Description
Naval General Service Medal, bar Algiers, Private William Chorley, Royal Marines, HMS Impregnable, the most heavily battered ship taking over 200 casualties in the 1816 Bombardment of Algiers.
William Chorley first joined the Royal Marines during 1813 aged 18, a few months later his younger brother James followed him aged just 15. The 2 of them were then posted to active service on HM Ships to take part in the Bombardment of Algiers, to put an end to the “Babarby Pirates” of Algiers.
William would serve on board HMS Impregnable, the Flagship of Rear Admiral Milne, who took the heaviest toll of all the ships present, sustaining about 200 of the 750 casualties to the British Fleet.
Nearby was HMS Superb, where his brother was fighting on board nearby.
He went on to serve 22 years in the Royal Marines, taking his discharge 2 decades later in 1835.
Both William and his Brother James lived to receive the Naval General Service Medal, bar Algiers, his brother’s medal also known to survive, the only 2 Chorleys to receive the medal.
Officially impressed: “William Chorley”
Confirmed on the medal roll, a unique name. With copy pay list entries noting his service.
Provenance: Ex Seabys May 1955.
Coincidentally also at the battle was his Brother, James Chorley, who happened to also be a Royal Marine at the Bombardment of Algiers, living to claim the medal for service on HMS Superb. Both medals exist, his brother’s medal being sold by “Hall” during December 1980.
During the extensive Bombardment of Algiers, the allied British & Dutch fleet sustained heavy casualties totalling about 17% of the total men employed. They were up against a heavily defended bay guarded by seaward facing batteries with about 224 Cannons and various Pirate Ships.
The highest of all the casualties was sustained by Chorley’s ship HMS Impregnable, out of the 141 Killed & 742 wounded to the British, the lion’s share was sustained by Impregnable, who lost 50 Killed and over 160 wounded.
William Chorley was born in Wivelscombe, Somerset circa 1794.
He first attested for service in the R.M. on 11th January 1813, aged about 18. He had worked as a Shoe Maker and was signed on at Taunton by a Lieut Parkin.
His younger brother James, also born in Wivelscombe, followed into the Royal Marines on 2nd April 1813, aged 15, having worked as a Lath Maker he was also signed on at Taunton by Lieut Parker.
For the expedition to take on the Barbary Pirates of Algiers, HMS Impregnable was commissioned for service from 5th July 1816 to 26th June 1817.
William was amongst a batch of Royal Marines posted from Plymouth Head Quarters who joined the ship on 9th July 1816.
He is also traced to have served on board HMS Trinculo between 20th April 1830 until 20th April 1831
William went on to see remarkably long service with the Royal Marines, not being discharged until 18th September 1835 for “Service above 21 years at his own request”.
HMS IMPREGNABLE AT ALGIERS
The following letter was sent home from the Battle by a young wounded Midshipman on HMS Impregnable, published in the Morning Post on 27th September 1816:
“The Leander has brought a great number of letters from Lord Exmouth’s squadron. Those for the London district were delivered yesterday. the following is an extract of one written by a Midshipman of HMS Impregnable, Rear Admiral Milne’s Flagship, who has been nearly 4 years at sea in constant hard service and is now only 15 years old:
“His Majesty’s Ship Impregbnable, August 29th, Algiers Bay,
” Dear Father,—I am happy to say I have the honour of being wounded in this the hardest action which has been fought for the last ten years. We have between 50 and 60 killed, and about 160 wounded. It is impossible to describe the heat and fury of the cannonade. For the first hour it was dreadful, and deprived me of my hearing; but I recovered it shortly after, and soon got used to the work.
We have four and twenty shot between wind and water, eight shot in the main mast, and five in the fore-mast. Main-top-mast shot away. All our standing and running rigging shot away. We are the worst cut up of all the ships in the squadron. The Leander has also suffered severely.
The pirates shewed great bottom and some skill, and spanked away at a fine rate. The ship’s company, officers, men, and boys, behaved in a most gallant manner, many of the men near me singing and laughing while the thunder was rattling at them. You will hardly believe that we have but one officer killed, and two wounded. My old friend and companion on board the Berwick, and my messmate in this ship, Hawkins, were killed, and Wesley and myself wounded.
My wound is in the right arm; it is a contusion, and as you may see, has spoiled my writing. The whole thing was glorious. I have not yet seen the regular returns of killed and wounded. Seven were killed and 13 wounded within a few yards of me, all in less than ten minutes, about an hour after the Impregnable was nobly laid alongside a mountain of batteries.
They all say that the Algerines were assisted by a number of French engineers. The Dutch shewed as much bottom and steadiness as the best of us. The Rear Admiral and Captain Bruce were every where exposing themselves to every danger, but they were only directing and superintending, for we did not want encouragement. Some of the men, though badly wounded, would not go below.”
