Naval General Service Medal 1793 - 1840, three clasps, 8th June 1810 Boat Service, 28 June 1810 Boat Service, the battle of Lissa 1811 (James Rennie, Master's Mate).
James Rennie, Master's Mate, is confirmed on the roll as aboard H.M.S. Cerberus during the battle of Lissa for which 132 clasps were issued . The boat service clasp for the 28th June 1810, is a known and recorded clasp for which only 27 were issued. The boat service clasp for the 8th June 1810 is believed to be much rarer, as no trace of its award to any recipient can be currently traced through our research.
On the 4th of February the British 18-pounder 32-gun frigate Cerberus, Captain Henry Whitby, and 38-gun frigate Active Captain James Alexander Gordon, cruising off the north-east coast of Italy, discovered four vessels lying at an anchor in the port of " Peitichi " or Pescaro. It being nearly calm, Captain Whitby despatched Lieutenant George Have of the Active, with the barge of each frigate, to endeavour to cut them out. Lieutenant Haye and his little party, although exposed to a heavy fire of musketry from the soldiers quartered at the place, succeeded, with the loss of only one man wounded, in capturing three of the vessels, and in destroying the fourth after removing her cargo. They were all merchant trabaccolos, last from Ancona.
On the 12th, in the morning, several vessels were discovered at anchor in the harbour of Ortona on the same coast ; and, as the wind was light, Captain Whitby despatched the boats of the two frigates, under the orders of Lieutenant James Dickinson, first of the CERBERUS, assisted by Lieutenant George Haye and George Cumpson, Lieutenant of marines Peter Mears and master's mates James Gibson and JAMES RENNIE, to endeavour to bring out the vessels from the strong position in which they were moored. The harbour of Ortona is formed by a large pier, running out into the sea and connected with a range of hills leading to the town, which stands on the top of the highest, completely commanding the vessels in the harbour and in the road to it.
At 10 a.m., on the near approach of the boats, a fire of great guns and small arms was opened from an armed Venetian trabaccolo, not before observed, and from soldiers posted on the beach and hills. The British seamen and marines instantly gave three cheers, and, pushing on, carried all before them. Lieutenant Dickinson, in the gig of the Cerberus, supported by MR RENNIE in the barge, boarded and almost instantly carried the armed trabaccolo, although she mounted six guns and was full of men. Lieutenant Dickinson then landed, with the marines under Lieutenant Mears and the small-arm men under MR RENNIE ; and this party had to climb up the rocks by their hands, with the prospect of falling down a precipice every step they took. At length the strong post was attained ; and, while the launches with their carronades kept the soldiers and inhabitants in check, MR RENNIE planted the British colours at the very gates of the town. The seamen then secured the vessels in the harbour, which, besides the armed trabaccolo, were 10 in number, and all laden with wheat, oil, hemp, &c. ; and the marines and division on shore burnt two large magazines, filled with all sorts of naval and military stores destined for the garrison of Corfu. Having, by 3 p.m., executed the whole of this important service, Lieutenant Dickinson and his party got back to their ships with so comparatively slight a loss as four men wounded.
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