Philippe Pipon

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Philippe Pipon (1771-1829)




Royal Navy officer Philippe Pipon (1771–1829), the son of Thomas Pipon of La Moye, and Jeanne Pipon, was born at St Brelade on 14 June 1771

Career

Philippe joined the Navy, and served under Admiral Russell on the Diana. Though only a midshipman he was entrusted by the Admiral in 1792 (perhaps because of his knowledge of French) with the delicate task of landing at San Domingo, and demanding from the French Revolutionary Government, that was then in power, the life of a British Officer, whom they had condemned to death.

In 1801 he was in command of a force of boats that rowed into the harbour of Corunna, boarded the Neptuno, a new Spanish man-of-war of 20 guns, a gun-boat, and a merchant vessel, and towed them out to sea under a heavy fire. Admiral Cornwallis wrote in warm terms of "the merits of Lieutenant Pipon, who directed the enterprise with most becoming spirit and address".

He was promoted Commander in 1802, and appointed to the Kite. He was again mentioned in despatches for sailing into the harbour at Granville during Admiral Saumarez' bombardment, and silencing the guns that were threatening to destroy Saumarez' flagship, which had grounded on a shoal.

Later he commanded the Rose, and was advanced to post rank in 1808, and appointed to the Daphne. For the next five years he was employed in the Baltic, and then sailed in command of the Tagus to the South American station. There in June 1814 after a 250-mile chase, he overhauled the new French frigate, the Ceres, on her first cruise, shot away her mainmast, and added her to the British Navy.

Pitcairn Island

He then rounded Cape Horn in search of an American frigate that was harrying whalers. On this voyage he visited Pitcairn Island, and found the descendants of the mutiny of the Bounty. In 1824 he was appointed to the Britannia, and then his name drops out of the Navy List.

He died in Jersey on 7 December 1829, and was buried at St Brelade. He had married Elizabeth Dumaresq, daughter of Sir John, in 1802, and had two sons, Philippe (1811- ) and Robert (1814- ).

Family tree

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Descendants of Nicolas Pipon (1437)

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