It was at 6 o'clock on 9^th January 1825 that a cutter called the Fanny en route from St Malo to St Helier ran onto the rocks behind Elizabeth Castle. Although Captain Destouches knew the waters the storm was causing him all sorts of problems. As there was no organised lifeboat at that time it was up to volunteers to try to rescue the passengers and crew. Philippe, François and Jean De Ste Croix and Philip Nicolle organised a boat which made two trips out to the wreck where they saved 13 passengers. Unfortunately five drowned before they could be saved.

He was the last man to be publicly hanged from the gallows on West Mount. His last view of his island home was Elizabeth Castle and the scene of his heroism.