THE ARMY OF INDIA MEDAL WITH AVA CLASP TO LIEUTENANT (LATER COMMANDER) J.T. PAULSON, ROYAL NAVY WHO SAW SERVICE IN HOME WATERS AND THE WEST INDIES DURING THE CLOSING YEARS OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS AND THE ANGLO-AMERICAN WAR OF 1812-15 ABOARD HMS BARHAM (74 GUNS) AND HMS CORDELIA (10 GUNS), AND DURING THE ANGLO-BURMESE WAR OF 1824-26 ABOARD THE 18 GUN BRIG RIGGED SLOOP HMS SOPHIE. THE SOPHIE HERSELF ALSO A VETERAN OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN WAR OF 1812-15, DURING WHICH CAMPAIGN HMS SOPHIE WAS ONE OF THE ROYAL NAVY'S MOST SUCCESSFUL PRIZE-TAKING SHIPS, CAPTURING OR DESTROYING OVER 60 AMERICAN PRIVATEERS AND MERCHANTMEN. PAULSON'S FINAL SEAGOING POSTING, DURING A CAREER AFLOAT THAT TOOK HIM AS FAR AFIELD AS THE SOUTH PACIFIC, WAS IN 1842 IN COMMAND OF THE NAUTILUS, TENDER TO THE ROYAL YACHT, ROYAL GEORGE, FOR WHICH SERVICE HE WAS PROMOTED COMMANDER IN SEPTEMBER 1842 . Army of India Medal 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Ava (officially named, impressed in serifed block capitals: LIEUt. J.T. PAULSON). Small rim bruise at 6 o'clock to the initial "J" in naming (but letter still perfectly clear), otherwise attractively toned, Extremely Fine.
The India General Service Medal with Ava clasp was Commander Paulson's sole medal entitlement.
British Battles and Medals records a total of 306 Army of India Medals with Ava clasp awarded to the Royal Navy, including 26 to HMS Sophie (8 officers and 18 men).
Medal accompanied by brief copied 1 page service record, biographical and service details from O'Byrne's Naval Biographical Dictionary, extract 1851 census return, death notice and copied extract Army of India Medal roll, confirming medal and clasp for service as a Lieutenant aboard HMS Sophie during the Burma campaign of 1824-1826.
John Thomas Paulson (1800-1858), born in England, entered the Navy 16th March 1812 as a First Class Volunteer aboard HMS Barham. Appointed Midshipman July 1814, Paulson next saw service successively as Master's Mate, Second-Master, and Acting-Lieutenant, before being promoted Lieutenant 29th March 1822 and Commander, 21st September 1842. Paulson is recorded in the 1851 census as a 51 year old Commander, Royal Navy, resident as a lodger in a lodging house owned by Edward Winter, in the parish of St James, Westminster, Paulson confirming at the time of the census that he had been born in England. Commander Paulson died on 1/6/1858. At the time of his death he was resident at Prince's Place, Duke Street, St James's.
The following biographical and service details for Commander Paulson have been extracted from O'Byrne's Naval Biographical Dictionary and other sources:
John Thomas Paulson entered the Navy on 16 March 1812 as a First Class Volunteer on board the Barham, 74 guns Captain John William Spranger, employed at first in the Channel and afterwards among the Western islands and in the West Indies. In July 1814, he removed as Midshipman to the Cordelia 10 guns, Capt. William. Sargent, attached to the force on the Home Station, principally employed pursuing French privateers and protecting British merchant shipping in home waters; and he next, in April and August 1816, joined the Newcastle, 60 guns, flag-ship of Sir Pulteney Malcolm, and the Spey 20 guns, Captains. John Lake and James Arthur Murray, both at St. Helena, whence, in November 1817, he returned to England. From Feb. 1818 to April 1819, he again served on board the Spey, under Captains. White and Tattnall, on the Mediterranean station. In the following August, having passed his examination, he joined the Leander, 60 guns, Captains. Charles Richardson and Robert Gore, in which ship, having the flag in the East Indies of the Honorable Sir Henry Blackwood, he continued employed, as Midshipman, Master's Mate, Second-Master, and Acting-Lieutenant, until transferred with Captain Gore, about November 1822, in the capacity last mentioned, to the Satellite,18 guns. In that vessel he visited New South Wales. He was confirmed a Lieutenant 29 March 1822; and was subsequently appointed, 30 June following, to the Sophie 18 guns, Captains. Geo. French, Robert Graham Dunlop, and George Frederick Ryves, in which vessel, prior to his return to England in July,1824, he was afforded an opportunity of sharing, as First-Lieutenant, in the opening operations against the Burmese.
