A Naval General Service Medal awarded to a crew member of the "Fighting Temeraire" for his efforts at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) has auctioned in the UK.
![]() JMW Turner's depiction of the 'Fighting Temeraire' was once voted Britain's favourite painting |
The medal brought £13,500 ($20,558) on February 20, sitting comfortably within its £12,000-16,000 estimate. It belonged to Thomas Durnell, who went on to serve at the Battle of Basque Roads in 1809 and during the Invasion of Java in 1811, as proved by the additional clasps.
Aside from HMS Victory, HMS Temeraire was one of the most famous ships at the Battle of Trafalgar, and is immortalised in an 1838 painting by JMW Turner.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a great selection of Lord Nelson memorabilia currently available, including the spectacular Trafalgar Collection and an authentic lock of his hair.