Nelson & His World

Hello to all. I have read many of your posts with great interest. I doubt however that I will be able to add anything to the knowledge of this august body of experts, but I would really appreciate your guidance.

I am researching my family history and I would love to confirm (or not) whether a certain Marine soldier on the National Records Office database of Trafalgar veterans was really my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather?
The details given do not give his place of birth and age.

This is Marine Private David Chalk.The only comment is "from Goliath" so I guess that he was transferred from there to the Temeraire.

In order to search military records I need to know his division and company.

Does anybody know which division and company of Marines served on the Temeraire at Trafalgar?

Failing that, If I knew the ship's home port I am told that it is a fair bet that the division of Marines would be the same??

Any further information would be greatly appreciated - Thank you.

Hello Hamlet, and welcome to the forum.

Records of the marines are not my area of expertise, and there are other members who can probably help you more with that, but I can give you some more information on David Chalk from the Ayshford Trafalgar Roll which should help:

Birthplace: Thatcham, Berks.
Aged 23 in 1805
Date of Enlistment 19 Apr 1800
Trade on entering the Service Labourer
Height on entering the Service 5’ 4”
Joined Ship 31 May 1805
Portsmouth Division Company 83
Prize Money Awarded Prize Money of £1 17s Bd
Granted a Parliamentary Award of £4 1 2s Gd
Died 20 May 1810: Illustrious
Hair: Dark Brown
Complexion: Fresh
Eyes: Blue

How does that match up with your family background, or does his death in 1810 put him out of the running?

Tony,

Thank you so much for your reply and it does give me some food for thought and grounds for further investigation.

Hmmm...yes, if he died in 1810 then it does cause a problem to my assumptions of his being the same person as my ancestor - but the birth-place and approximate date of birth seem right?

The investigation continues !