Memorial to honour Cornishman killed at Trafalgar

Private Richard Masters will be commemorated at the church in St Tudy

A plaque celebrating the life of a Cornishman who died at the Battle of Trafalgar 220 years ago is to be unveiled during a musical ceremony.

A new piece of music will be rung on church bells during the event in honour of Private Richard Masters.

Private Masters of the Royal Marines, from St Tudy, Cornwall, was only 21 when he was killed in action at the battle in October 1805 and buried at sea.

The St Tudy Historical Society and the1805 Club have joined forces to create a memorial to Pte Masters, which is to be unveiled at St Tudy, near Wadebridge, at 14:00 BST on Saturday 27 September.

John Mardon, who is captain of St Tudy's bell tower, has composed the music to be played in honour of Pte Masters.

Pte Masters was the son of a labourer and had been a member of the Cornish Militia before he was enlisted in the Royal Marines in Plymouth in May 1805, according to Stephen Howarth, honorary secretary of the 1805 Club.

Pte Masters saw action on his ship HMS Thunderer in the Battle of Cape Finisterre in July 1805, before losing his life at Trafalgar.

Guard of honour

A plaque in his memory will be unveiled by Commodore Jamie Miller, representing the King, and Brigadier Mike Tanner, commander of Devonport Naval Base.

Members of the Masters family are also due to attend the ceremony.

The Padstow Sea Cadets will form a guard of honour, while members of the 32nd Cornwall Regiment of Foot and a bugler from the Plymouth Maritime Corps of Drums will also attend wearing 1805-pattern uniforms.

Angela Aylward, of the St Tudy Historical Society, was inspired to research the lives of Cornishmen involved in Trafalgar after visiting the naval commander Admiral Horatio Nelson's flagship HMS Victory.

She contacted the 1805 Club as part of her investigation and said Pte Masters was the only sailor from north Cornwall to be killed at Trafalgar.

She added that Mr Mardon had created a "quite complex" piece of music, Masters of Loskeyle, afterthe farm where Pte Masters was born, to be rung on the church bells.

"He took it up with enthusiasm," she said.

'Bringing him home'

The service will be followed by an exhibition in St Tudy village hall about Pte Masters' ship, his family tree and Trafalgar.

Mr Howarth said: "Monuments to individual private marines are rare, especially from the period of Trafalgar.

"We are very pleased to be partners in this special project, which resonates throughout Cornwall and beyond."

Ms Aylward added: "We regard this permanent commemoration as a way of bringing Richard Masters home after all these years."