The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals

China 1842 (Henry Boyes, Commander, H.M.S. Vixen) nearly extremely fine

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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Henry Boyes entered the Navy in May 1796 as 1st Class Volunteer aboard the LION. In that ship he took part in the brilliant action off Carthegena, 15 July 1798, between the LION and four Spanish frigates, which terminated in the surrender of one of the latter, the Santa Dorotea. In the same ship he assisted at the capture, 31 March 1800, of Le Guillaume Tell having Rear Admiral Decrès on board. After serving at the blockade of Alexandria in SWIFTSURE, he was taken prisoner in a desperate engagement, of more than an hours duration, which rendered the SWIFTSURE a prize-wreck to Rear Admiral Ganteaume’s squadron on 24 June 1801. He regained his liberty the following year and, in 1809, was Flag-Lieutenant to Lord Gambier aboard H.M.S. CALEDONIA at Basque Roads. He was promoted to the rank of Commander in May 1815 and remained on the half-pay from that period until given the command of theVIXEN steam vessel in August 1841. In that ship, the only R.N. steamship present in the operations in China, he took part in the storming and capture of the City of Chin Keang Foo at the entrance of the South Grand Canal in the Yang-Tse-Keang. For his services on that occasion he was advanced to the rank of Captain, 23 December 1842. Captain Boyes lived to claim the Naval General Service medal with 3 clasps for ‘Lion 15 July 1798’, ‘Basque Roads 1809’ and ‘Boat Service 27 Sep 1810’. This latter medal is known to have survived.