Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Algiers (J. M. Madden, Surgn.) slight edge bruising, good very fine £800-1000

James M. Madden was born c.1788 and qualified as a Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons and Licentiate of Apothecaries Hall, Dublin. He entered the Royal Navy on 11 October 1811, being appointed Assistant Surgeon aboard the Hamadryad. Service aboard the Malabar, San Juan and Eurotas followed. Holding the same rank he served on the Ister between 15 December 1815 and 30 September 1816. The ship was not present at the bombardment of Algiers on 26 August 1816 but it appears that Madden was ‘lent’ to the Impregnable after the action to assist in the treatment of casualties. In the Douglas-Morris Medal Roll he is listed as a Supernumery Assistant Surgeon aboard the Impregnable, with the note - ‘On Medal Roll, but not at Action. Joined ex Ister 2 Sept. 1816’. Appointed Surgeon on 5 October 1822, he was placed on the Half Pay List in February 1825 and declared ‘unfit for sea service’ in January 1839. Madden was employed in private practice in Exeter during the period 1825-61 and also served as Registrar of Births and Deaths in Exeter. He died on 21 May 1861. Sold with copied reports concerning his health whilst on Half Pay, 1826-39 and other copied research.