 1810, to a Lieutenancy in the Bellerophon 74, bearing the flag in the North Sea of Rear-Admiral John Ferrier, with whom he continued to serve in the Scarborough 74 until May 1814. From the following September until September 1815, he was employed on the Home station as Senior of the Foxhound sloop, Captains John Parish and Thomas Warrand. Being next, 4 February 1828, appointed First to the Blonde 46, Captain Edmund Lyons, he very highly distinguished himself, in October of the same year, during the operations conducted, in unison with the French, against Morea Castle, the last stronghold of the Turks in the Peloponnesus. On that occasion, landing with a party of seamen, he assumed command, supported by Captain Sidney Colpoys Dacres, of the central of five breaching batteries, named George the Fourth’s Battery. He remained in the trenches 12 days and nights, during the three last of which he worked his only 4 guns with such effect as to expend upwards of 1000 18-pound shot, and 6000 lbs. weight of powder. The greatness indeed of Lieutenant Luckraft’s exertions not only procured a strong recommendation in his behalf from his own Commander-in-Chief Sir Pulteney Malcolm, but had the effect of eliciting the loud praise of the French Admiral De Rigny, and of obtaining for him the insignia of the Legion of Honour and of the Redeemer of Greece. His promotion to the rank of Commander did not, however, take place until 28 October 1829, at which period he was invested with the command of the Procris sloop. He was afterwards appointed, 30 November 1829, to the Camelion 10, attached to the force in the Mediterranean, whence he returned in March, 1830; 20 June 1831, to the Revenge 78, Captains James Hillyar and Donald Hugh Mackay, employed, until March 1834, on the Lisbon station; and 13 July 1835, to the Russell 74, Captain Sir William Henry Dillon, again in the Mediterranean. He was superseded from the latter ship on being advanced to Captain on 28 June 1838, and has since been on half-pay. He was promoted Rear-Admiral on 4 November 1857, to Vice-Admiral on 15 June 1864, and to Admiral on 10 September 1869. During the late war he was never a single day on shore. Admiral Luckraft died on 11 December 1871.