Naval Gold Medal

The Naval Gold Medal was a medal awarded between 1793 and 1840 to senior officers of the Royal Navy in specified actions.

Two different sizes were struck. 22 large-size medals were awarded to flag officers (admirals), commodores and captains of the fleet. 112 smaller medals were awarded to captains.. ASele

As the reference "The Naval Gold Medal" below reveals, the medals were awarded for six fleet actions (The Glorious First of June, St. Vincent, Camperdown, The Nile, Trafalgar and Santo Domingo), four what might be called squadron actions, and eight single ship actions. Only selected captains received a medal for Camperdown, and only one for the capture of Banda Neira. Otherwise all captains or acting captains were recipients. Some selected awards are listed below:

• Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson was awarded three of the large medals, for the battles of St. Vincent, the Nile, and posthumously for Trafalgar.
• Philip Broke For his victory while commanding the 32-gun HMS Shannon, over the 38-gun USS Chesapeake on 1 June 1813, during the War of 1812.
• Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan
• Alexander Dundas Young Arbuthnot
• John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
• James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier
• Sir Edward Hamilton, 1st Baronet
• Sir Charles Knowles, 2nd Baronet
• William Mounsey For an action on 6 July 1809 when, as captain of the 20-gun HMS Bonne Citoyenne, he captured the French ship Furieuse after a seven hour engagement. Furieuse also had 20 guns, but a much larger crew and a detachment of soldiers. In the battle, she lost 35 killed and 37 wounded. In contrast, Bonne Citoyenne had just one man killed and five wounded.
• George Murray
• Thomas Pringle for the Glorious First of June
• Sir Michael Seymour, 1st Baronet
• Robert Stopford for the Battle of San Domingo in 1806.
• Charles Tyler

References

• This work contains (pp. 295–302) a complete list of medals awarded between 1793 and 1847.