A RARE & GREATLY DESIRABLE
“NAMED & ATTRIBUTED”
MR DAVISON’S NILE MEDAL IN GILT BRONZE

To.
Alex A.T. ROSS. HMS DEFENCE.

[DESCRIPTION]
This is an excellent example of the much sought after Petty Officers’ “Gilt” variety of the Battle of The Nile naval medal by Mr Alexander Davison. With original gilding it shows a quite normal and contemporary “gold test mark“ in the obverse right field. (*Everyone thought they were all gold) and pawnbrokers always checked with a test.

Obverse: On a rock near the sea, Peace is standing holding in her right an olive branch and supporting with her left hand a medallion of Nelson, an anchor behind her.
Legend: 'REAR-ADMIRAL LORD NELSON OF THE NILE'.
Inscription: 'EUROPE'S HOPE AND BRITAIN'S GLORY'.
Below: 'C.H.K'. (C.H. Kuchler).

Reverse: View of Aboukir Bay, the English Fleet going into action, the French at anchor.
Legend: 'ALMIGHTY GOD HAS BLESSED HIS MAJESTY'S ARMS'.
In Exergue: 'VICTORY OF THE NILE AUGUST 1. 1798'.

Above (left) 'M.B. SOHO' (right) 'C.H. KUCHLER. FEC.'
Impressed Edge:
'FROM ALEXR DAVISON, ESQR. ST. JAMES' SQUARE
A TRIBUTE OF REGARD.'

[PRIVATE NAMING]
Private contemporary naming in the upper reverse field in classic running script.

” Alex A.T. Rofs Defence”
(Alexander A.T. Ross)

[BIOGRAPHY]

Alexander A T Ross was originally a Landsman ( later a Petty Officer ) and was from Dundee in Scotland. At the time of his retirement from the sea in 1800 he was married to Agnes Ross. They had one child, a son.

He had probably been in the Royal Navy for some long time when he is seen serving in HMS DEFENCE at The Battle of the Nile in 1798. He is recorded as commencing his pension from 10th April 1800 ...at a sum of 10/6d per month (0.52.5 pence )

No claim was made by Ross for a “Nile” clasp Naval General Service Medal, and as he was of a pensionable age in early months of 1800, he was almost certainly deceased by the final claim date in 1848.

A wonderful & totally original early naval piece of great beauty and historical importance.

SOLD