davidrn
08-11-2011, 21:24
PURSE. John, R.M.A.
Naval L.S. & G.C. 1848 1875 (Wide) named to:- J. Purse 3rd Coy. R.M.A. 22 years (Awarded 1866)
John Purse was Born:- Hayling Island, Havant, Hants. 1821/22? Trade: Labourer
He enlisted at Portsmouth on 31st December 1842 for the bounty of £3.17s.6p.
He Attested at Portsmouth on 2nd January 1843 giving his age as 21 years and signing in a clear hand joining the Royal Marine Artillery as a Private and Gunner.
He served until the 6th April 1866 a total of 23 years 95 days.
He held 5 Good Conduct Badges as well as the L.S. & G.C. medal with a £5 gratuity
Throughout his 23 years service he only served at sea once, when between the 6th December 1845 and the 15th May 1849 he served on HMS Scourge a 6 gun 1st class Paddle Sloop
HMS Scourge 6th December 1845 to 15th May 1849
6th December 1845 Joined HMS Scourge a 6 gun 1st class Paddle Sloop of 1844, Commanded by Commander James Crawford Caffin, who had been appointed in November.
December and January Was spent at Portsmouth, fitting out;
1846
5th February Left Portsmouth for Spithead
11th February Test firing of her 10 inch mortar (note the shock of the firing shattered the china in the captains cabin...)
16th February Returned to harbour for defect rectification (some of this associated with shock damage from mortar firing)
27th February to 14th March Based at Spithead
11th March The ship visited by Prince Albert
15th March to 7th April At Portsmouth, undergoing defect rectification
7th April At Spithead to join the Squadron of Evolution
13th May The squadron sailed for series of sailing and manoeuvring trials
4th to 11th June The Squadron called at Cork
12th June to 3rd July Sea trials continued.
July 1846 - Serving with the Squadron of Evolution at Cove, involving the Summer Cruise and Exercises off Ireland
1st to 19th July - The Squadron were based at Cork.
23rd July Arrived back at Spithead
25th July to 3rd September - At Woolwich undergoing defect repairs.
5th September Arrived at Portsmouth
8th September Embarked the second division of the 74th Highland Regiment and sailed same day to carry them to the Shetland Islands
19th September Arrived back at Portsmouth; embarked a further detachment of 74th Highlanders
24th September - Sailed for Leith
2nd to 10th October Back at Woolwich
10th October Sailed from Woolwich for Chatham; embarked 46th Regiment for the Channel Islands
12th to 18th October At Guernsey; discharged the 46th Regiment and embarked 27th Regiment
21st to 23rd October At Portsmouth, embarked a detachment of Royal Marines
25th October - At Cork where she discharged the Marines and sailed for to Rochefort to bring home sailors who have been wrecked on the coast of France
3rd to 24th November Back at Portsmouth
26th November Called in at Plymouth
December At Lisbon and the coast of Portugal (Setubal Oporto)
28th December to 16th January At Portsmouth
1847
17th January sailed
18th to 22nd January - Assisting the Sphinx, which had run aground; during this time a boat belonging to the Scourge capsized drowning seven men
27th January Sailed from Spithead for Bristol to load food and stores for Ireland
8th February Arrived Cork
9th February At Bantry Bay to discharge cargo.