The HMS Sophie that Paulson's service records confirm him as having served aboard 18/7/1822 to 24/7/1824 was an 18-gun Cruizer class brig-rigged sloop, launched in 1809. She saw service initially during the Napoleonic Wars and the Anglo-American War of 1812-15. During the War of 1812-15 HMS Sophie participated in the economic war against American trade, capturing or destroying over 60 American privateeers and merchant vessels, and taking part in the unsuccessful attack on Fort Bowyer, Alabama. After seeing service during the war of 1812-15, HMS Sophie next saw service in the West Indies before sailing for the East Indies and seeing service in the First Anglo-Burmese War. During the Anglo-Burmese War of 1824-26, HMS Sophie saw service in a squadron of ships commanded by the future pioneer of nautical fiction, Captain Frederick Marryat, the squadron comprising HMS Larne, 20 guns, HMS Liffey, 50 guns, the paddle-steamer Diana and HMS Sophie. On 5/5/1824 the Larne, Liffey and Sophie sailed from Port Cornwallis in the Andaman Islands for Rangoon. There, along with other ships, on 11/5/1824, the squadron launched an attack on Rangoon. Afterwards, on 3rd June the Sophhie and Larne took part in an attack on the Kemmendine stockades at Rangoon, during which the Sophie lost one man drowned and 4 wounded. Between September 1824 and February 1825 HMS Sophie was engaged with other vessels in numerous minor operations in Burma, after which Sophie was detached for service in Malaya and subsequently, on 19/9/1824 the boats from HMS Sophie and HMS Diana took part in offensive operations against Penang. Returning to Burma, on 30/10/1824 HMS Sophie and HMS Arachne took part in an attack on Martaban, 100 miles east of Rangoon. Thereafter Sophie took part in the defence of Kemmedine, 30/11/1824, the destruction of Burmese war canoes at Pagoda Point, 8/12/1824, the attack on the stockades at Syriam, 11-12 January 1825, during which one of Sophie's crew was wounded, and the operations between 11th January and April 1825, during the capture of Ava. By the time HMS Sophie withdrew from the Burma operations, almost a quarter of her crew had become casualties as a result of enemy action or disease.
In 7 February 1829 Paulson transferred to the Seringapatam, 46 guns, Captain The Honorable. William Waldegrave, fitting for service in South America, and seeing service in the Pacific from May 1830 to April 1832.
During that voyage the Seringapatam's commanding officer, Captain William Waldegrave, kept a journal that was published in 1830, in which he recorded the ship's visits to Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, where he recorded his disgust at the natives' extreme promiscuity, Otaheite in the Society Islands, where he recorded that the ruling Queen Pomare was "16 years of age, but has no children", Raiatea, Tongatapu, Vava'u and the Friendly Islands.whence he came home and was paid off at the close of 1832.
15 January 1838, to the command, which he retained for nearly four years,of the Espoir, 10 guns, on the Lisbon station-and,
8 March, 1842 Paulson transferred to the Royal George, yacht, Captain Lord Adolphas FitzClarence, commanding HMS Nautilus, the tender to the Royal George, and in that capacity would have come into contact with Queen Victoria whenever she was brought ashore during her visit to Scotland in 1842 and it was perhaps for these services specifically that he was promoted Commander, 21st September 1842, after which he retired on half pay. He attained his present rank in honour of the Queen's visit to Scotland 21 September 1842; and has since been on half-pay.
The HMS Barham that Paulson saw service aboard 1812-13, during the Napoleonic and Anglo-American wars, was a 74 gun 3rd rate ship of the line launched in 1811. She was reduced to a 50 gun ship in 1826 and was broken up in 1839
The HMS Cordelia that Paulson saw service aboard as a Midshipman from July 1814 during the closing stages of the Napoleonic and Anglo-American wars, was a 16 gun brig-rigged sloop launched in 1808 and sold off in 1833. During Paulson's time aboard her she was principally employed pursuing French privateers and protecting British merchant shipping in home waters.
The HMS Newcastle that Paulson joined in April 1816 was a 50 gun fourth rate ship of the line, launched in 1813 and sold off in 1850.
The HMS Spey that Paulson served aboard from August 1816 and April 1819 was a 20 gun sloop launched in 1814 which was sold to the Colombian government in 1822.
The HMS Leander that Paulson joined in August 1819 was a 50 gun 4th rate ship of the line, launched in 1813 and sold off in 1850.
