Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Implacable 26 Augt 1808 (F. Servante,...

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Implacable 26 Augt 1808 (F. Servante, Midshipman.) on good length of original riband, minor edge nicks, otherwise dark toned, good very fine £3,000-£4,000

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Approximately 44 clasps issued for ‘Implacable 26 Augt 1808’.

Frederick Servante was born on 19 March 1798, and Baptised at Barnstaple, Devon, in August 1799. He entered the Navy on 10 February 1808, not yet 10 years of age. He passed his examination in 1817, and on the occasion of his promotion, 26 February 1828, was appointed Supernumerary Lieutenant of the Sybille 48, bearing the broad pendant of Commodor Francis Augustus Collier on the coast of Africa, whence he returned in 1830. From 9 June, 1837, until 1845, he filled an appointment in the Coast Guard. He married, in July 1832, Susan, daughter of R. Chantrell, Esq., of Bruges, and died at Mount Barker, South Australia, on 30 April 1872, aged 74, his gravestone giving his rank as Commander R.N. It is recorded that he had arrived in Australia in the Murray in 1861, and during 1861-62 built a home in Dashwood Gully, near Adelaide, calling it Fernhill after a place in Essex, England.

H.M.S. Implacable, late Duguay Trouin

The Implacable was originally the French line-of-battle ship Duguay Trouin, launched at Rochefort in 1797. She was present at Trafalgar and was one of the four ships that escaped, only to be brought to action and captured by Sir Richard Strachan on 4 November 1805, and taken into the Royal Navy as the Implacable.

In August 1808, Sir Samuel Hood in Centaur, accompanied by Implacable Captain Thomas Byam Martin, joined Rear Admiral Nauckhoff and the Swedish fleet in Oro Roads and they all sailed from there on the 25th, in pursuit of the Russian fleet which had appeared off Sweden two days earlier. Due to their superior sailing, Centaur and Implacable were soon well in advance and closing on the Russians who appeared to be in disorder. By the morning of the 26th, Implacable was able to bring the leewardmost of the enemy’s line-of-battle ships, the Sewolod, 74, Captain Roodneff, to close action. After 20 minutes the enemy’s colours and pendant were lowered but the approach of the whole Russian force obliged Sir Samuel to recall Captain Martin. A Russian frigate took the crippled ship in tow but when the Russian Admiral hauled his wind, Centaur and Implacable gave chase and forced the frigate to slip her tow. The enemy ships again bore down in support but instead of engaging they entered the port of Rager Vik (also known as Port Baltic or Rogerswick). When boats were sent out to try and tow her in to harbour Centaur stood in and, after driving the boats off, ran across the bow of the Sewolod just as she was entering the harbour. The Centaur then lashed the Sewolod’s bowsprit to her mizen-mast and both ships soon drifted aground. The Russians refused to strike and the battle went on until the arrival of the Implacable finally induced the Russian ship to surrender. Implacable had to heave Centaur off. However, the prize was so firmly aground that after taking out the prisoners and wounded men, Sir Samuel ordered her to be burnt. Implacable lost six men killed and twenty-six wounded including two who did not recover and three who had limbs amputated. Centaur lost three killed and twenty-seven wounded, and the Sewolod 303 killed, wounded and missing.

In this battle she served under the direct orders of her old adversary Victory, now flying the flag of Admiral Sir James Saumarez.

The last major action of Implacable was at Syria in 1840, for which action her Captain, Edward Harvey, was awarded the St. Jean d'Acre medal in gold, together with a presentation sword from the Sultan of Turkey. These distinctions of gallantry were bestowed for the part played by Implacable during the capture of the fortress of Acre. This action was also commemorated by the clasp ‘Syria’ to the NGS medal. Captain Harvey was awarded the Syria clasp to his NGS medal, his second clasp, the first being ‘Camperdown’, a staggering 43 years battle service being shown between the two clasps.

In 1855 Implacable became a Royal Navy training ship being moored off Torpoint, where, together with Lion they formed part of the Devonport training establishment. Until her untimely end in December 1949, she had spent 150 years afloat, more years afloat than Victory. Her sterling service in the Royal Navy had proved a good return indeed for the original prize money paid out after her capture in 1805.

The Implacable would have survived until today had not the Admiralty wanted her berth to lay up redundant WW2 ships. In early December 1949, they had this distinguished hulk towed out to sea, to a point some nine miles south east of Selsey Bill, with orders that she be scuttled. A controlled charge of explosives was set by a naval party and with a loud muffled roar the old Trafalgar veteran simply settled down by one deck, still afloat in an upright position - she had defied destruction. The decision was then taken to radio Portsmouth and summon the powerful dockyard tug Alligator, a heavy workhorse which was ordered to come out and ram the old wooden hulk. The tug duly arrived and after several powerful rushes, the Implacable turned over and slipped slowly beneath the waves. She was the last surviving French man-of-war that fought at Trafalgar and on the occasion of her destruction she flew the French Tricolor alongside the Royal Navy White Ensign. A Petty Officer from the Destroyer Finisterre who observed her final end related that the crew around him fell silent as they witnessed her sinking.