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Auction: 9022 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 15

x A Scarce N.G.S. and R.N.L.I. Medal Pair to Commander F. Coppin, Royal Navy and H.M. Coast Guard Naval General Service 1793-1840, one clasp, Guadaloupe (Fredk. Coppin, Midshipman.); Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck Medal, silver, type 1 1824-62, obverse: head of King George IV facing left (Lieut. Fredk. Coppin. R.N. Voted 17 Apr 1839.), with integral band, eyelet suspension and riband ring, light contact marks, therefore very fine or better (2) Estimate £ 1,800-2,200 Frederick Coppin, Lieutenant, R.N. H.M. Coastguard, Pelter Brig, citation reads, ´´22 December 1838: The Danish brig Prince Christian, on passage from Havan, Cuba to Amsterdam, Holland , was totally wrecked on a reef of rocks under very high cliffs between Folkestone and Dover, Kent, water rushing into her. Lieutenant Coppin and a team of coast guards climbed down the cliff and, using a hawser and ropes, saved the Master and his ten man crew.´´ Frederick Coppin served as Midshipman in H.M.S. Statira during the combined naval and military operations commanded by Vice Admiral the Honourable Sir Alexander Cochrane and Lieutenant General Sir George Beckwith which culminated in the capture of the French-held island of Guadaloupe, January-February 1810. Commander Frederick Coppin, R.N., born Market Cell, Hertfordshire, 1793; joined the Royal Navy as Volunteer 1st Class, 1806, being appointed in that position to H.M.S. Uranie; appointed as Midshipman H.M.S. Statira, August 1807; whilst serving in the Statira he accompanied Mr. Rose, the British Minister, to the United States; and on his return, cruised off the coasts of Spain and France; he was also engaged in landing ammunition near Vigo for the use of the Spanish Patriots; was present, in sight and in-shore of the enemy´´s fleets, at the capture by the Statira´´s boats of the French schooner Matilda, between L´´Orient and Ushant; was present, 10.6.1809, when in company with the Amelia the Statira assisted in the capture of a small French squadron off St. Andero; he took part in the Walcheren expedition, and in August 1809, he had charge of a flat bottomed boat for the purpose of landing troops, and was in command of the ship´´s launch when landing troops at South Beveland; in January 1810, he was once again in command of the ship´´s launch, this time for Guadaloupe; he later served in H.M.S. Safeguard and proceeded to the relief of the island of Anholt, after which he was despatched in charge of a captured merchantman to Wingo Sound; in his absence the Safeguard was attacked and sunk by Danish gunboats and he was sent in the Wrangler to join H.M.S. Defence in the Baltic; in passing through the Belt, the two rearmost ships of the convoy, of which Wrangler had partial charge, were attacked at night, while at anchor, by some large armed boats; Coppin was immediately detached in the gig to make a diversion in favour of the threatened vessels, a service which he successfully accomplished; the Defence was unfortunately in no fit state for Coppin to be appointed to, so he stayed with the Wrangler; appointed to H.M.S. Namur (Flag ship of Sir Thomas Williams), February 1812; appointed Master´´s Mate H.M.S. Stag; appointed Lieutenant H.M.S. Spartan, February 1815, and served with her as part of Sir Hudson Lowe´´s expedition from Marseille to Toulon, on which occasion he was selected to attack the fort at Bandol; served as First Lieutenant with H.M.S. Dispatch off the coast of Ireland, where, while cruising for smugglers, he made a prize, in the 6 oared gig, of a French vessel, the Maria Therese laden with Tobacco; served in the Coast Guard from1837, and was in charge of the Pelter Brig Station, No. 3 Tower at Tankerton when he and his men saved the lives of 11 men of the Danish Brig Prince Christian (see citation above); as well as the silver medal Coppin also received a letter of thanks from the Danish Consul; retired Commander 1860. Provenance: Payne Collection 1911

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