'A Glorious 1st of June Naval General Service Medal - from Able Seaman to Royal Navy Commander.'

Naval General Service Medal for sale with a 'Glorious 1st June' clasp. The Naval General Service Medal awarded to Benjamin Ashley, HMS Invincible. Complete with ribbon, and being one of only 16 medals to Invincible for this action; Benjamin Ashley is also a unique name to NGS roll).

Condition report: The Naval General Service Medal is offered for sale in excellent condition, all detail remaining, and free from dents or other damage (NEF). Clean appearance. Replacement ribbon.

Background to Benjamin Ashley: Benjamin Ashley joined the Royal Navy as Able Seaman on HMS Invincible on the 27^th June 1793 under the command of Captain , the Hon Thomas Pakenham. Still under the command of Pakenham, Invincible was engaged in the famous ‘Glorious 1^st of June action’ fought some 429 miles west of Ushant, and farther out to sea than any other action in home waters during the days of sail. For his service during this action, Ashley would subsequently receive the NGS service medal 1793-1840 with clasp ‘1^st June 1794’.

When Pakenham transferred to the 80-gun Juste, Ashley went with him. From April 1797 to may 1802 Ashley served as Masters Mate and Acting Master of the ‘Childers’ Brig under Captains James O’Bryen and then James Coutts Crawford on the Home Station. After an interval of 3 years Ashley joined the 74-gun HMS Elephant (November 1805),  under the command of George Dundas, (young Horatio Nelson served on HMS Elephant).

Ashley was promoted Acting Lieutenant 28^th June 1806, while serving in the West Indies. In August 1807 Ashley removed to the Coquette under the command of Captain Robert Forbes and remained under the command of Forbes on the 20gun Favourite and 36 gun Cheole on the Home and Africa stations until January 1814. Ashley then returned to England as Acting Captain aboard the 36 gun Astrea in charge of a Brazilian convoy. In October of that year Ashley was placed on Half pay. Retired on the pension of Commander, his assumption of that rank taking place on the 11^th Jan 1844.

Benjamin Ashley was one of the very few seamen in those days of ‘pressed men’ and ‘goal merchants’ who was to rise through the ranks to become a Master of one of his Kings ships in his own right.  

Additional information: The famous action on the 1^st June 1794 was to see the 69 year old Lord Richard Howe receive a special Gold medal and Capt. Thomas Pakenham the Small Gold medal. The Invincible played an integral part in the fighting on the Glorious 1st. At one point, when Howe's flagship, the Queen Charlotte had taken a large amount of damage from french fire, Pakenham signalled to Howe that the Invincible could be placed at his charge as the fleet's flagship. Howe managed to have emergency repairs made to the ship, and the Queen Charlotte remained as the flagship throughout the battle.