Single Campaign Medals 399


Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Martinique, Guadaloupe (John Briggs.) very fine Provenance: Glendining’s, October 1912; Sang Collection, Glendining’s, January 1931.


John Briggs/Biggs was born at Ilford, Essex, circa 1780, and joined H.M.S. Leyden, 64, as a Landsman on 4 April 1807, taking part in the expedition to Copenhagen that year. Leyden arrived off the Danish capital on 7 August with two companies of the Coldstream Guards aboard and took part in the bombardment of the city. Biggs was drafted as Landsman to H.M.S. Pompee, 74, in April 1808. Under the command of Captain George Cockburn, she sailed immediately for the West Indies, capturing the French brig Pleides, 16, in the Atlantic on 20 October. She arrived off the French island of Martinique in December and took part in its reduction, fighting a ship- to-ship duel with the French D’Hautpoul, 74, on 17 April 1809. Although confirmed as being aboard Pompee for this action, Biggs did not claim the ‘Pompee’ clasp to his N.G.S. medal. On 11 December, Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane placed his flag aboard Pompee, Biggs being shown in the ship’s muster as ‘Admiral’s Domestic’. He was afterwards present at the capture of Guadaloupe on 5 February 1810.


Sold with comprehensive research including copied muster lists.


£1,600-£2,000


400


Naval General Service 1793-1840, 3 clasps, St. Vincent, Nile, Egypt (John Grant.) suspension slack, carriage bent between first two clasps, edge bruising and contact wear, otherwise better than good fine


£2,000-£2,600 Provenance: Sotheby, June 1983.


John Grant was a ‘quota-man’ who joined H.M.S. Culloden as a Landsman on 7 May 1795, from H.M.S. Royal William. He was advanced direct from Landsman to Able Seaman on 1 October 1796, and served in this rate as Gunner’s crew at St Vincent and the Nile. On 11 August 1800, he was drafted from Culloden to H.M.S. Pique and aboard her saw action off the coast of Egypt, which qualified him in March 1850 to seek this belated clasp. As a widower, aged 71 years, he became an ‘In-Pensioner’ at Greenwich Hospital on 16 August 1839, and died there on 7 October 1850. One other man of this name is shown on the roll for Syria.


Sold with copied muster lists, death certificate and research notes by Captain Douglas-Morris.


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