History

The Naval General Service Medal was established by General Order on June 1, 1847. The was originally intended to reward actions of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, from 1793-1815, but it was later extended to include all naval actions until 1840. The Medal was retroactively awarded to all claimants of the Royal Navy who served in campaigns during this period. It was also awarded to some members of the British Army who served in the Fleet as marines or engineers. Claims were directed to the Secretary of Admiralty at Whitehall.

Every Medal was issued with a clasp which denoted the recognized action. More than one clasp could be awarded, with 7 clasps being the highest number officially issued to one recipient. All 232 of the following clasps were officially issued, with the approximate number awarded listed in parentheses:

1. "NYMPHE 18 JUNE 1793" (4)
2. “CRESCENT 20 OCTR 1793” (12)
3. “ZEBRA 17 MARCH 1794” (2)
4. “CARYSFORT 29 MAY 1794” (0)
5. “1 JUNE 1794” (540)
6. “ROMNEY 17 JUNE 1794” (2)
7. “BLANCHE 4 JANY 1795” (5)
8. “LIVELY 13 MARCH 1795” (6)
9. “14 MARCH 1795” (97)
10. “ASTRAEA 10 APRIL 1795” (2)
11. “THETIS 17 MAY 1795” (3)
12. “HUSSAR 17 MAY 1795” (1)
13. “MOSQUITO 9 JUNE 1795” (0)
14. “17 JUNE 1795” (49)
15. “23RD JUNE 1795” (182)
16. “DIDO 24 JUNE 1795” (1)
17. “LOWESTOFFE 24 JUNE 1795” (6)
18. “SPIDER 25 AUGT 1795” (1)
19. “PORT SPERGUI 17 MARCH 1796” (4)
20. “INDEFATIGUABLE 20 APRIL 1796” (6)
21. “UNICORN 8 JUNE 1796” (4)
22. “SANTA MARGARITTA 8 JUNE 1796” (3)
23. “SOUTHAMPTON 9 JUNE 1796” (8)
24. “DRYAD 13 JUNE 1796” (6)
25. “TERPSICHORE 13 OCTR 1796” (3)
26. “LAPWING 3 DECR 1796” (2)
27. “MINERVE 19 DECR 1796” (4)
28. “BLANCHE 19 DECR 1796” (2)
29. “INDEFATIGABLE 13 JANY 1797” (10)
30. “AMAZON 13 JANY 1797” (6)
31. “ST VINCENT” (348)
32. “SAN FIORENZO 8 MAR 1797” (8)
33. “NYMPHE 8 MARCH 1797” (5)
34. “CAMPERDOWN” (298)
35. “PHOEBE 21 DECR 1797” (5)
36. “MARS 21 APRIL 1798” (26)
37. “ISLE ST MARCOU. 6 MAY 1798” (3)
38. “LION 15 JULY 1798” (23)
39. “NILE” (326)
40. “ESPOIR 7 AUGT 1798” (1)
41. “12 OCTR 1798” (78)
42. “FISGARD 20 OCTR 1798” (9)
43. “SYBILLE 28 FEBY 1799” (12)
44. “TELEGRAPH 18 MARCH 1799” (0)
45. “ACRE 30 MAY 1799” (51)
46. “SCHIERMONNIKOOG 12 AUG 1799” (9)
47. “ARROW 13 SEPTR 1799” (2)
48. “WOLVERINE 13 SEPR 1799” (0)
49. “SURPRISE WITH HERMIONE” (7)
50. “SPEEDY 6 NOVR 1799” (3)
51. “COURIER 22 NOVR 1799” (3)
52. “VIPER 26 DECR 1799” (2)
53. “HARPY 5 FEBY 1800” (4)
54. “FAIRY 5 FEBY 1800” (4)
55. “PETEREL 21 MARCH 1800” (2)
56. “PENELOPE 30 MARCH 1800” (11)
57. “VINCIEGO 30 MARCH 1800” (2)
58. “CAPTURE OF THE DESIREE” (24)
59. “SEINE 20 AUGT 1800” (7)
60. “PHOEBE 19 FEBY 1801” (6)
61. “EGYPT” (618)
62. “COPENHAGEN 1801” (555)
63. “SPEEDY 6 MAY 1801” (7)
64. “GUT OF GIBRALTAR 12 JULY 1801” (144)
65. “SYLPH 28 SEPR 1801” (2)
66. “PASLEY 28 OCTR 1801” (4)
67. “SCORPION 31 MARCH 1804” (2)
68. “BEAVER 31 MARCH 1804” (0)
