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拍品專文
Ex A.A. Purves Collection.
The published Naval General Service Medal rolls confirm Robert Read as a Landsman aboard the Dreadnought for the Battle of Trafalgar on 21.10.1805, and as an Ordinary Seaman aboard the Amphion for the action off Lissa on 13.3.1811, the latter clasp being one of just 124 on the Admiralty roll.
At Trafalgar, the Dreadnought:
' ... was one of the rearmost ships in Collingwood's Division; but met with and gave some hard knocks. At one time she was engaged with two Spanish ships and one French vessel. She tackled the Spanish 74, San Juan Nepomuceno, which had already been severely handled, and although that ship was to some extent supported by the Spanish 112, the Principe de Asturias, and the French 80-gun Indomptable, she ran on board the San Juan in little more than a quarter of an hour. But the Principe de Asturias, to which she devoted her attention, got away. The Dreadnought's losses in the Battle amounted to 33 killed and wounded' (The Trafalgar Roll, by Colonel Robert Mackenzie, refers).
And at Lissa:
'Commodore Dubourdieu, having sailed on 4 March 1811, from Ancona for Lissa (a small island on the coast of Dalmatia), with a Squadron having on board 500 troops, came in sight, on the 13th of a British Squadron under Captain William Hoste. The hostile force numbered four large 40-gun Frigates and two carrying 32 guns, besides a 16-gun Brig and four small vessels. The British Squadron consisted of Amphion, 32, Captain Hoste; Active, 32, Captain A. Gordon; Volage, 28, Captain Phipps Hornby; and Cerberus, 32, Captain Whitby. In all the enemy's ships carried 300 guns and 2500 men, and the British 154 guns and 880 men.
Notwithstanding this disparity of force, the gallant Hoste, one of Nelson's favourite Officers, and a man after his own heart, eagerly accepted battle; with the signal flying, "Remember Nelson", he bore down in compact line, and at 9 a.m. the action commenced ... The Flore and Bellone, taking up a station on either quarter of the Amphion, opened a heavy fire upon her, when Captain Hoste, crossing the bows of the former within half-pistol-shot range, hauled up on the starboard tack, and bringing the entire weight of his broadside to bear on her starboard bow, caused her to strike her colours in ten minutes. No sooner had she finished with this enemy, than the Amphion turned her attention to the Bellone which had been raking her with destructive effect. Wearing round on the starboard tack, Captain Hoste took up a position on the weather bow of that ship, which was also compelled to strike a few minutes before noon ... out of 251 men and boys, the Amphion lost in this brilliant action three Officers, two of them Midshipmen, and 12 men killed. Captain Hoste, seven Officers and 38 men were wounded' (Great Battles of the British Navy, by Lieutenant C.R. Low, R.N., refers).
The published Naval General Service Medal rolls confirm Robert Read as a Landsman aboard the Dreadnought for the Battle of Trafalgar on 21.10.1805, and as an Ordinary Seaman aboard the Amphion for the action off Lissa on 13.3.1811, the latter clasp being one of just 124 on the Admiralty roll.
At Trafalgar, the Dreadnought:
' ... was one of the rearmost ships in Collingwood's Division; but met with and gave some hard knocks. At one time she was engaged with two Spanish ships and one French vessel. She tackled the Spanish 74, San Juan Nepomuceno, which had already been severely handled, and although that ship was to some extent supported by the Spanish 112, the Principe de Asturias, and the French 80-gun Indomptable, she ran on board the San Juan in little more than a quarter of an hour. But the Principe de Asturias, to which she devoted her attention, got away. The Dreadnought's losses in the Battle amounted to 33 killed and wounded' (The Trafalgar Roll, by Colonel Robert Mackenzie, refers).
And at Lissa:
'Commodore Dubourdieu, having sailed on 4 March 1811, from Ancona for Lissa (a small island on the coast of Dalmatia), with a Squadron having on board 500 troops, came in sight, on the 13th of a British Squadron under Captain William Hoste. The hostile force numbered four large 40-gun Frigates and two carrying 32 guns, besides a 16-gun Brig and four small vessels. The British Squadron consisted of Amphion, 32, Captain Hoste; Active, 32, Captain A. Gordon; Volage, 28, Captain Phipps Hornby; and Cerberus, 32, Captain Whitby. In all the enemy's ships carried 300 guns and 2500 men, and the British 154 guns and 880 men.
Notwithstanding this disparity of force, the gallant Hoste, one of Nelson's favourite Officers, and a man after his own heart, eagerly accepted battle; with the signal flying, "Remember Nelson", he bore down in compact line, and at 9 a.m. the action commenced ... The Flore and Bellone, taking up a station on either quarter of the Amphion, opened a heavy fire upon her, when Captain Hoste, crossing the bows of the former within half-pistol-shot range, hauled up on the starboard tack, and bringing the entire weight of his broadside to bear on her starboard bow, caused her to strike her colours in ten minutes. No sooner had she finished with this enemy, than the Amphion turned her attention to the Bellone which had been raking her with destructive effect. Wearing round on the starboard tack, Captain Hoste took up a position on the weather bow of that ship, which was also compelled to strike a few minutes before noon ... out of 251 men and boys, the Amphion lost in this brilliant action three Officers, two of them Midshipmen, and 12 men killed. Captain Hoste, seven Officers and 38 men were wounded' (Great Battles of the British Navy, by Lieutenant C.R. Low, R.N., refers).