The HMS Satellite that Paulson saw service aboard during her voyage to Australia in 1822 was an 18 gun brig-sloop launched in 1812 and sold in 1824.
The HMS Sophie that Paulson's service records confirm him as having served aboard 18/7/1822 to 24/7/1824 was an 18-gun Cruizer class brig-rigged sloop, launched in 1809. She saw service initially during the Napoleonic Wars and the Anglo-American War of 1812-15. During the War of 1812-15 HMS Sophie participated in the economic war against American trade, capturing or destroying over 60 American privateeers and merchant vessels, and taking part in the unsuccessful attack on Fort Bowyer, Alabama (for a complete list of the ships captured or destroyed by HMS Sophie during the Anglo-Americal War see the Wikipedia entry for HMS Sophie).
After seeing service during the war of 1812-15, HMS Sophie next saw service in the West Indies before sailing for the East Indies and seeing service in the First Anglo-Burmese War. During the Anglo-Burmese War of 1824-26, HMS Sophie saw service in a squadron of ships commanded by the future pioneer of nautical fiction, Captain Frederick Marryat, the squadron comprising HMS Larne, 20 guns, HMS Liffey, 50 guns, the paddle-steamer Diana and HMS Sophie. On 5/5/1824 the Larne, Liffey and Sophie sailed from Port Cornwallis in the Andaman Islands for Rangoon. There, along with other ships, on 11/5/1824, the squadron launched an attack on Rangoon. Afterwards, on 3rd June the Sophhie and Larne took part in an attack on the Kemmendine stockades at Rangoon, during which the Sophie lost one man drowned and 4 wounded. Between September 1824 and February 1825 HMS Sophie was engaged with other vessels in numerous minor operations in Burma, after which Sophie was detached for service in Malaya and subsequently, on 19/9/1824 the boats from HMS Sophie and HMS Diana took part in offensive operations against Penang. Returning to Burma, on 30/10/1824 HMS Sophie and HMS Arachne took part in an attack on Martaban, 100 miles east of Rangoon. Thereafter Sophie took part in the defence of Kemmedine, 30/11/1824, the destruction of Burmese war canoes at Pagoda Point, 8/12/1824, the attack on the stockades at Syriam, 11-12 January 1825, during which one of Sophie's crew was wounded, and the operations between 11th January and April 1825, during the capture of Ava. By the time HMS Sophie withdrew from the Burma operations, almost a quarter of her crew had become casualties as a result of enemy action or disease. HMS Sophie was sold in the East Indies for £3,200 on 15 August 1825.
The HMS Seringapatam that Paulson's service papers record him as having seen service aboard, 7/2/1829 to 29/8/1832 was a 5th rate frigate, launched in 1829 and sold for breaking up at the Cape of Good Hope in 1873. She saw service in the Pacific, with Paulson aboard, from May 1830 to April 1832. During that voyage the ship's commanding officer, Captain William Waldegrave, kept a journal that was published in 1830, in which he recorded the ship's visits to Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, where he recorded his disgust at the natives' extreme promiscuity, Otaheite in the Society Islands, where he recorded that the ruling Queen Pomare was "16 years of age, but has no children", Raiatea, Tongatapu, Vava'u and the Friendly Islands.
The HMS Royal George that Paulson was attached to from 11/3/1842 to 29/9/1842 was a Royal yacht, launched in 1817 and last used in 1842 for Queen Victoria's Royal Visit to Scotland. She became an accommodation hulk in 1902 and was broken up in 1905. Service papers record that, whilst serving attached to the Royal George Paulson commanded the Nautilus, tender to the Royal George. In that capacity Paulson would have come into contact with Queen Victoria whenever she was brought ashore during her visit to Scotland in 1842, and it was perhaps for these services specifically that he was promoted Commander.
The Frederick Marryat (1792-1848), who commanded the squadron that HMS Sophie, with Paulson aboard, saw service in during the Burma campaign, was an early pioneer of nautical fiction, whose writings drew extensively on his service in the Royal Navy and the men he served alongside.
HMS Sophie was the name given to the fictional 14 gun brig-rigged sloop that was the first command of Jack Aubrey in Patrick O'Brien's novel "Master and Commander".
The Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence that Paulson served under aboard the Royal George during Queen Victoria's visit to Scotland in 1842 was Rear-Admiral Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence (1802-1856), cousin to Queen Victoria and the illegitimate son of Prince William, the third son of George III and future William IV (reigned 1830-37) and his mistress, Dorothea Jordan.