69. “CENTURION 18 SEPT 1804” (12)
70. “ARROW 3 FEBY 1805” (8)
71. “ACHERON 3 FEBY 1805” (2)
72. “SAN FIORENZO 14 FEBY 1805” (13)
73. “PHOENIX 10 AUGT 1805” (29)
74. “TRAFALGAR” (1613)
75. “4 NOVR 1805” (296)
76. “ST DOMINGO” (396)
77. “AMAZON 13 MARCH 1806” (30)
78. “LONDON 13 MARCH 1806” (27)
79. “PIQUE 26 MARCH 1806” (8)
80. “SIRIUS 17 APRIL 1806” (20)
81. “BLANCHE 19 JULY 1806” (22)
82. “ARETHUSA 23 AUGT 1806” (17)
83. “ANSON 23 AUGT 1806” (11)
84. “CURACOA” (62)
85. “PICKLE 3 JANY 1807” (0)
86. “HYDRA 6 AUGT 1807” (12)
87. “COMUS 15 AUGT 1807” (10)
88. “LOUISA 28 OCTR 1807” (1)
89. “CARRIER 4 NOVR 1807” (1)
90. “ANN 24 NOVR 1807” (0)
91. “SAPPHO 2 MARCH 1808” (4)
92. “SAN FIORENZO 8 MARCH 1808” (18)
93. “EMERALD 13 MARCH 1808” (10)
94. “CHILDERS 14 MARCH 1808” (4)
95. “NASSAU 22 MARCH 1808” (31)
96. “STATELY 22 MARCH 1808” (31)
97. “OFF ROTA 4 APRIL 1808” (19)
98. “GRASSHOPPER 24 APRIL 1808” (7)
99. “RAPID 24 APRIL 1808” (1)
100. “REDWING 7 MAY 1808” (7)
101. “VIRGINIE 19 MAY 1808” (21)
102. “REDWING 31 MAY 1808” (7)
103. “SEAHORSE WH BADERE ZAFFERE” (32)
104. “COMET 11 AUGT 1808” (4)
105. “CENTAUR 26 AUGT 1808” (42)
106. “IMPLACABLE 26 AUGT 1808” (44)
107. “CRUIZER 1 NOVR 1808” (4)
108. “AMETHYST WH THETIS” (31)
109. “OFF THE PEARL ROCK 13 DEC 1808” (16)
110. “ONYX 1 JANY 1809” (5)
111. “CONFIANCE 14 JANY 1809” (8)
112. “HORATIO 10 FEBY 1809” (13)
113. “SUPERIEURE 10 FEBY 1809” (1)
114. “MARTINIQUE” (486)
115. “AMETHYST 5 APRIL 1809” (27)
116. “BASQUE ROADS 1809” (529)
117. “RECRUIT 17 JUNE 1809” (7)
118. “POMPEE 17 JUNE 1809” (47)
119. “CASTOR 17 JUNE 1809” (13)
120. “CYANE 25 & 27 JUNE 1809” (5)
121. “ESPOIR 25 & 27 JUNE 1809” (5)
122. “BONNE CITOYENNE WH FURIEUSE” (12)
123. “DIANA 11 SEPTR 1809” (8)
124. “ANSE LA BARQUE 18 DECR 1809” (52)
125. “CHEROKEE 10 JANY 1810” (4)
126. “SCORPION 12 JANY 1810” (8)
127. “GUADALOUPE” (483)
128. “THISTLE 10 FEBRUARY 1810” (0)
129. “SURLY 24 APRIL 1810” (1)
130. “FIRM 24 APRIL 1810” (1)
131. “SYLVIA 26 APRIL 1810” (1)
132. “SPARTAN 3 MAY 1810” (30)
133. “ROYALIST MAY & JUNE 1810” (3)
134. “AMANTHEA 25 JULY 1810” (23)
135. “BANDA NEIRA” (68)
136. “STAUNCH 18 SEPR 1810” (2)
137. “OTTER 18 SEPTR 1810” (8)
138. “BOADICEA 18 SEPTR 1810” (15)
139. “BRISEIS 14 OCTR 1810” (2)
140. “LISSA” (124)
141. “ANHOLT 27 MARCH 1811” (40)
142. “ARROW 6 APRIL 1811” (0)
143. “OFF TAMATAVE 20 MAY 1811” (87)
144. “HAWKE 18 AUGT 1811” (6)
145. “JAVA” (665)
146. “SKYLARK 11 NOVR 1811” (4)
147. “LOCUST 11 NOVR 1811” (2)
148. “PELAGOSA 29 NOVR 1811” (74)
149. “VICTORIOUS WITH RIVOLI” (67)
150. “WEAZEL 22 FEBY 1812” (6)
151. “ROSARIO 27 MARCH 1812” (7)
152. “GRIFFON 27 MARCH 1812” (3)
153. “MALAGA 29 APRIL 1812” (19)
154. “NORTHUMBERLAND 22 MAY 1812” (63 )
155. “GROWLER 22 MAY 1812” (1)
156. “OFF MARDOE 6 JULY 1812” (47)
157. “SEALARK 21 JULY 1812” (4)
158. “ROYALIST 29 DECR 1812” (4)
159. “WEAZEL 22 APRIL 1813” (8)
160. “SHANNON WH CHESAPEAKE” (42)
