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Auction: 18003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 39

Alexander Davison's Medal for the Nile 1798, bronze, fitted with white metal ring suspension, the reverse engraved 'M. Kirby The Thesius [sic]', very fine

Michael Kirby was born in Bethnal Green during 1767. He joined Theseus as an Ordinary Seaman in January 1796 from Royal William. Kirby would have been present at the Battle of Santa Cruz, 22 July 1797 under the command of Horatio Nelson, who suffered the famous musket ball shot which resulted in the amputation of his right arm.

She would be under the command of Captain R. W. Miller at the Battle of the Nile, during which she forced the abandonment of the Artémise and took the surrender of the drifting Heureux and Mercure.

Kirby next saw action at the Siege of Acre in 1799. During the preparations for the bombardment, a fire was ignited upon the deck which was packed with ammunition for the attack. Captain Miller was killed instantly, together with 25 other men, and the resultant fires and secondary explosions killed another 10 seaman, destroyed the poop and quarter decks and toppled the main mast.

Discharged to Heldin in December 1800, Kirby was admitted to Deal Hospital in February 1801, with his final entry upon the muster rolls being aboard Ruby in January 1802.

Kirby did not claim his Naval General Service Medal, which in all likelihood would have been a 2-clasp award for 'Nile' and 'Acre 20 May 1799'; sold with copied muster rolls.


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Sold for
£550