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Auction: 26002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 13

The Naval General Service Medal awarded to Lieutenant J. McArthur, Royal Marines, for a spirited 'Boat Service' action on the night of 12-13 February 1810: McArthur was one of only two officers of the Corps to claim this clasp, and this Medal is a unique entitlement

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, 13 Feb. Boat Service 1810 (John Mc. Arthur, Lieut. R.M.), a few tiny contact marks to obverse, otherwise nearly extremely fine

A total of 23 claims were submitted for this clasp; of those, eight were awarded to the men of H.M.S. Armide and, of those eight, two went to the Royal Marine officers aboard - Second Lieutenant McArthur and Lieutenant Paul Nicolas; the latter's medal also bore the clasp for Trafalgar.

The 38-gun frigate H.M.S. Armide had originally been a French vessel of the same name, launched in 1804 before being captured in 1806. Variously kept in Ordinary and under repair from the time of her capture until August 1809, from then on until the end of the Napoleonic Wars she was much involved in smaller operations against enemy vessels along the coasts of both France and the United States of America; the action of 12 - 13 February 1810 was no exception.

During the first few months of that year Armide, commanded by Captain Lucius Hardyman, and the 80-gun H.M.S. Christian VII, under Captain Sir Joseph Yorke, were stationed off the Basque Roads with orders to intercept French maritime traffic and do as much damage in their locality as possible. On 10 January the boats of both vessels captured a small chasse-maree and burnt another, together with a brig and a schooner, all from the same convoy and whilst under small-arms and artillery fire: the men of the two British ships suffered no casualties. Nine days later a similar action occurred, this time taking one French coastal vessel and burning four more, with only one man being wounded. The subsequent clasp-earning engagement is perhaps best described by the narrative which appeared in the London Gazette on 20 March 1810:

'Copy of a Letter from Captain Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke, of His Majesty's Ship the Christian VII., addressed to Admiral Lord Gambier, and transmitted by his Lordship to John Wilson Croker, Esquire.

His Majesty's Ship Christian VII., in Basque Roads, Feb. 13, 1810.

My Lord,
Three Vessels, as per Margin*, being Part of a Convoy of Ten Sail, laden with Brandy, Resin, &c. that failed last Night in thick blowing Weather, Wind W.S.W, from the Charente, bound to the Northward, having got on the Reef that projects from the Point of Chatelaillon, between Aix and Rochelle, I directed the Boats of this Squadron, as per Margin*, to destroy them. This was forthwith attempted to be executed, when the Enemy made a Movement to prevent it. Our Boats were Eight, and the Enemy's Nine; ours armed in the usual Way, theirs more formidable, all of them being Gun Boats, carrying a Twelve-Pounder Carronade and Six Swivels, and rowing from Twenty to Thirty Oars.
Lieutenant Guion of this Ship, who directed the Operations, made a Feint of Retreating, to decoy the Enemy from their Shore Defences, when suddenly turning upon them, they fled. The Barge of this Ship, in which he was, being the fleetest Boat, advanced most gallantly along the Rear of the Enemy's Line to their third Boat; but finding from Circumstances, the Rear Boat was the only one likely to be successfully attacked, he boarded and carried her Sword in Hand. Two others were closely pursued to the Beach by Lieutenant Roberts of the Armide, and must from his steady Fire within Pistol Shot have lost Men. The Gun Boat taken by Lieutenant Guion had Two killed and Three wounded; amongst the latter was her Commander severely. The Vessels alluded to in the Margin were then burnt.

I am very respectfully, &c.
Joseph S. Yorke'

With three French vessels taken or destroyed, the attack had been a success and, though it is impossible to pinpoint Second Lieutenant McArthur's exact position during the engagement, as an officer he was likely in command of one of the eight British boats which took on the French nine.


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Estimate
£1,500 to £1,800

Starting price
£1200