161. “PELICAN 14 AUGT 1813” (4)
162. “ST SEBASTIAN” (293)
163. “THUNDER 9 OCTR 1813” (9)
164. “GLUCKSTADT 5 JANY 1814” (44)
165. “VENERABLE 16 JANY 1814” (42)
166. “CYANE 16 JANY 1814” (7)
167. “EUROTAS 25 FEBY 1814” (32)
168. “HEBRUS WITH L’ETOILE” (40)
169. “PHOEBE 28 MARCH 1814” (36)
170. “CHERUB 28 MARCH 1814” (7)
171. “THE POTOMAC 17 AUG 1814” (108)
172. “ENDYMION WH PRESIDENT” (58)
173. “GAIETA 24 JULY 1815” (89)
174. “ALGIERS” (1328)
175. “NAVARINO” (1142)
176. “SYRIA” (6978)
177. “15 MAR BOAT SERVICE 1793” (1)
178. “17 MAR BOAT SERVICE 1794” (29)
179. “29 MAY BOAT SERVICE 1797” (3)
180. “9 JUNE BOAT SERVICE 1799” (4)
181. “20 DEC BOAT SERVICE 1799” (3)
182. “29 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1800” (4)
183. “29 AUG BOAT SERVICE 1800” (25)
184. “27 OCT BOAT SERVICE 1800” (5)
185. “21 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1801” (7)
186. “27 JUNE BOAT SERVICE 1803” (5)
187. “4 NOV BOAT SERVICE 1803” (1)
188. “4 FEB BOAT SERVICE 1804” (10)
189. “4 JUNE BOAT SERVICE 1805” (10)
190. “16 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1806” (52)
191. “2 JAN BOAT SERVICE 1807” (3)
192. “21 JAN BOAT SERVICE 1807” (8)
193. “19 APRIL BOAT SERVICE 1807” (0)
194. “13 FEB BOAT SERVICE 1808” (2)
195. “10 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1808” (8)
196. “11 AUG BOAT SERVICE 1808” (17)
197. “28 NOV BOAT SERVICE 1808” (2)
198. “7 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1809” (35)
199. “14 JULY BOAT SEVICE 1809” (7)
200. “25 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1809” (0)
201. “25 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1809” (36)
202. “27 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1809” (10)
203. “29 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1809” (11)
204. “28 AUG BOAT SERVICE 1809” (15)
205. “1 NOV BOAT SERVICE 1809” (110)
206. “13 DEC BOAT SERVICE 1809” (9)
207. “13 FEB BOAT SERVICE 1810” (20)
208. “1 MAY BOAT SERVICE 1810” (15)
209. “28 JUNE BOAT SERVICE 1810” (26)
210. “27 SEP BOAT SERVICE 1810” (36)
211. “4 NOV BOAT SERVICE 1810” (1)
212. “23 NOV BOAT SERVICE 1810” (42)
213. “24 DEC BOAT SERVICE 1810” (6)
214. “4 MAY BOAT SERVICE 1811” (10)
215. “30 JULY BOAT SERVICE 1811” (4)
216. “2 AUG BOAT SERVICE 1811” (9)
217. “20 SEP BOAT SERVICE 1811” (6)
218. “4 DEC BOAT SERVICE 1811” (19)
219. “4 APRIL BOAT SERVICE 1812” (4)
220. “1 & 18 SEP BOAT SERVICE 1812” (21)
221. “17 SEPT BOAT SERVICE 1812” (11)
222. “29 SEPT BOAT SERVICE 1812” (25)
223. “6 JAN BOAT SERVICE 1813” (25)
224. “21 MAR BOAT SERVICE 1813” (3)
225. “29 APRIL BOAT SERVICE 1813” (2)
226. “29 APRIL BOAT SERVICE 1813”
227. “AP & MAY BOAT SERVICE 1813”
228. “2 MAY BOAT SERVICE 1813” (48)
229. “8 APL BOAT SERVICE 1814” (24)
230. “24 MAY BOAT SERVICE 1814” (12)
231. “3 & 6 SEP BOAT SERVICE 1814” (1)
232. “14 DEC BOAT SERVICE 1814” (205)

There may be additional versions that differ in size.