A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wakem, Nicholas
WAKEM. (Lieutenant, 1815.)
Nicholas Wakem was born in 1795. He is nephew of Retired Capt. Robt. Tom Blackler, R.N. (Commander, 1811), who was wounded while serving as First-Lieutenant of the Iphigenia frigate, Capt. Henry Lambert, in the affair at Port Sud-Est, 24 Aug. 1810, and died 23 July, 1844, at Devonport, aged 64.
This officer entered the Navy, about 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the St. Nicholas, Lieut.-Commander Snow, prison-ship at Plymouth; where he removed as Midshipman to the Oiseau. From Nov. 1807 until Aug. 1813 he served in the West Indies, Mediterranean, and North Sea, in the York 74, Capts. Robt. Barton and Alex. Wilmot Schomberg; and between the latter date and Aug. 1816, when he was presented with a commission dated 20 March, 1815, he was employed off Cherbourg, on the coast of Africa, again in the Mediterranean, and at Sheerness, chiefly as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Créole 36, Capts. Robt. Forbes and Geo. Chas. Mackenzie, Clorinde 40, Capt. Sam. Geo. Pechell, and Bulwark 74, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Rowley. He assisted, in 1809, in the York, at the capture of Martinique, the Saintes, the 74-gun ship D’Haupoult, and Flushing. In the Créole, besides contributing to the capture of several slavers, we find him participating, 23 Jan. 1814, in a running action fought with much spirit for nearly two hours between her and the French 40-gun frigate Sultane; on which occasion the loss of the British amounted to 10 killed and 26 wounded, and that of the enemy to about 20 killed and 30 wounded. In the Clorinde Mr. Wakem was in attendance upon the unfortunate consort of George IV. during her visit to the Mediterranean in 1815-16. Since the receipt of his commission he has been on half-pay.