Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Algiers (Edward Rant), suspension refixed, edge bruising, otherwise very fine
£1000-1200

Edward Grant - alias Rant - was appointed a Ropemaker in H.M.S. Prometheus in June 1816 and quickly witnessed active service off Algiers later that year - Prometheus’ crew rescued the wife and daughter of the British Consul prior to the commencement of the bombardment, but later had 17 men taken prisoner when they returned in a boat to collect the Consul and his son. As it transpired, the Algiers episode was Rant’s only service, for he was discharged back at Portsmouth in January 1817; see G. W. Hawkes’ article, Prometheus Bound: the Men of this Ship Taken Prisoner at Algiers, 1816 (O.M.R.S. Journal, March 2008), for further details, including confirmation that another Naval General Service Medal, clasp Algiers, was claimed by the recipient under his real name, Edward Grant; sold with research.