Derek George Montague Gardner, (British, 1914-2007)

The 32 gun HMS Daedalus in action with the 36 gun French frigate Prudente, 9th February 1799

The 32 gun HMS Daedalus in action with the 36 gun French frigate Prudente, 9th February 1799
signed 'Derek G.M./Gardner' (lower right)
watercolour
25 x 37.2cm (9 13/16 x 14 5/8in).

A note affixed to the reverse of the frame provides some additional information about the subject of the work:
'The action between the 12 pounder 32 gun frigate Daedalus and the French frigate Prudente took place in the Indian Ocean about 150 miles to the south east of where the city of Durban now stands. The Daedalus under Captain Henry Longbird Ball, brought the Prudente to close action after a five hour chase. The two ships then commenced an animated exchange of broadsides, the distance between them gradually lessening as they manoeuvred, but after an hour and a half the fire of the British ship became too much for the Frenchman who hauled down his colours at 1.21pm. The damage to the Daedalus was confined almost entirely to her masts and rigging, but the Prudente was not only cut up in masts, rigging and sails, but at the end of the action her hull was considerably shattered, so much so in fact that when she was finally brought into Table Bay as a prize the commanding officer at the Cape decided she was not worth repairing, so she was not taken into the Royal Navy.'