I am posting this request for information about Ralph Dixon on behalf of another forum member:
In August or September 1805 an aide-memoire in Nelson's writing began:
'Ralph Dixon of Doris transport lost an arm in carrying my dispatches. Wants a pension.' It continued, proposing reward/recompense to others.
And on the reverse side was a rough diagram of the Trafalgar battle tactics.
I'd like to find out more about this incident involving Ralph Dixon and about his RN career.
His pension - 1820, Establishment number 130, has him serving on Doris. But no musters for transport - as opposed to HMS - Doris have been found.
Ralph joined the RN as a seaman on board a transport in January 1805, and his pension records reder to service pre-1806.
He was born in Branxton, Northumberland and died at Spittal, Tweedmouth (which was classed as being County Durham, like the rest of NE Northumberland, until about 1845) in 1860. He was a pilot, reg Berwick, from 1816 to 1849, was skipper and owner of the four crew fishing boat, 'Hero' of Spittal, and was a Greenwich Out-Pensioner. And he occupied copyhold property in Spittal (transferred to him c. 1816 from William Dixon, Blacksmith (his father?)
Back to 1805 - according to a life of Nelson published in 1806, on June 11th 1805 HMS Wasp (there were two HMS Wasps at the time!) and transport Doris received Nelson's dispatches. I think they were somewhere near Cape St Vincent.
Family legend has a Dixon with Nelson at Trafalgar. No relevant Dixon seems to have been there, though the name does appear, so I assume the legend relates to this, earlier, connection.
Any information/suggestion would be welcome.
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