Compiled by Jeremy Eddon

Foreword

The following is a list of the officers and crew that were present in the British Fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar 1805. Many of the entries have additional information covering a brief history of their maritime achievements along with some notes describing their activities before, during and after the battle itself. I have tried, where possible, to cross reference each entry with other publications in order to improve accuracy and remove bias and personal interpretation of material by individual authors.

My initial research was taken from a limited number of books and publications in my own collection and eventually amounted to some 3500 names. After a long pause in my work, I was given a copy of the Ayshford Trafalgar Roll CD. This is a truly fantastic resource for any researcher studying the men who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar, and I am grateful to both Derek and Pamela for allowing me to use so much of their research in this work.

I eventually decided to share my work, as an ongoing project, with The 1805 Club so that it could be opened up to other researchers and be expanded still further. It was put on the website in early 2018 on condition that I retained copyright, it would be a standalone database, and free at the point of use by both members and non-members of The 1805 Club. Since going on the site several individual researchers have offered material about ancestors that were at Trafalgar, and two researchers have provided a wealth of material from their own researches covering a wide range of relevant information.

If you wish to assist with this project by sending any further information you have researched, I would be happy to receive it.

Thank you.

Jeremy Eddon

On the 28^th September 2024 Jeremy Eddon died after a very long illness.  During his illness he continued to add, update and amend his database Men of Trafalgar.  He had dedicated over 20 years researching for those men of all ranks who were actually on-board the ships at the Battle of Trafalgar on the 21^st October 1805, not just those who were in the Muster Books.  He felt that this was an important distinction which should be acknowledged. He researched each individual to find as much information as possible of their place of birth, place of death, place of burial and service history which he thought would help other naval researchers.

The 1805 Club is most fortunate that Jeremy generously bequeathed his opus to the club so that it can continue to be freely available to all who are interested in Georgian Naval history, for which we are very grateful.  The club will take over the responsibility of updating his database with the continued assistance of Jeremy's two voluntary researchers and AMA, the club's technical team, when we receive and have verified additional data. 

We shall miss Jeremy as a diligent and dedicated researcher and contributor, as a loyal, active and early member of The 1805 Club since it was formed in the early 1990s, and most importantly as a kind gentleman with a fine sense of humour.

Please email the Webmaster who will be happy to continue updating Jeremy's database. 

September 2024

References used in the research and compilation

1

Trafalgar Roll. An unpublished typed list of over 1600 names with some additional notes which closely correlates the list of men awarded the Naval General Service Medal with Trafalgar clasp. The author of this list is unknown, and it came into my possession in 1980.

2

The Men who fought with Nelson in HMS Victory at Trafalgar by Lt Cdr C. P. Addis MBE R.N. Published by the Nelson Society 1988.

3

The Trafalgar Roll by Col R. H. Mackenzie. Published by George Allen 1913.

4

Trafalgar - the men, the battle, the storm by Tim Clayton & Phil Craig. Published by Hodder & Stroughton 2004.

5

Lord Nelson 1758 - 1805 by Leonard W. Cowie. Published by Meckler 1990. (Reference from page 156, number 1228).

6

Monday 21 October 1805 by Ian Ribbons. Published by Oxford University Press 1968

7

The Royal Navy and Anglo-Jewry 1740 - 1820 by Geoffrey L. Green. Published by The Self Publishing Associating Ltd 1989.

8

Trafalgar Chronicle 1992, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017. Published by The 1805 Club.

9

From Collingwood's list of killed and wounded - printed in the London Gazette 27th November and 3rd December 1805.

10

Despatches and Letters of Lord Viscount Nelson by Nicholas Harris Nicolas (Vol VII p.184). Published by Henry Colburn 1846.

11

Trafalgar by Roy Adkins. Published by Abacus 2007.

12

Defiant and Dismasted at Trafalgar by Mary McGrigar. Published by Leo Cooper 2004.

13

The First Bellerophon by Colin Pengelly. Published by John Baker 1966.

14

An Eye-witness Account of a Great Battle - Trafalgar compiled and edited by Stuart Legg. Published by Rupert Hart-Davis 1966.

15

The Enemy at Trafalgar by Edward Frazer. Published by Chatham Publishing 2004.

16

The Trafalgar Companion by Mark Adkin. Published by Auram Press 2005.

17

Nelson's Trafalgar Captains and Their Battles by T. A. Heathcote. Published by Pen and Sword 2005.

18

Tales from the Front Line - Trafalgar by Peter Warwick. Published by David and Charles 2011.

19

The Review (Journal of the NHCRA), Vol 26.2 pp 5 -12.

20

Who's Who in Nelson's Navy by Nicholas Tracey. Published by Chatham Publications 2006.

21

The Kedge Anchor - Newsletter of the 1805 Club, (Issue 39, Spring 2014).

22

Personal research on the internet - various websites but mainly regarding NGSM with Trafalgar Clasp recipients (often conflicting results).

23

Bedfordshire History Chronical - Men at Trafalgar.

24

Colchester Men who Fought at the Battle of Trafalgar. Researcher Joan Sooles.

25

The National Archives - Trafalgar Ancestors - website. A comprehensive list of the men who were in the British fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. Compiled by Bruno Pappalardo.

26

The Ayshford Trafalgar Roll - CD - Extensive research by Pamela and Derek Ayshford.

27

Great Sea Fights 1794 - 1805. Volume 2. Ed T. Sturges Jackson. Published by Navy Records Society 1899.

28

British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793 - 1817 and 1817 - 1863. by Rif Winfield. Published by Seaforth Press 2010.

29

Visits to the Royal Marines Museum, Eastney and Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth to view the medal collections (on display in May 2016).

30

Formative Years 1803 - 1806. by Lt Col Brian Edwards R.M.. Published by the Royal Marines History Society 2005.

31

Jersey Achives - research from the Baptism Registers during visit in May 2016. (Names in italics are as spelt in the registers).

32

The Enemy at Trafalgar. by Edward Fraser. Published by Hodder and Stoughton 1906.

33

Trafalgar Committee Report. Chairman - Cyprian A. G. Bridge. Published by H.M.S.O. 1913.

34

Naval General Service Medals 1793 - 1840 in Museum Collections. List supplied by NMRN Library.

35

Eyewitness to Trafalgar by Thomas Huskisson R.N. From his memoir written at Greenwich in 1836 and published by Ellisons' Editions 1985.

36

War Medals and their History by W. Augustus Steward. Published by Stanley Paul & Co 1915.

37

Ancestry.co.uk - UK Naval Medal and Awards Rolls 1793 - 1972.

38

HMS Victory - Pocket Manual 1805 by Peter Goodwin. Published by Conway 2015.

39

Emma Cooper – General research of Trafalgar musters and logs with more specific research of the men serving on board the Temeraire.

40

Elaine Galloway. Volunteer at the Old Royal Naval College Greenwich, also researching the Trafalgar Veterans who entered Greenwich Hospital.

TT

Time Team Special - Nelson's Hospital. Story of the Haslar Hospital. Limited notes taken during the programme.

More 4

Limited notes taken during the documentary programme Trafalgar's Unsung Heroes, televised on More 4 and Yesterday TV channels.