Biographical Data

Westphal, George Augustus

Personal Image
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Title Admiral (RN)
Official Number (nk)
 
Birth 26/07/1785 Death 11/01/1875
Place Preston Place Brighton
Area Halifax Co. Area
Country Nova Scotia Country UK
 
Titles
Honours Kt.
Awards
Qualifications
 
Biography
He was the younger brother of Admiral Philip Westphal. He was the Magistrate for Brighton and Hove. He fought with Nelson on the Victory. He was wounded in the same hour as Nelson, and was carried to the cockpit immediately after him. They laid him near the great commander, and while the surgeon was busy looking after Nelson somebody rolled up Nelson's coat and made a pillow of it for the Midshipman. It happened that the blood from his wound drenched the coat and stuck to his face as it congealed so that when the surgeon came to attend to him he had to cut the coat away. These fragments of Nelson's coat were treasured by Westphal all his life. Years afterwards, when Nelson's coat was offered for sale and the Admiralty wished to buy it for Greenwich Hospital to be placed among the relics there, Westphal was asked to identify it. He assured them that if part of the epaulette was missing the coat might be bought as genuine, and so it was, as we may see to this day among the Nelson relics at Greenwich.
 
Military Service
He entered the Royal Navy in 1798, serving in H.M.S. Porcupine 1798. He served in H.M.S. Amphion 1803. He served in H.M.S. Victory as a Midshipman RN. He served in H.M.S. Ocean and H.M.S. Caledonia. He was appointed as a Lieutenant RN (With seniority dated 15/08/1806). He served in H.M.S. Demerara 1806. He was captured and taken to Guadeloupe while being invalided in 1807 but managed to escape. He was invalided in 1807. He served in H.M.S. Foudroyant. He served in H.M.S. Neptune. He served in H.M.S. Belle Isle. He served in H.M.S. Scheldt (In command of division of gunboats). He served in H.M.S. Indefatigable. He served in H.M.S. Marlborough. He served in H.M.S. Chesapeake. He was appointed as a Commander RN (With seniority dated 08/07/1813). He served in H.M.S. Anaconda (Sloop) (In command) 1813. He landed with the naval brigade at the Battle of New Orleans. He was present at the Battle of Trafalgar where he was wounded. He was appointed as a Captain RN (With seniority dated 12/08/1819). He served in H.M.S. Jupiter (In command) 1819. He served in H.M.S. Vernon as Flag Captain 1832. He was appointed as a Rear-Admiral RN (With seniority dated 17/08/1851). He was appointed as a Vice-Admiral RN (With seniority dated 10/09/1857). He was appointed as an Admiral (With seniority dated 23/03/1863) (On reserved half-pay).
 
Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown
Named Features Admiral Westphal Elementary School (Dartmouth NS);
 
Anecdotes
 
 
References
MacFarlane, John M. (1994);
Last update
2011-12-19 00:00:00

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