Ayliffe served aboard a captured French ship, HMS Egyptienne. Any additional information about Ayliffe's naval service would be appreciated.

From Wikipedia

French service
Egyptienne had started out as a 74-gun Third Rate but before she was launched she was modified into a heavy frigate instead. Instead of becoming a 74 of about 1700 tons French, or 1900 English, she became a frigate of 1430 tons English. She was reduced in length and breadth andwas pierced for 15 guns of a side on the main deck and 10 on the quarterdeck and forecastle, or 50 guns in total. When she was being fitted for sea, the foremost maindeck port was found too much in the bend of the bow to admit a gun. Hench Egyptienne received on board 28, instead of 30, long 24-pounders for her main deck, 12 long 8-pounders and two 36-pounder brass carronades for the quarterdeck, and four long 8-pounders and two 36-pounder brass carronades for the forecastle, for a total 48 guns. Her establishment was 400-450 men and boys.

In 1801 Napoleon required reinforcements in Egypt. The port of Toulon sent the two frigates Egyptienne and Justice, each each carrying troops and munitions. On 3 February they anchored in the old or western port of Alexandria.

The British discovered her in the harbour of Alexandria at the capitulation on 2 September 1801 after the fall of Alexandria. Captain Thomas Stephenson sailed her to Britain; on this voyage she carried Colonel Tomkyns Hilgrove Turner, who was bringing the Rosetta Stone to England. Egyptienne was added to the Royal Navy under her existing name and was fitted out at Woolwich in 1802. For British service the Admiralty ordered her armed with 28 long 24-pounders on the main deck, 12 24-pounder carronades and two long 9-pounder gunss on the quarterdeck, and four 24-pounder carronades and two long 9-pounders on the forecastle, for a total of 48 guns. Her establishment was 330 men and boys.

British service
She commissioned under Captain Charles Fleeming in April 1803. She initially in the English Channel and off the coast of France. Here , on 27 July, she captured the 16-gun French brig-sloop Epervier' in the Atlantic Ocean. The Royal Navy took Epervier into service under her existing name. Then on 30 August Egyptienne captured the 14-gun privateer Chiffonette. Then she sailed to St Helena escorting a convoy of ships. During this time Charles John Napier was a midshipman aboard Egyptienne. In later years, feeling that Fleeming had treated him badly, Napier challenged Fleeming to a duel; their seconds effected a reconciliation, so evading the duel.)

Egyptienne was present at the Battle of Cape Finisterre (1805), but did not participate in the engagement. While reconnoitering in advance of the fleet she captured a Danish merchant brig. After the battle she took the disabled 34-gun frigate San Rafaël into tow.

Captain Charles Elphinstone briefly took command in August 1805. On 3 October she captured the French brig-sloop Acteon, which the navy took into service under her own name.

Captain Charles Paget followed Elphinstone from December that year. Egyptienne's boats cut out the privateer Alcide from Muros on 8 March 1806. The British took her into service as Muros. Egyptienne then captured the 16-gun Actéon off Rochefort on 2 October.

On 24 December she and Captain Frederick Lewis Maitland's HMS Loire captured the 40-gun Libre off Rochefort. The French lost 20 men killed and wounded. Loire had no casualties but Egyptienne had 8 wounded, one mortally. Libre was badly damaged and had lost her masts so Loire took her in tow and reached Plymouth with her on 4 January 1806.

Fate
Egyptienne was paid off and put into ordinary on 5 May 1807. She then was fitted out as a receiving ship at Plymouth. She was finally sold for breaking up on 30 April 1817 for £2,810.

References
Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: the complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham. ISBN 9781861762818. OCLC 67375475.
Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 1861762461.
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Categories: Frigates of the Royal Navy | Ships built in France | 1790s ships