Auction Catalogue
Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Off Mardoe 6 July 1812 (M. C. Stephens, Purser.) with good length of original ribbon, toned, extremely fine £5000-6000
Provenance: Hayward, January 1974; Glendining’s, March 1989.
Confirmed as a Purser aboard H.M.S. Calypso at the destruction of the Danish frigate Nayaden and action with three corvettes, off the Norwegian coast on 6 July 1812. Approximately 47 clasps issued for this action.
On 6 July 1812, the Calypso, in company with the Dictator and two gun-brigs, was present at the capture and destruction, off Mardoe on the Norwegian coast, of a whole Danish squadron, consisting of the Nayaden of 48 guns, the Lolland, Samsø and Kiel sloops, and several gun-boats, after a long contest.
Michael C. Stephens was born in 1790. He was appointed Paymaster in the Royal Navy on 9 July 1811, and, according to his statement to the Admiralty in July 1834, when he stated he was still ‘able and willing to serve’, he had served 16 years 6 months in the Royal Navy. During this period he was afloat as Purser or Acting Purser, 4 years 6 months during the Napoleonic War, and 7 years 6 months in peace time.
He is listed as a retired Paymaster in the 1853 Navy List, with seniority of 1811, entitled to the War Medal with one clasp. He died on 15 June 1853.
Sold with a USB stick with all research material in digital form including an English translation of an interesting Danish account of the action.
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