A Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840 to...

A Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840 to Gunner Robert Harris, H.M.S. Vanguard, clasp: Syria (ROBT HARRIS, GUNNER.), rim slightly bruised at 8 o'clock, good very fine.

Robert Harris joined the Royal Navy in June 1807, his first ship was the Halifax based in North America. In August 1807 Harris witnessed the hanging of Jenkin Ratford, a deserter captured on the USS Chesapeake, from a yardarm of the Halifax. In 1814 he was boatswain’s mate of the Boyne when it took part in a hot action against Romulus off Toulon. In 1815 Harris was bosun’s mate of the Cornwallis when it was sighted by the American ships Hornet and Peacock. Both ships identified the Cornwallis as a merchantman and closed with her. Cornwallis chased the Hornet for 3 days until, by throwing all their guns and other equipment overboard and aided by poor British gunnery, the Hornet eventually escaped. This incident was the last action of the War of 1812. Harris was the gunner on HMS Vanguard during the operations against Syria in 1840. He retired from the Navy in 1842 with over 35 years of service and died in Emsworth in 1873.