12th February Stood by brigantine Lovely Lady which had been damaged in a storm and escorted her into Cork
...A letter written by Commander Caffin was published in several newspapers at this time in which he outlines the horrors of the Irish famine that he had seen
February and March Back to Liverpool to collect more food and clothing for Ireland
(early) March - On the west coast of Ireland distributing aid
Mar 1847 Involved in recovery of steam sloop Sphinx which was grounded with the use of camels which was devised by Commander Caffin and a master shipwright of Portsmouth dockyard a Mr. Watts. The operation was recorded as one of the most remarkable incidents ever recorded in naval science by one London Paper which reported:- Portsmouth, 12 March 1847 The Sphinx steam sloop was towed into this harbour at ten o'clock this morning by the Echo tug, and was followed by the African and Monkey tugs, each laden with the gear used in this memorable operation. The vessel was not finally extricated from her stranded position until ten o'clock yesterday morning. The following is a description of the means which have proved successful in saving this fine vessel:-
The plan devised for this object was by means of "camels" - the project of Commander Caffin, of the Scourge steam-sloop, and Mr. Watts, the senior assistant master shipwright of this dockyard - the buoyant power of which amounted to above 130 tons, brought under a strong frame-work constructed under her paddle-boxes ; to this was added by Mr. Watts, subsequently to Commander Caffin's leaving, another camel, which was brought under the head of the vessel, on which, at the extreme foremost end was erected a high framework for supporting the chain cabins, hawsers, &c., used in heaving the vessel off, and to obviate or counteract this downward pressure, at the end of the camel, next the stem, was fixed a fork, formed by means of two stout pieces of fir timber placed a little more than the breadth of the stem asunder (sic), and bolted firmly to the deck of the camel. This fork came underneath two stout cleats fastened to the stem of the vessel, so that the downward pressure of the cables when hove upon constituted a power, at one end, of a lever to lift the bow of the ship at the other end. This was found to render most important aid in getting the vessel over the bank or reef of rocks, up to which she had been brought on the two former occasions, but could not then be got over. This ledge has not more than six feet of water on it at high tide, whereas the Sphinx, when lightened of everything except her engines, drew ten feet of water. The feat, therefore, of getting her over the reef is one of the most remarkable incidents ever recorded in naval science
(late) March At Greenock to load food for Ireland
April and May On the coast of Sligo, distributing aid
23rd June to 10th August Back at Portsmouth refitting
9th June Court-martial of Marine private William Thurman of the Scourge for wilful disobedience and insubordination; guilty sentenced to flogged, 50 lashes, and then twelve months imprisonment
11th to 24th August Spent as escort to the Royal Yacht for tour of west coast and Scotland (calls at Dartmouth - Beaumaris Douglas Dumbarton Inverary)
25th to 28th August In Dundrum Bay, assisting the SS Great Britain which had run aground
6th September Rejoined Royal Yacht at Inverness (later Fleetwood Milford Haven)
26th September to 11th October Back at Portsmouth to join Sir Charles Napiers squadron
11th October The Squadron sailed for sea trials.
Oct March 1848 Lisbon / coast of Portugal; during this time the squadron was frequently at sea undertaking sailing trials; she towed a damaged merchant ship to safety; carried despatches between local ports. Commander Henry Edward Wingrove succeeded Commander Caffin in command in November. The papers of October 16th carried a list of naval promotions for services during the Famine in Ireland from Commander to Captain James C. Caffin and Thomas Fisher.
6th December Came the report Grant to the Navy for the relief service in Ireland - The Lords of the Treasury have awarded the total sum of £8,600 to be distributed among certain ships involved (over 50 are listed) the Scourge was allocated the sum of £100 to be evenly distributed to the ships company excepting for Boys who will only receive a half share.
1848
16th February Returned to Tagus after a cruise looking for an overdue mail steamer.
15th March Arrived at the Cove of Cork.
27th April Arrived back at Portsmouth with HMS Howe who was carrying the Queen Dowager and the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Weimar.
3rd May Taken into Portsmouth for refitting.
May Was spent at Portsmouth refitting
27th May At Spithead
31st May At Cork; embarked convicts for transportation. These included John Mitchell an Irish Nationalist activist who had been sentenced to Transportation, Mitchell was the newspaper editor of The United Irishman who was charged and found guilty under the newly enacted charge of Treason Felony.
June At Bermuda she disembarked convicts and while there the Vice-Admiral The Earl of Dundonald had permission for her to land her mortar and have her supplied with a pivot gun instead.
