The 2-clasp Boat Service Naval General Service medal awarded to Lieutenant George M....

The 2-clasp Boat Service Naval General Service medal awarded to Lieutenant George M. Donlevy, Royal Navy, for his services as First-class Volunteer in the boats of the Norge on 23 November 1810, and as Midshipman in the boats of the same ship against American gun-boats on Lake Borgne on 14 December 1814 Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, 23 Nov Boat Service 1810, 14 Decr Boat Service 1814 (Geo. M. Donlevy, Volr. 1st Class) nearly extremely fine £8,000-£10,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Payne Collection, Glendining’s, July 1918 (first clasp only); Sotheby’s, June 1971 (two clasps); Peter Dale Collection, July 2000. 42 clasps issued for the Boat Service action of 23 November 1810, and 205 clasps issued for the Boat Service action of 14 December 1814. George Marlay Donlevy is connected, paternally and maternally, with families of high distinction, being allied, among others, to those of Lord Kilmaine, Sir Richard Annesley O’Donnell, Bart., and Sir Henry Cunningham Montgomery, Bart. This officer entered the Navy on 17 April 1810 (under the patronage of the late Sir H. C. Montgomery, Bart.), as First-class Volunteer on board the Norge 74, Captains John Sprat Rainier, William Waller, and Charles Dashwood; with whom he successively served, on the North Sea, Mediterranean, and West India stations, part of the time as Midshipman, until August 1815. On 14 December 1814, he appears to have been officially reported for his distinguished conduct in the boats at the capture, on Lake Borgne, near New Orleans, of five American gun-vessels under Commodore Jones, which did not surrender until after a stern conflict, in which the British lost 17 men killed and 77 wounded. Mr. Donlevy, who next returned to the Mediterranean, on board the Erne 20, Captain Richard Spencer, passed his examination on 18 April 1816, between which period and the date of his promotion, 18 May 1827, we find him employed on various stations, chiefly as Admiralty-Midshipman and Mate, in the Sparrowhawk 18, Captain Frederick William Burgoyne, Florida 24, Captain Charles Sibthorpe John Hawtayne, Wye 24, Captain W. Willis, Vengeur 74, Captain Frederick Lewis Maitland, Genoa 74, Captain Sir Thomas Livingstone, Prince Regent yacht, Captain Sir Michael Seymour, Nimrod 20, Captain William Rochfort, and Victory 100, bearing the flag at Portsmouth of Sir George Martin. In 1824 he threw up a Mate’s rations on board the latter ship, for the purpose of accompanying, as a Volunteer, the expedition then preparing against Algiers, whither he proceeded in the Goodwill, Lieut.-Commander James Thome. On rejoining the Victory, we find him effecting the very creditable capture, in a boat belonging to one of that ship’s tenders, of a deeply-laden smuggler, having on board a crew of 15 men. He was promoted, 10 May 1827, by Sir George Martin, as above, to a hauling-down vacancy, and was subsequently employed for a year in the Coast Guard. In consequence of total, and, we believe, incurable deafness, he has been unable, since April 1833, to procure further employment.