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Auction: 1025 - The Turl Collection of Naval General Service Medals 1793 - 1840
Lot: 67

Naval General Service 1793-1840, two clasps, Gut of Gibraltar 12 July 1801, Martinique (Alex. Kennedy Commander.), attractively toned, extremely fine Estimate £ 4,500-5,500 Alexander Kennedy served as Midshipman in H.M.S. Thames during the successful attack upon the Franco-Spanish squadrons under the enemy batteries in Algerciras Bay, 12.7.1801. This resulted in the destruction of the Spanish three-decker, 112-gun Real Carlos and San Hermenegildo together with the French 74-gun St. Antoine; Kennedy served as Commander in H.M.S. Port D´Espagne as part of the combined naval and military assault and capture of the French-held island of Martinique in the Caribbean Sea, 24.2.1809. Commander Alexander Kennedy, R.N., joined the Royal Navy as First Class Volunteer, October 1794; served with the frigate Magnanime (Captain the Hon. M. De Courcy) on the Irish, Channel and Mediterranean Stations, latterly as Midshipman of H.M.S. Canada, until April 1800; removed to H.M.S. Thames (Captains W. Luskin and A.P. Hollis) with whom he served at the Gut of Gibraltar, and was present later the same year at the cutting out of a gun-boat and convoy from the Bay of Estapona; appointed to H.M.S. Plantagnet (Captain G.E. Hamond), April 1803, and assisted in the capture of Le Courier de Terre Neuve privateer of 16 guns and 60 men, and L´Atalante, a fine corvette of 22 guns and 120 men; subsequent appointments included in H.M. Ships Albion and Concorde before being confirmed a Lieutenant in the Sceptre (Captain J. Bingham), April 1806, ´which ship, on 11 of the ensuing Nov., made a dash, with the Cornwallis 50, into St. Paul´s Bay, Ile de Bourbon, and opened a fire upon the shipping there at anchor, consisting of the Semillante French frigate, three armed ships, and 12 sail of merchantmen, the whole protected by seven batteries, mounting upwards of 100 pieces of cannon.´ (O´Byrne refers); appointed Lieutenant H.M.S. Captain (Captain G. Cockburn), 1808; upon arrival in the West Indies station he was invested with the acting-command of the Port d´Espagne sloop, in which he contributed to the reduction of Martinique, 24.2.1809; promoted Commander 2.6.1809; successive commands included the St. Pierre, Pelorus, Surinam, and Forester all on the Halifax station; commanding the latter he assisted in company with the Sapphire sloop in capturing the Mary Ann American privateer of 2 guns and 30 men, 5.5.1813.

Sold for
£6,200