5th July to 29th October Was spent based at Halifax, involved in fishery protection. On the 28th October the Admiral struck his flag and transferred it to the Scourge before leaving port to return to Bermuda, upon arriving at Bermuda the Admiral and his flag transferred to HMS Wellesley.
November and December Based back at Bermuda
1849
January Visiting Jamaica and Barbados
February Visiting Trinidad and Tobago
March Visiting St Lucia and Jamaica, then returned to Bermuda
11th April - Sailed from Bermuda for England
6th May Arrived back at Portsmouth, the Portsmouth Herald reported The Scourge, steam sloop, Commander H. C. Wingrove, arrived on Sunday from the West India station. She was inspected and her crew mustered by Admiral the Honourable Sir T. Bladen Capel, K.C.B. on Monday (7th) and came into harbour the same evening to be paid off. She brought a number of naval and military invalids, the latter chiefly of the Royal Artillery.
15th May Paid off.
Purse returned to the 3rd Company after this, his one and only period of sea service and spent the remainder of his service (19 years 203 days) ashore. He was discharged due to length of service and at his own request on 6th April 1866.
I saw this medal advertised in a trio with a Crimea no bar and a Turkish Crimea (Sardinia issue) both un-named but with no papers.
I knew the Long Service medal was listed in Douglas-Morris where he stated that Purse had only spent 3years 161 days at sea and assumed that was during the Crimean War. I tried but was unable to confirm any record of him on the Crimea roll. After spending several weeks thinking about them I thought well I dont have a Wide to the RMA and at the worse an un-named Crimea pair, I could match up something else if necessary (wrong again as after checking I find that all my missing Crimeas are with bars), also the price of the trio was not much more than the piece of three single medals so I took a chance, did a deal and obtained them.
I have since been supplied with his papers (which I was unable locate on the National Archived web-site) with the above result, am I disappointed, at first yes but the more I look at the Long Service less so, it is a very nice medal but it could have been a Very, Very nice trio.
Naval L.S. & G.C. 1848 1875 (Wide) named to:- J. Purse 3rd Coy. R.M.A. 22 years (Awarded 1866)
John Purse was Born:- Hayling Island, Havant, Hants. 1821/22? Trade: Labourer
He enlisted at Portsmouth on 31st December 1842 for the bounty of £3.17s.6p.
He Attested at Portsmouth on 2nd January 1843 giving his age as 21 years and signing in a clear hand joining the Royal Marine Artillery as a Private and Gunner.
He served until the 6th April 1866 a total of 23 years 95 days.
He held 5 Good Conduct Badges as well as the L.S. & G.C. medal with a £5 gratuity
Throughout his 23 years service he only served at sea once, when between the 6th December 1845 and the 15th May 1849 he served on HMS Scourge a 6 gun 1st class Paddle Sloop
HMS Scourge 6th December 1845 to 15th May 1849
6th December 1845 Joined HMS Scourge a 6 gun 1st class Paddle Sloop of 1844, Commanded by Commander James Crawford Caffin, who had been appointed in November.
December and January Was spent at Portsmouth, fitting out;
1846
5th February Left Portsmouth for Spithead
11th February Test firing of her 10 inch mortar (note the shock of the firing shattered the china in the captains cabin...)
16th February Returned to harbour for defect rectification (some of this associated with shock damage from mortar firing)
27th February to 14th March Based at Spithead
11th March The ship visited by Prince Albert
15th March to 7th April At Portsmouth, undergoing defect rectification
7th April At Spithead to join the Squadron of Evolution
13th May The squadron sailed for series of sailing and manoeuvring trials
4th to 11th June The Squadron called at Cork
12th June to 3rd July Sea trials continued.
July 1846 - Serving with the Squadron of Evolution at Cove, involving the Summer Cruise and Exercises off Ireland
1st to 19th July - The Squadron were based at Cork.
