A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Yule, Robert
YULE. (Retired Commander, 1840. f-p., 15; h-p., 37.)
Robert Yule died 10 Feb. 1849, at Southsea.
This officer entered the Navy, 27 Sept. 1795, as Midshipman, on board the Scipio 64, Capts. Robt. M‘Douall, Fras. Laforey, and Chas. Sydney Davers; and in the following year was present at the taking of Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice. After further serving in the West Indies in the Experiment 44, Capts. John Barrett and John Griffin Saville, he joined, in Dec. 1797, the Brilliant 28, Capt. Hon. Henry Blackwood, under whom he took part, in 1798, in a very spirited engagement with the French 40-gun frigates Vertu and Régenrée. On 31 March, 1800, having removed with Capt. Blackwood to the Penelope 36, he assisted (while at the blockade of Malta) at the hard-wrought capture of Le Guillaume Tell of 84 guns and 1000 men, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Decrès. He continued to serve in the same frigate, under Capt. Wm. Robt. Broughton, until April, 1802, the latter part of the time as Acting-Lieutenant; he was promoted by the Admiralty 2 Oct. ensuing; and he was afterwards appointed – 20 Jan. 1804, again to the Experiment, Capt. Geo. Chas. Mackenzie, on the Home station – 28 May, 1805, to the Egyptienne 40, Capts. Hon. Chas. Elphinstone Fleeming and Hon. Chas. Paget, part of the force under Sir Robt. Calder in the action with the combined fleets off Cape Finisterre – 20 March, 1807, to the Jupiter 50, Capt. Henry Edw. Reginald Baker, in which ship he sailed with convoy for the East Indies, and was wrecked during his passage home on a reef of rocks off Vigo, 10 Dec. 1808 – 21 June, 1809, to the Illustrious 74, Capt. W. K. Broughton, under whom he accompanied the expedition to the Scheldt (where he was intrusted with the command of a gun-boat), and co-operated in the reduction of the Isle of France and Java – 25 Dec. 1813 (he had invalided from the Illustrious at the close of 1811), to the Téméraire prison-ship, Lieut.-Commander John Wharton, lying at Plymouth – and, 25 March, 1814, to the personal command, for a few weeks, of the Atlas prison-ship at Portsmouth. He was placed on the list of Retired Commanders 12 Feb. 1840.