CORPORAL CHARLES MURRAY, ROYAL MARINES. Naval General Service Medal, 1 clasp, London 13 March 1806 (officially impressed: CHARLES MURRAY).

CORPORAL CHARLES MURRAY, ROYAL MARINES. Naval General Service Medal, 1 clasp, London 13 March 1806 (officially impressed: CHARLES MURRAY). Attractive old dark tone, Almost Extremely Fine to Extremely Fine and with a length of original silk ribbon (this slightly frayed).

London 13 March 1806 clasp rare (only 27 awarded).

Charles Murray was issued with two Naval General Service Medals, one with two clasps, London 13 March 1806 and Java, and another with a single clasp, London 13 March 1806. The two clasp medal is now in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. The single clasp medal, this medal, when it appeared at auction at Spink on 19/4/2011, had a tailor’s copy Java clasp crudely affixed above the London 13 March 1806 clasp. That copy clasp has now been removed and the medal restored to its issued condition as a single clasp medal.

Medal accompanied photocopied Muster Rolls, extracts from Medal Rolls for both clasps, confirming clasp London 13 March 1806 and that recipient was also entitled to the Java clasp, and extracts from James’s “Naval History”.

Charles Murray was born at Skirt, Queen’s County (now County Laois), Ireland. He enlisted into the Royal Marines at Cork on 30/7/1805 as a private with the Plymouth Division (48th Company RMLI). At the time of enlistment Murray was 22 years of age and stood 5 feet 4.5 inches tall. His papers describe him as having a dark complexion and grey eyes, state that prior to enlisting he had been employed as a gardener and had also served in the Militia. Murray saw service aboard HMS London from 7/9/1805, rated as a 3rd Class Marine. He was discharged from HMS London to Chatham Headquarters on 26/6/1809. Murray subsequently served aboard HMS Hussar from 1/6/1810 (126th Company RMLI), initially as a Private, 3rd Class Marine, being promoted Corporal and 2nd Class Marine during July-August 1812. Murray was discharged from HMS London to HMS Drake on 3/9/1812 and was finally discharged from the Royal Marines on 29/8/1814. At the time of discharge he was recorded as suffering from an old wound and a broken collar bone.

The Allotment Registers for Murray record that, from 20/12/1805, 4d per day (9 shillings and 4 pence per month) was paid to his mother, Mary, who was living in Maryborough, Co. Cork. From 2/12/1809 payments were made instead to his wife Anne, of 5d per day (11 shillings and 8 pence per month), who was living in Kinsale, Co. Cork.

Charles Murray is confirmed as serving as a Private, Royal Marines, aboard HMS London during the capture of the French ship-of-the-line “Marengo” and the frigate “Belle Poule” off the Azores after a running fight that lasted five hours on 13/3/1806. He is also confirmed as a Private, Royal Marines, serving aboard HMS Hussar during the operations that led to the capture of the island of Java, July 1811 to the island’s surrender on 18/9/1811.

Approximately 27 “London 13 March 1806” clasps issued, and some 684 Java clasps, including 42 to HMS Hussar (7 officers and 35 other ranks).

Provenance: A single clasp Naval General Service Medal named to Charles Murray, with the clasp London 13 March 1806, was sold at part of the Whitaker collection in 1890. Undoubtedly this medal, which came up for sale again in 2011 (Spink, 21/4/2011, lot 306). When this medal reappeared in 2011 it had a tailor’s copy Java clasp crudely affixed above the London 13 March 1806 clasp. That latter clasp has now been removed, restoring the medal to its as-issued condition.

Two other men named Charles Murray are listed on the Naval General Service Medal Roll, both being entitled to single clasp medals, for Egypt and St Vincent respectively.

Charles Murray’s London 13 March 1806 clasp was awarded for the action of that date between HMS London and the French “Marengo”, the Frenchman, after a running fight lasting five hours, striking her colours and being taken as a prize by HMS London.