23rd July Arrived back at Spithead
25th July to 3rd September - At Woolwich undergoing defect repairs.
5th September Arrived at Portsmouth
8th September Embarked the second division of the 74th Highland Regiment and sailed same day to carry them to the Shetland Islands
19th September Arrived back at Portsmouth; embarked a further detachment of 74th Highlanders
24th September - Sailed for Leith
2nd to 10th October Back at Woolwich
10th October Sailed from Woolwich for Chatham; embarked 46th Regiment for the Channel Islands
12th to 18th October At Guernsey; discharged the 46th Regiment and embarked 27th Regiment
21st to 23rd October At Portsmouth, embarked a detachment of Royal Marines
25th October - At Cork where she discharged the Marines and sailed for to Rochefort to bring home sailors who have been wrecked on the coast of France
3rd to 24th November Back at Portsmouth
26th November Called in at Plymouth
December At Lisbon and the coast of Portugal (Setubal Oporto)
28th December to 16th January At Portsmouth
1847
17th January sailed
18th to 22nd January - Assisting the Sphinx, which had run aground; during this time a boat belonging to the Scourge capsized drowning seven men
27th January Sailed from Spithead for Bristol to load food and stores for Ireland
8th February Arrived Cork
9th February At Bantry Bay to discharge cargo.
12th February Stood by brigantine Lovely Lady which had been damaged in a storm and escorted her into Cork
...A letter written by Commander Caffin was published in several newspapers at this time in which he outlines the horrors of the Irish famine that he had seen
February and March Back to Liverpool to collect more food and clothing for Ireland
(early) March - On the west coast of Ireland distributing aid
Mar 1847 Involved in recovery of steam sloop Sphinx which was grounded with the use of camels which was devised by Commander Caffin and a master shipwright of Portsmouth dockyard a Mr. Watts. The operation was recorded as one of the most remarkable incidents ever recorded in naval science by one London Paper which reported:- Portsmouth, 12 March 1847 The Sphinx steam sloop was towed into this harbour at ten o'clock this morning by the Echo tug, and was followed by the African and Monkey tugs, each laden with the gear used in this memorable operation. The vessel was not finally extricated from her stranded position until ten o'clock yesterday morning. The following is a description of the means which have proved successful in saving this fine vessel:-
The plan devised for this object was by means of "camels" - the project of Commander Caffin, of the Scourge steam-sloop, and Mr. Watts, the senior assistant master shipwright of this dockyard - the buoyant power of which amounted to above 130 tons, brought under a strong frame-work constructed under her paddle-boxes ; to this was added by Mr. Watts, subsequently to Commander Caffin's leaving, another camel, which was brought under the head of the vessel, on which, at the extreme foremost end was erected a high framework for supporting the chain cabins, hawsers, &c., used in heaving the vessel off, and to obviate or counteract this downward pressure, at the end of the camel, next the stem, was fixed a fork, formed by means of two stout pieces of fir timber placed a little more than the breadth of the stem asunder (sic), and bolted firmly to the deck of the camel. This fork came underneath two stout cleats fastened to the stem of the vessel, so that the downward pressure of the cables when hove upon constituted a power, at one end, of a lever to lift the bow of the ship at the other end. This was found to render most important aid in getting the vessel over the bank or reef of rocks, up to which she had been brought on the two former occasions, but could not then be got over. This ledge has not more than six feet of water on it at high tide, whereas the Sphinx, when lightened of everything except her engines, drew ten feet of water. The feat, therefore, of getting her over the reef is one of the most remarkable incidents ever recorded in naval science
(late) March At Greenock to load food for Ireland
April and May On the coast of Sligo, distributing aid
23rd June to 10th August Back at Portsmouth refitting
9th June Court-martial of Marine private William Thurman of the Scourge for wilful disobedience and insubordination; guilty sentenced to flogged, 50 lashes, and then twelve months imprisonment
11th to 24th August Spent as escort to the Royal Yacht for tour of west coast and Scotland (calls at Dartmouth - Beaumaris Douglas Dumbarton Inverary)
25th to 28th August In Dundrum Bay, assisting the SS Great Britain which had run aground
6th September Rejoined Royal Yacht at Inverness (later Fleetwood Milford Haven)
26th September to 11th October Back at Portsmouth to join Sir Charles Napiers squadron
11th October The Squadron sailed for sea trials.
