The Naval Gold Medal was awarded between 1793 and 1815 to senior officers of the Royal Navy for specified actions.
Two different sizes were struck. 22 large medals were awarded to flag officers (admirals), commodores and captains of the fleet. 117 smaller medals were awarded to captains.Ribbons and Medals, page 54 As a separate medal was awarded for each action, it was possible for a recipient to receive and wear more than one.Medals Yearbook, page 122
Awards of the gold medal were discontinued after 1815, as would-be recipients became eligible for the Order of the Bath on its enlargement to three classes.
Appearance Size: The large medal has a diameter of , and the small medal . Medals were mounted in a gold frame, glazed on both sides. Obverse: Britannia holding a spear and standing on the prow of an ancient galley, being crowned with a laurel wreath by a figure of Victory. Behind is an oval shield charged with the Union Flag.Battles and Medals, pages 32-33 Reverse: Engraved with the rank and name of the recipient, and the event and date for which the medal was awarded. The large medal has a surround of a wreath of oak and laurel. Ribbon: White with dark blue edges, wide for the large medal and for the small. In 1847, this ribbon was used for the Naval General Service Medal.Ribbons and Medals, page 56 Suspension: Large medals had a ring suspension for wear around the neck. Small medals were worn on the left chest by way of a straight bar suspender, normally from a buttonhole. Six of the large medals awarded for the Glorious First of June were presented suspended from a gold chain.
Awards
Following the Battle of the Glorious First of June 1794, the Naval Gold Medal was instituted to reward those admirals and captains who had been conspicuous for courage in that action, as well as those who might distinguish themselves on future occasions.
In spite of representations made by Nelson, no medal was authorised for the Battle of Copenhagen, due to concerns that it could offend the Danes.
Recipients surviving until 1847 were entitled to apply for the Naval General Service Medal with the appropriate clasps.Observer Book of British Awards, pages 72-73
Gold Medals were issued by the Admiralty for the following actions. Only selected captains received a medal for the Glorious First of June,Only awarded to captains specifically mentioned in Lord Howe’s report. See article on Lord Collingwood, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Vol 12, page 673 otherwise all captains or acting captains were recipients. Action Date LargeMedals SmallMedals French Revolutionary Wars 1793–1802 – – Battle of the Glorious First of June 1 June 1794817 Battle of Cape St Vincent 14 February 1797615 Battle of Camperdown 11 October 1797215 Battle of the Nile 1 August 1798114 Recapture of by 25 October 1799 01 Napoleonic Wars 1803–1815 – – Battle of Trafalgar 21 October 1805327 Battle of Cape Ortegal 4 November 1805 04 Battle of San Domingo 6 February 180628 Capture of the island of Curaçao by 1 January 180704 Capture of Turkish frigate Badere Zaffere by 5-6 July 180801 Capture of French frigate Thétis by 10 November 180801 Capture of French frigate Furieuse by 6 July 180901Battles and Medals, page 51 Capture of Banda Neira 9 August 181001Battles and Medals, page 53 Battle of Lissa 13 March 181104 Capture of the French ship of the line Rivoli by 22 February 181201 Capture of the French frigate Étoile by HMS Hebrus 27 March 181401 War of 1812 1812–1815 – – Capture of USS Chesapeake by 1 June 181301 Capture of USS President by 15 January 181501 Total 22 117
Some notable recipients Only three Naval officers earned three gold medals:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Vol 12, page 673 Sir Edward Berry. Received three small gold medals, for the battles of the Nile, Trafalgar and San Domingo. Lord Collingwood. Received small gold medals for the battles of the Glorious First of June and St Vincent, and a large gold medal for Trafalgar. Viscount Nelson. Awarded three large medals, for the battles of St. Vincent, the Nile and posthumously for Trafalgar. Other selected awards are listed below:
Large Gold Medal Viscount Duncan. Commanded British fleet at Camperdown Alexander Hood. Vice Admiral at the Glorious First of June Earl Howe. Commanded British fleet at the Glorious First of June John Jervis, Earl of St Vincent. Commanded British fleet at St Vincent Small Gold Medal William Bligh, As captain of , during the Battle of Camperdown, he captured Vrijheid, commanded by Vice-Admiral Jan Willem de Winter Philip Broke. As captain of , he captured USS Chesapeake during the War of 1812 Sir James Gambier. Commanded on the Glorious First of June Sir Edward Hamilton. As captain of , he recaptured Sir Charles Knowles. Commanded at St Vincent William Mounsey. As captain of HMS Bonne Citoyenne, he captured the French frigate Furieuse George Murray. Commanded at St Vincent Thomas Pringle. Commanded on the Glorious First of June Sir Michael Seymour. As captain of , he captured the French frigate Thétis Robert Stopford. Commanded at San Domingo Charles Tyler. Commanded at Trafalgar
References
Bibliography Dorling, H. Taprell, Ribbons and Medals, (1956), A. H. Baldwin & Son Joslin, Edward C, Observer Book of British Awards and Medals, (1973), Frederick Warne & Co Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin (eds), British Battles and Medals, (1988), Spink
Mussell, J (ed), Medals Yearbook 2016, (2015), Token Publishing. Contains (pp. 295–302) a complete list of medals awarded between 1793–1847. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004) Oxford University Press. Contains biographies of most recipients of the Naval Gold Medal.