About the product

Boulton’s Trafalgar 1805

Boulton’s Trafalgar 1805, white metal, named to John White, Africa. A Landsman from Denmark, who rose during 10 years of sea service to Master at Arms, being present at Trafalgar…

Out of stock

SKU: J3759 Category:
Origin: United Kingdom
Good Very Fine

Description

Boulton’s Trafalgar 1805, white metal, named to John White, Africa.

 

A Landsman from Denmark, who rose during 10 years of sea service to Master at Arms, being present at Trafalgar, the Gunboat War of 1808 and in the North American war of 1812.

 

He was born in 1779.
Entered HMS Africa on 15th July 1804, appearing a few months later on 14th September, he was a volunteer from Zealand, Denmark and rated as a Landsman.
A great number of Landmen from all over the Globe served on HM Ships during the battle, out of about 13,000 men on the ships books, about 1260 were foreign.
Over a quarter of the crew aboard the Ships were Landsmen, having never been at Sea.

 

He seems to have taken to the sea, being present at Trafalgar on 21st October.
on 5th April 1807, he was promoted Ordinary Seaman.
Again Promoted 1st February 1808 to Ships Corporal.
Promoted on 1st July 1809, to Master at Arms.

 

During October 1808, Africa was under the command of Captain John Barrett, on the 15th Africa ws escorting a convoy of 137 merchant ships in the Baltic, with the assistance of the bomb vessel Thunder and two gun-brigs.
They left Karlskrona that day on 20 October they anchored in the oresund off Malmo.
At Noon a flotilla of Danish gunboats was seen moving towards the convoy and Africa sailed to intercept them.
The flotilla consisted of 25 Gunboats and seven armed launches, mounting some 70 heavy cannons and an overall total of some 1600 men, under the command of Commodore J.C. Krieger.
At 1:30 the wind died and Africa was immobilised. By 2:50 PM, the gunboats had stationed themselves off Africa’s quarters, where few of her guns could fire, and opened fire.
The battle continued until 6:45 PM when the night closing in all firing ceased. Had dalylight lasted another hour the Danes would probably have captures Africa.
As it was, she had lost 9 men killed and 51 wounded, including Barrett. She was so badly battered that she had to return to Karskrona for refitting. The convoy however managed to reach Britain.

 

During the war of 1812, Africa was sailing around Bermuda and Halifax, during the North American War of 1812.
Under the Command of Captain John Bastard, Africa was part of Sir Philip Broke’s squadron that pursued, but ultimately failed to catch, the USS Constitution early in the war of 1812.

 

After his service with Africa ended when the Ship was paid off in March 1813, he was discharged to HMS Royal William on 18th March, appearing on the Supernumerary lists until his discharge to HMS Scarborough on 22nd March 1813.

 

He served with HMS Scarborough as Master At Arms until the ship was paid off in May 1814, White was discharged from the service on 5th May 1814, per admiralty order.

 

He did not claim a Naval General Service Medal in 1848.