Watch List notes:

The N.G.S. Trafalgar & original The Times newspaper extract awarded to Able Seaman Thomas Johns, a 'pressed' man from Carmarthen, Wales, who served aboard Lord Nelson's Flagship H.M.S. Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar. One other man of this name, also an Able Seaman, was awarded the N.G.S. with Syria clasp – this other example not currently known to the market, comprising: Naval General Service, 1793-1840, single clasp, Trafalgar (Thomas Johns.), official rivets to clasp and with old, possibly original ribbon, offered with an original and associated newspaper extract taken from The Times, dated Thursday 7 November 1805, recording the details of this great naval battle, fair only, heavily polished and proudly worn, with heavy edge bruising and evidence of previous brooch mounting to obverse. Able Seaman Thomas Johns was born c.1777 in Carmarthen, Wales, was pressed into service with the Royal Navy as an Able Seaman, having been taken from the 'Enterprize' by a Revenue Cutter. He initially came aboard H.M.S. Utrecht (64) on 16 April 1803, before being transferred to H.M.S. Victory (100) on 11 May 1803, where he would serve until 5 January 1806 – taking part in Great Britain's finest naval victory whilst aboard Lord Nelson's flagship. Thomas Johns is confirmed as having been present aboard H.M.S Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805, and was at that time 28 years of age. Leading the northern, windward column, Nelson's Victory advanced straight into the heat of the action, engaging and receiving fire from no fewer than 5 enemy ships (Heros, Santisima Trinidad, Redoubtable, Neptune, Bucentaure), even repelling boarders from her decks. Despite the tragic, mortal-wounding of Lord Nelson, and suffering many casualties, the men of H.M.S. Victory and the British fleet famously took the day against the combined French and Spanish fleet. On 6 January 1806 Thomas Johns transferred to H.M.S. Ocean (98), serving aboard this ship for 3 years before transferring to H.M.S. Rhin (of 40 guns, a captured French frigate) via a short, 6-week period aboard the Salvador del Mundo (of 112 guns, a captured Spanish 'three-decker). As a pressed man, Thomas Johns took his opportunity to make his escape back the civilian life he had been taken from, when on 5 September 1809 he was marked as having 'Run' at Plymouth – having spent over 6 years in pressed, involuntary service aboard various Royal Navy ships. Another medal of this name was awarded to a similarly-named Thomas Johns, Able Seaman aboard H.M.S. Implacable during the naval operations on and off the coast of Syria in 1840. The well-worn state of the medal offered here, in combination with the newspaper remnant, and the original unaltered clasp rivets, strongly suggests that the above recipient is the true 'Victory' man. Ex Baldwin, 2011.