Ex Hayward, June 1975.

The published Naval General Service Medal rolls confirm Francis Rich as Carpenter's Crew aboard the Victorious for the action of 22.2.1812, one of just 67 recipients of this clasp on the Admiralty roll.

For one of the finest actions commemorated by the Naval General Service Medal, namely the capture of the French 74-gun Frigate Rivoli, and the destruction of the Corvette Mercure, in the Gulf of Trieste, off Venice on 22.2.1812:

'Having by my last report of the state of the enemy's ships, apprised their Lordships that the Rivoli of 74 guns, recently launched at Venice, was in readiness to put to sea; I have now great satisfaction in announcing her capture by His Majesty's Ship Victorious, after a severe contest of five hours, on the 21st ultimo ... The great disparity of force sufficiently bespeaks the merits of the captors, the Rivoli having 862 men at the commencement of the action, while the crew of the Victorious was reduced to 506, of whom 60 were in the sick list. The loss has been very severe on both sides, upwards of 400 having been killed and wounded on the part of the enemy, and 42 men killed, and 99 wounded, on the part of the Victorious...' (Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew's Despatch of 29.3.1812 refers).

Francis Rich was wounded in the above action (Captain Talbot's Despatch of 9.5.1812, as published in the London Gazette, refers).