Lot 1
H.M.S Whiting - Basque Roads 1809
"Behind The Wire" - Medal and Militaria Sale | M25001
Auction: 17 September 2025 at 14:00 BST
Description
The Rare Naval General Service Medal awarded to Gunner Robert White Royal Marine Artillery H.M.S. Whiting, only 2 men from Whiting claimed the clasp Basque Roads 1809, comprising Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840, one clasp, Basque Roads 1809, (Robert White), extremely fine (1)
H.M.S. Whiting at Basque Roads was a rocket ship (Congreve rockets), engaged 12th-24th April.
At the beginning of March 1809, HMS Whiting joined the fleet assembling for an attack on the French fleet in the Basque Roads. Willia Congreve, who had arrived with a transport, fitted Whiting and the two hired armed cutters, Nimrod & King George with rockets.
On 11th April the three vessels took up a position near the Boyart Shoal while fireships made a night attack on the French ships. The next day all three, together with a number of other vessels, opened fire upon the French ships Ocean, Regulus and the frigate Indienne, as those ships lay aground.
The first two eventually escaped, and the last was one of four eventually destroyed, though by her own crew some days later to avoid capture.
In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Basque Roads 1809" to all surviving British participants in the battle.
Gunner Robert White is confirmed aboard H.M.S. Whiting and is one of only 2 men from that ship to claim the Clasp “Basque Roads 1809” He was a Chelsea Pensioner and it would appear is buried at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Sold with Copy Medal Roll
Provenance
Murray Collection 1926
Sotheby 1982
CJ & AJ Dixon 2007
