Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Gut of Gibraltar 12 July 1801 [143] (H. H. Budd, Midshipman.) edge bruising, otherwise very fine £3000-3500

Henry Hayward Budd was born on 4 January 1784, at Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. He followed his elder brother Hopewell’s footsteps and joined the Navy on 8 October 1798, as First Class Volunteer on board the Thames 32, Captains William Lukin and Aiskew Paffard Hollis, employed on the Mediterranean station. He attained the rating of Midshipman on 24 July 1799, and, on 12 July, 1801, was present in Sir James Saumarez’ action with the Franco-Spanish squadron in the Gut of Gibraltar. He removed, in January 1802, to the Tigre 74, Captains Robert Jackson and Richard Curry, from which ship he was paid off 23 September following. He served, from March 1803 to July 1805, part of the time as Master’s Mate, in the Antelope 60, Captains Sir Sidney Smith, Henry Bazely, Sir Home Popham, and Robert Plampin, off the Texel and Ostend, where he had charge of a gun-boa. He passed his examination on 4 September 1805, and, after a further attachment to the Pompée 74, flag-ship of Sir Sidney Smith, in which he assisted at the destruction of the Martello towers on the coast of Messina, was appointed, 4 October 1806, Acting Lieutenant of the Aurora 28, Captain George Francis Seymour. While in that frigate Mr. Budd, in command of the boats, cut out an armed vessel from under the batteries of Ajaccio, after a serious contest, in which the British had 6 men wounded. He was confirmed by the Admiralty, 25 March 1807, and was subsequently appointed, 26 January 1808, to the Erebus 28, Captain William Antridge, under whom he was continually in collision with the Danes in the Baltic until April 1812. He next cruised, from 10 June 1814, until his return home in August 1815, in the Swinger 12, Captain Alexander Barclay Branch, for the protection of commerce off Surinam; and for his share, during that period, in effecting the destruction of a notorious American privateer of nearly twice the force of the Swinger, obtained, in common with the rest of the officers and men belonging to the latter vessel, the thanks of the Admiralty. From the peace Lieutenant Budd remained unemployed until appointed, 22 May 1840, First of the San Josef 110, bearing the flags at Plymouth of, successively, Rear-Admirals Frederick Warren and Sir Samuel Pym. He was advanced to rank of Commander on 16 September 1842, and placed on the reserved list in 1852. Commander Budd received a medal for the action of 12 July 1801.