Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 3 clasps, Martinique, Pompee 17 June 1809, Guadaloupe (James Lay) considerable edge bruising and heavily polished, fair to fine, the carriage and clasps better £3000-3500

The published medal rolls confirm James Lay as an Ordinary Seaman aboard the Pompee for all three actions, one of only 21 recipients recorded on the Admiralty roll for the clasp ‘Pompee 17 June 1809’ [real date of this action was 17 April 1809].

Ordinary Seaman James Lay was wounded in the action with the French National Ship D’Hautpoult on the morning of the 17th April 1809 (London Gazette 23 May 1809].

‘Some small islets, called Saintes, near Guadaloupe, being taken possession of on 14 April [1809] by Captain Beaver and a British Squadron, three French Line-of-Battle ships, lying at anchor in the roads beneath, were compelled to put to sea. They were chased by the Admiral’s Flagship Neptune, 98, and Pompee, 74, which, however, were outsailed by three 18-gun Brigs. One of these, the Recruit, commanded by Captain Charles Napier, coming up with the D’Hautpoult, kept up a fire upon her with so much skill and gallantry as to delay her, so that by night the Pompee arrived up. The French Captain fought his ship with obstinate courage, but was compelled to surrender to Pompee, which lost nine killed, and Captain Fahie, the First Lieutenant, and 28 Officers and men wounded.’