Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Guadaloupe (John Hardy.) very fine £800-£1,000

Glendining’s, December 1984; Dix Noonan Webb, February 1998.

John Hardy was born in Thoroton, Nottingham, in 1791, and joined the Royal Marines on 12 September 1809. He joined H.M.S. Sceptre (74 guns) in October 1809 and served as a Private, Royal Marines, aboard H.M.S. Sceptre during the operations off (and subsequent capture of) the island of Guadeloupe between 28 January and 6 February 1810.

Under the command of Captain S. J. Ballard, H.M.S. Sceptre took part in the attack of two French flûtes, Loire and Seine, anchored in Barque Cove, about nine miles to the northwest of the town of Basse-Terre. The French were forced to abandon their ships and set them alight. Later, whilst other troops were landed on the island, Ballard created a diversion off Trois-Rivières before landing Bluejackets and marines from the Sceptre between Anse à la Barque and Basse-Terre, with the fighting with the broadsword in order to capture Guadaloupe.

Two other men with this name appear on the Admiralty Claimants’ List; a single clasp award for ‘Anholt 27 March 1811’; and a single clasp award for ‘Syria’.

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