Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 3 clasps, 1 June 1794, 14 March 1795, 23 June 1795 (Wm. Truncheon.) good very fine £3,000-£4,000

Colin Message Collection.

According to the Admiralty claims list, William Truncheon served under the alias of John Smith as Able Seaman on Russell at the actions of 1 June 1794, and 23 June 1795. Truncheon’s claim for the 23rd June clasp was recorded, with a few others, under 14 March 1795 in error, but Russell was not at that action, nor was it possible to be there and at the 23rd June. This no doubt accounts for the presence of three clasps on this medal.

William Truncheon, alias John Jones, was born at Croydon, Surrey, and was a volunteer from the holding ship Enterprise and rated as Landsman, aged 22 when he joined Russell in March 1793. He must have had some seafaring experience as he was rated Able Seaman on 1 April 1794.

The battle of 1 June 1794, the first major fleet action against the French Revolutionaries resulted in the enemy losing one ship-of-the-line and six more captured. Russell had 8 killed and 26 wounded. At ‘Bridport’s action’ on 23 June 1795, a French fleet was again defeated and three more ships-of-the-line captured. There were 3 killed and 10 wounded aboard Russell.

Sold with research notes compiled by Colin Message