His short, but distinguished, career culminated in service as first lieutenant of the frigate HMS Terpsichore and his death, aged 19, at the side of his commanding officer, Captain Richard Bowen, in the assault on Santa Cruz, Tenerife.
In a letter to his family,[2] Thorp gives a vivid account of the Juno's night-time arrival in Toulon on 11 January 1794 with a contingent of army onboard numbering half as many again as the ship's company, to provide urgently needed assistance for the occupying force under the command of Lord Hood, only to discover after anchoring that the English fleet had vacated Toulon, which was now under French occupation, escaping under point-blank fire from ships and shore batteries.
By the most surprising exertions of science and labour, on the part of the officers and men of the navy, several 18-pounders and other pieces were placed on an eminence of very difficult ascent, 700 feet above the level of the sea.
This rocky elevation, owing to its perpendicularity near its summit, was deemed inaccessible; but the seamen, by means of blocks and ropes, contrived to haul up the guns, each of which weighed about 42 hundred weight.
On the right was a descent of many hundred feet; and one false step would have led to eternity: on the left, were stupendous overhanging rocks, which occasionally served as fixed points for the tackle employed in raising the guns.
Aigle spent six months from May to October 1795 blockading French warships in the Turkish port of Smyrna (now Izmir) – a very unpopular operation because of its lack of opportunity for prizes and its unhealthy climate, with frequent outbreaks of the plague.
It was in that capacity that he served during the Terpsichore's solo encounter on 1 March 1797 with the partially disabled Spanish ship-of-the-line Santisima Trinidad (136 guns), largest warship afloat at that time, which was retreating from the Battle of Cape St Vincent.
[2] In July 1797, Terpsichore became part of the squadron under Rear-Admiral Nelson that sought to invade Tenerife and capture Santa Cruz, which was being used as a port of refuge by richly laden ships from the West Indies and beyond bound for Spain.
Thorp must have known the danger likely to be faced through his prior acquaintance of the mole when cutting out the Philippine frigate Principe Fernando three months earlier and wrote[2] a letter addressed to "My ever dear Parents, Brothers & Sister" saying: Going to storm Sta.
As I think there is a chance of my never returning I leave this directed to you expressing my gratitude and affection and the very high sense I have of your care and concern for me, and also to Lady Drake...In the subsequent action Terpsichore's boat sustained a direct hit from the battery and capsized in the heavy swell, several crew members drowning, but some of the party got ashore, took the mole battery, spiked its six 24-pounder guns[11] and were progressing towards the town when they were mown down by grapeshot fired from a cannon that had been relocated from one of the town's forts for that purpose earlier in the day.
Thereafter their careers followed similar courses until April 1796 when they were together as midshipmen on board Admiral Sir John Jervisʼ flagship HMS Victory, Thorp waiting to take the Lieutenantʼs examination and Gage having just passed it and awaiting promotion.
[2] Gage was known to Thorpʼs family, as in a letter to his sister Jane dated 18 April 1796 Thorp wrote: “Hall is likewise in Victory & has passed & I hope will soon be promoted.
He is very well & desires me to remember him to you and all at Goswick.”[2] Both men then served as lieutenants in ships of the Mediterranean Squadron under Sir John Jervis, sharing another coincidence in two unrelated events off Santa Cruz in Teneriffe with Thorp successfully cutting-out the Philippine frigate Principe Fernando overnight 17/18 April from Terpsichore and Gage leading the boats from HMS Minerve in company with those of HMS Lively in successfully cutting-out the French corvette Mutine on May 28.
Thorp's letters describing the escape from Toulon, the attack on the Mortella Tower and the siege of Saint-Florent, the blockade of Corsica, the capture of Calvi and the cutting out of the Principe Fernando are particularly noteworthy.