Part of my interest in this period is that one of my wife's relatives served upon the Royal Sovereign at the battle of Trafalgar.
Here is a copy of a CV submitted he submitted to the Admiralty by my wife's great great grandfather in 1809. This is an authentic copy!
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The Memorial of Captain James Bashford of the Royal Navy Sheweth:
That your Memorialist made choice of the Navy as a Profession and enteredit 1793.
That He received the thanks of Captain Brunton of the "Assistance" for his manner of braving the contending elements and securing the lives Eight valuable sailors from the conflagration of the "Boyne".
That in 1795 he was appointed to "Le Pompee" Captain Vashon in which ship your Memorialist was active and successful in his exertions to bring many of the daring Mutineers to condign punishment. Also received the thanks of the Humanitarian Society for voluntary (sic) going off in a Wherry at the great peril and hazard of his life and rescued from the pangs of death 4 men out of 18 who perished belonging to a Cutter of His Majesty's ship "Venerable" then laying at Spithead.
That your Memorialist received the thanks of Earl St Vincent for his exertions in assisting to fit out his Flagship the "Ville de Paris" and His Lordship took the earliest opportunity to promote him to the Rank of Lieutenant.
That with Captain De Courcy of the "Canada" one of his inshore Squadron off Brest and when on the Quiberon Station his frequent employment in Boat expeditions under the heavy Batteries of Bell Isle gave his Commander perfect satisfaction.
That on Sir Joseph Yorke succeeding to this command he had the honor and happiness to serve under this distinguished Officer , a period of his life which he reflects on with pride.
That in 1804 he was appointed to fit out the "Glory" at Chatham.
That in 1805 His pen proudly records he was Fourth Lieutenant of the "Royal Sovereign" the Flag Ship of Lord Collingwood , and though painfully wounded yet continued at His post assisting to secure the Glorious victory off Trafalgar achieved by the Immortal Nelson and His associates.
That your Memorialist continued to serve under His ever to be revered Patron Lord Collingwood as Lieutenant of the "Ocean" and "Queen" in the Mediteranean and most deeply deplores the loss of so estimable and sincere friend.
That in 1808 he was appointed senior Lieutenant of the "Princess Carolina" under Captain C.D.Pater and selected to accompany his Commander in Boats to the Flee Passage to bring out a Dutch Schooner of long Eighteen Pounders,which was accomplished, and his assistance to his Commander favourably reported on to the Admiralty: and for his indefatigable attention to reconnoitering the enemy Ships in the Texel. he frequently received Captain Pater's thanks.
That in 1809 the "Princess Carolina" being ordered to the Baltic your Memorialist in the Boats of that ship together with the Boats of the "Plantagenet" saved two valuable British Merchant Vessels from being captured by a Flotilla of Gunboats off the Scaw(?):-and off Bornholm commanding boats your Memorialist made a recapture from a Danish Privateer at Noonday within pistol shot of three Batteries manned by a great body of soldiery whose every effort proved unsuccessful against British intrepidity.
That in the month of July in the Gulph of Finland your Memorialist was second-in command with Captain Forrest, who with the Boats of the Squadron attacked and completely repulsed a Flotilla of Russian Gunboats having each two large 24 pounders with an assistant large Armed Brigg full of Russian Soldiery-their loss was 80 ours 70 from the known steady bravery of the opponents, Your Memorialist had pride in believing that few actions add more justly merited Laurels to the British Navy than this, in which your Memorialist was slightly wounded.
That for Sixteen years your Memorialist never had his foot from a Man of War deck except in the short peace, by which zealous attention, constant and active exertion he proudly aspired to rank among those distinguished characters the support and boast of a British Navy.
That your Memorialist cannot without the pain natural to every zealous Officer reflect that so great a portion of his Naval life as Five years should have passed over without employment, and that 21 years spent in devotion to his King and Country, twice wounded in the service (which from patriotic motives he never received the gratuity the Service allows in such cases) and supposes from the multiplicity of business at the Admiralty his claims must be overlooked: he does not add the number of Pennants he bore a share in bringing under British subjection.
He earnestly but humbly prays for Promotion or Employment .
James Bashford Commander Horndean Cottage, Hants
May 17 1814