The superb Naval General Service, Davison's Nile Medal, and Sultan's Medal for Egypt group...

The superb Naval General Service, Davison’s Nile Medal, and Sultan’s Medal for Egypt group of three awarded to Rear-Admiral of the White Sir John Hill, Royal Navy, who served as First Lieutenant in H.M.S. Minotaur at the Battle of the Nile, coming to the rescue of Nelson’s flagship H.M.S. Vanguard, for which his Captain was given the utmost praise by Admiral Nelson and Hill himself was slightly wounded; he later had the responsibility of commanding all the transport vessels conveying the British army to Belgium prior to the Battle of Waterloo, being Mentioned by and earning the Duke of Wellington's distinct thanks for the efficient manner in which he conducted the operation, thus securing the praise of both the foremost sailor and soldier of his day Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Nile, Egypt (John Hill, Lieut.); Alexander Davison’s Medal for The Nile 1798, silver, Sultan’s Medal for Egypt 1801, 2nd Class, gold, 48mm, on its original gold chain and hook, traces of lacquer and pin marks to the edges of the medals from when they have been held in an old display case, otherwise good very fine and better (3) £10,000-£14,000 --- Approximately 45 2nd Class Sultan's Gold medals awarded to officers of the Royal Navy. John Hill was born at Portsea, Hampshire, in 1774 and entered the Royal Navy as a Captain's Steward aboard the bomb vessel H.M.S. Infernal on 25 September 1781 at the age of 7; this appointment at such a young age was undoubtedly due to the fact that the Infernal was commanded by his uncle, Commander James Alms (and such patronage at such an early age was not unusual at the time). He served in H.M.S. Infernal until March 1783, and subsequently served in various other ships before being posted to the frigate H.M.S. Proserpine, 24 guns, again under the command of his uncle James Alms. Advanced Lieutenant on 28 July 1794, he transferred in 1798 as First Lieutenant to H.M.S. Minotaur, 74 guns, under the command of Captain Thomas Louis The Battle of the Nile
Fought over 1 - 3 August 1798, the Battle of the Nile was the climax of a three-month campaign across the length and breadth of the Mediterranean. With the enemy fleet discovered moored in Aboukir Bay shortly after 2 p.m. on 1 August, Nelson’s fleet entered the bay just after 6pm and engaged Vice-admiral Brueys' fleet directly. Minotaur was sixth in the British line of battle, immediately astern of Nelson’s flagship H.M.S. Vanguard; those four ships immediately ahead sailed around the front of the French line, consequently engaging their enemy from an unprepared (and unexpected) direction. Bruyes’ fleet was enveloped in deadly fire from all sides but fought back bravely. With the Vanguard coming under accurate cannon and musket fire from the Spartiate, the Minotaur came to their flagship’s aid and Hill himself later recalled his experiences in a fascinating eye-witness account of Admiral Nelson conveying his thanks to the Minotaur’s captain, Thomas Louis: ‘On the 1st of August when the Vanguard anchor'd alongside the Spartiate, she became exposed to the raking fire of the Aquilon, the next ship in the enemy’s line, by which the Vanguard had between fifty and sixty men disabled in the space of ten minutes. Captain Louis took his station ahead of the Vanguard; the Minotaur not only effectually relieved her from this distressing situation but overpowered her opponent. Lord Nelson felt so grateful to Captain Louis for his conduct, on this important occasion, that about nine o’clock, while yet the combat was raging with the utmost fury, and he himself was suffering severely in the Cockpit from the dreadful wound in his head; he sent for his Lieutenant, Mr Capel, and ordered him to go on board the Minotaur, in the jolly boat, and desired Captain Louis would come to him; for that he could not have a moment's peace, until he had thanked him for his conduct. The subsequent meeting which took place between the Admiral and Captain Louis was affecting in the extreme, the latter being over his bleeding friend in silent sermon, “Farewell my dear Louis” said the Admiral, “I shall never forget the obligation I am under to you for your brave and generous conduct, and now whatever may become of me my mind is at peace”.’ An indication of the fierceness of the duel between the Minotaur and Aquilon, 74 guns, can be seen from the casualty figures: whilst Minotaur lost 87 men killed and wounded but was overall only lightly damaged, the Aquilon lost her captain and over 300 men killed and wounded, and was completely dismasted. Hill himself, in his Memorandum of Services dated 30 June 1846, states that he too was ‘slightly wounded, but did not return myself as such never having left my quarters’. Promoted Commander as a reward for his services at the Battle of the Nile, Hill was additionally tasked with taking command of the captured Aquilon and sailing her to Malta for repairs. After spending the next two years on half-pay, he was appointed to the command of the troopship Heroine on 12 February 1800. As commander of Heroine, he spent two years in the Mediterranean conveying troops, and in this capacity he participated in the Egyptian Expedition and the landing of soldiers prior to the Battle of Abukir on 8 March 1801. The Log Book of the Heroine notes he also physically served ashore between 24 and 30 April 1801, and it was for these services that he was awarded the Sultan's Gold Medal, Second Class. For the remainder of his career, Hill had the command of various transport ships, punctuated with periods on the half-pay list, notably spending just over two years in charge of transport ships in the Baltic, as his Memorandum of Services notes: ‘Two years and a half in the Transport Service during which time embarked and disembarked the Swedish Army from Sweden to Swedish Pomerania - received on board my ship the Crown Prince Count Bernadotte (late King of Sweden) and was honoured with his thanks for the care I had taken of his army. Sent twice to St. Petersburg to embark 5,000 Spanish Troops for which was thanked by the Spanish Ambassador.’ Recalled for duty closer to home, Hill then became responsible for transporting Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Graham's force to Holland for the abortive attack on Bergen-op-Zoom, and also for embarking the wounded after the attack and withdrawal, for which services he was specifically mentioned by General Graham in General Orders of 16 August 1814: ‘ The Commander of the Forces is no less indebted to Captain Hill, of the Royal Navy, for that cordial co-operation which he has on all occasions experienced from him.’ The Waterloo Campaign The following year, as principal Transport Agent at Ostend, Hill was responsible for the safe delivery of all British troops arriving in Flanders for the upcoming Waterloo Campaign. Hill's own recollections note the following: ‘Disembarked the whole of the British Army and materiel prior to the Battle of Waterloo without a single accident to a soldier and the loss of only two horses. After that memorable Battle embarked all the wounded British soldiers and a large number of French wounded and prisoners.' Hill was also mentioned by name in Captain Cavalie Mercer's ‘Journal of the Waterloo Campaign’, which illustrates the tact required in his job:
‘Our keel had scarcely touched the sand 'ere we were abruptly boarded by a naval officer (Captain Hill) with a gang of sailors, who, sans ceremonie, instantly commenced hoisting our horses out, and throwing them, as well as our saddlery, etc., overboard, without ever giving time for making any disposition to receive or secure the one or the other. To my remonstrance his answer was, “I can...