REVIEW: ORDERS, DECORATIONS, MEDALS AND MILITARIA 15 MARCH

Built in 1808, Royalist was an 18-gun brig that served throughout the remaining Napoleonic Wars, including in the Peninsula, in her early days patrolling the Channel and North Sea.

By 1812 she had engaged with and captured numerous French luggers, completing her duties shortly before midnight on 29 December that year with an action against La Ruse, a 16-gun French privateer lugger on her first cruise.

Under the command of Commander George Downie, Royalist captured La Ruse just off Hythe, with one man from the 65-strength French crew killed, one wounded and the main mast shot away. 

Commander Downie, who was promoted for this action, was killed when in command of a British squadron on Lake Champlain during the battle of Plattsburg in September 1814.

Henry Hackman was confirmed on the roll of Royalist as an able seaman for the capture of La Ruse and his Naval General Service 1793-1840, with clasp for the capture and extremely rare, proved to be a highlight of the Orders Decorations, Medals & Militaria auction at Noonans on 15 March, leaving its £22,000-£26,000 estimate behind to secure a hammer price of £32,000.