A Naval General Service Medal for sale with clasps for Guadaloupe & Algiers. The Naval General Service Medal awarded to William Braden, HMS Albert (Guadaloupe), and HMS Queen Charlotte (Algiers). Complete with ribbon. 

Condition report: The Naval General Service Medal is offered for sale in excellent condition, all detail remaining, and free from any dents or other damage (NEF). Clean appearance. Replacement ribbon.

 Background to Braden: Detailed original documentation for early 19th century ratings is not easily available, clerical errors were common, (hence a couple of different spellings for Braden within the Muster Rolls). However, based on information sourced from both ship muster lists, and medal rolls, the following information provides a reasonably accurate guide to Braden’s service career.

Born in Hampshire (Gosport or Portsmouth) circa 1796, Braden is first traced as a Boy (3rd  Class) on the muster rolls for the Royal Navy ship Alfred  which he joined as a volunteer at Cowes on March 25th, 1809.

At the capture of Guadaloupe, (February 1810), Braden was present aboard the Alfred and stayed with her until the June  2nd, 1810, when he was discharged by order to the Surinam. During his period with the Surinam,  he was 'lent'  to the Centurian (October 7th, 1810). Served as Boy (3rd Class) until February 6th, 1811, and thereafter discharged to the Rester, (again as Boy, 3rd Class). On April 27th,  Braden was raised to Boy 1st Class, and from  May 3rd, 1814 he was classified as Landsman.

While serving with the Forester, Braden is noted as having ‘Run’ from the ship’s service  while on duty at Port Royal dockyard, (February 35th, 1815). The last muster for Forester  is for   August 7th, 1816, when the whole ship’s crew was paid off and Braden was still listed as missing at that date.

Braden is next identified on the muster lists for the Queen Charlotte. According to these, Braden joined the ship on the July 8th, 1816 as a Volunteer and was classified as an Ordinary Seaman (however, he was still officially classed as missing from the Forester).

In these early days before the detailed records of Continuous Service it would have been fairly easy to desert one ship, and then sign-up with another. Braden was serving aboard Queen Charlotte, when on August  27th, 1816 a combined force of English and Dutch fleets attacked the town of Algiers, their objective being to destroy the power of the Barbary Corsairs, and release the Christian prisoners that were being used as slaves. The operation was a great success and 1650 prisoners were liberated.

On the  September 15th, 1816, Braden was discharged as a volunteer to the Ister  still rated as an O.S; his birthplace is given as Portsmouth (not Rutland as on some Queen Charlotte rolls) and his age as 23. He served on the Ister until the October 17th, 1817 when he is again shown as ‘Run’ while from the Jolly Boat at Sheerness. In the last muster list for Ister he is still listed as  ‘Run’, (May 1818).

Braden may have returned to the navy at a later date, but in the absence of a service sheet there is no feasible way of tracing him any further.

When the Naval General Service Medal was officially approved (1847), Braden was credited with the Naval General Service medal (1793– 1840), with clasps for Guadaloupe and Algiers.

Additional notes: The HMS Alfred was a third rate 74 gun ship. She fought at the Battle of Cape St.Vincent in 1780, and was present at Guadaloupe in 1810. The HMS Queen Charlotte was infact the second vessel fo that name. A first rate, 104-gun ship, launched in early 1816, her first engagement being the Bombarbment of Algiers.