Oct March 1848 Lisbon / coast of Portugal; during this time the squadron was frequently at sea undertaking sailing trials; she towed a damaged merchant ship to safety; carried despatches between local ports. Commander Henry Edward Wingrove succeeded Commander Caffin in command in November. The papers of October 16th carried a list of naval promotions for services during the Famine in Ireland from Commander to Captain James C. Caffin and Thomas Fisher.
6th December Came the report Grant to the Navy for the relief service in Ireland - The Lords of the Treasury have awarded the total sum of £8,600 to be distributed among certain ships involved (over 50 are listed) the Scourge was allocated the sum of £100 to be evenly distributed to the ships company excepting for Boys who will only receive a half share.
1848
16th February Returned to Tagus after a cruise looking for an overdue mail steamer.
15th March Arrived at the Cove of Cork.
27th April Arrived back at Portsmouth with HMS Howe who was carrying the Queen Dowager and the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Weimar.
3rd May Taken into Portsmouth for refitting.
May Was spent at Portsmouth refitting
27th May At Spithead
31st May At Cork; embarked convicts for transportation. These included John Mitchell an Irish Nationalist activist who had been sentenced to Transportation, Mitchell was the newspaper editor of The United Irishman who was charged and found guilty under the newly enacted charge of Treason Felony.
June At Bermuda she disembarked convicts and while there the Vice-Admiral The Earl of Dundonald had permission for her to land her mortar and have her supplied with a pivot gun instead.
5th July to 29th October Was spent based at Halifax, involved in fishery protection. On the 28th October the Admiral struck his flag and transferred it to the Scourge before leaving port to return to Bermuda, upon arriving at Bermuda the Admiral and his flag transferred to HMS Wellesley.
November and December Based back at Bermuda
1849
January Visiting Jamaica and Barbados
February Visiting Trinidad and Tobago
March Visiting St Lucia and Jamaica, then returned to Bermuda
11th April - Sailed from Bermuda for England
6th May Arrived back at Portsmouth, the Portsmouth Herald reported The Scourge, steam sloop, Commander H. C. Wingrove, arrived on Sunday from the West India station. She was inspected and her crew mustered by Admiral the Honourable Sir T. Bladen Capel, K.C.B. on Monday (7th) and came into harbour the same evening to be paid off. She brought a number of naval and military invalids, the latter chiefly of the Royal Artillery.
15th May Paid off.
Purse returned to the 3rd Company after this, his one and only period of sea service and spent the remainder of his service (19 years 203 days) ashore. He was discharged due to length of service and at his own request on 6th April 1866.
I saw this medal advertised in a trio with a Crimea no bar and a Turkish Crimea (Sardinia issue) both un-named but with no papers.
I knew the Long Service medal was listed in Douglas-Morris where he stated that Purse had only spent 3years 161 days at sea and assumed that was during the Crimean War. I tried but was unable to confirm any record of him on the Crimea roll. After spending several weeks thinking about them I thought well I dont have a Wide to the RMA and at the worse an un-named Crimea pair, I could match up something else if necessary (wrong again as after checking I find that all my missing Crimeas are with bars), also the price of the trio was not much more than the piece of three single medals so I took a chance, did a deal and obtained them.
I have since been supplied with his papers (which I was unable locate on the National Archived web-site) with the above result, am I disappointed, at first yes but the more I look at the Long Service less so, it is a very nice medal but it could have been a Very, Very nice trio.