94
BLURTON—BLYTH—BOARDMAN.
of the French frigate Volontaire of 46 guns; then accompanied the expedition to the Rio de la Plata, where he took an active part in all the operations terminating with the evacuation of Spanish America by the British about Sept. 1807; and, in Sept. 1809, gained particular notice for his steadiness and good conduct at the taking of the town and shipping of St. Paul’s, in Ile Bourbon, on which occasion he received charge of La Caroline frigate, one of the captured ships. Lieut. Bluett subsequently served, from 8 July to 3 Sept. 1811, in the Impregnable 98, lying at Sheerness – from 10 March to 22 Sept. 1814, as Senior, in the Princess Caroline 74, Capt. Hugh Downman, employed in the North Sea and off Greenland – and from 27 March to 15 Dec. 1815, again in the Impregnable, bearing the flag of Sir Josias Rowley in the Mediterranean. He was advanced to his present rank 6 Dec. 1816; but has not since been employed.
BLURTON. (Lieutenant, 1812.)
George Blurton entered the Navy, 10 Dec. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Thisbe armée en flûte, Capt. Lewis Shepheard. In 1807, after serving on the Mediterranean and Home stations, he attended Lieut.-Gen. Whitelocke to Buenos Ayres; and, on his return, we find him employed for 17 months as Midshipman in the Zebra and Alaart sloops, both commanded by Capt. Jas. Tillard. He then rejoined Capt. Shepheard in the Brazen 18, commanded afterwards by Capt. Rich. Plummer Davies, on the West India station, where he was confirmed to a Lieutenancy, 7 Feb. 1812, in the Polyphemus 64, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Bartholomew Sam. Rowley. His subsequent appointments afloat were – 23 April, 1813, to the Clio sloop, Capt. Wm. Farington, employed on the Home station – and, 22 Nov. 1815, as Senior, to the Mutine 18, Capts. Jas. Mould and Wm. Sargent, under the former of whom he fought at Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816. He went on half-pay in April, 1817; obtained, in 1820, an appointment in the Coast Guard; and, since 28 July, 1838, has been in command of the Semaphore station at Godalming. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
BLYTH. (Lieut, 182.5. f-p., 22; h-p., 18.)
Charles Blyth, born 17 Sept. 1795, is ninth son of the late Wm. Blyth, Esq., of Sneeting Hall, Kirby, near Colchester.
This officer entered the Navy, in July, 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the King George, hired cutter, for the purpose of joining the Defence 74, Capt. Chas. Ekins, previously to which, however, he served with the in-shore squadron at the bombardment of Copenhagen, and was for a short time attached to the Prince of Wales 98, bearing the flag of Lord Gambler, and Spencer 74, Capt. Hon. Robt. Stopford. In Dec. following he at length joined his appointed ship, but soon returned to the Spencer, and, on the latter being paid off, in Dec. 1808, was transferred to the Indefatigable 40, Capt. John Tremayne Rodd, one of the ships employed at the destruction of the French squadron in Aix Roads, in April, 1809. In 1810 Mr. Blyth became Midshipman of the Scipion 74, bearing the flag of Hon. R. Stopford, from which ship, after assisting at the reduction of Java in Aug. 1811, he accompanied the same officer into the Lion 64. He next joined the President 38, Capts. Fras. Mason and Archibald Duff, under the former of whom he appears to have been very actively engaged at the siege of St. Sebastian, in Aug. and Sept. 1813, where he commanded the President’s 10-oared cutter, one of the few boats that effected a landing at the storming of Santa Clara. Mr. Blyth, who passed his examination in Oct. 1814, subsequently served in the York 74, Capt. Alex. Wilmot Schomberg, on the Irish station; Niger 38, Capt. Sam. Jackson, on the coast of North America; from 1821 to 1824, as Acting-Lieutenant, and Mate in charge of chronometers, in the Bustard 10, and Ringdove 18, Capts. Martin Jas. Wigston, and Edwin Ludlow Rich, in the West Indies; and, lastly, the Britomart 10, Capts. Octavius Vernon and Thos. Stephenson, of which vessel he was created a Lieutenant 9 Feb. 1825. He invalided m 1826; and, since 2 Dec. 1843, has been employed in the Coast Guard.
Lieut. Blyth married, in Dec. 1829, Miss Jane M‘Dowell, of Ballymena, co. Antrim, by whom he has issue six children.
BOARDMAN. (Lieut., 1809. f-p., 17; h-p., 29.)
Robert Ball Boardman entered the Navy, 1 July, 1801, as Fst.-cl. Boy, on board the Actaeon sloop, Capt. Philip Hue, and in March, 1802, joined the Cruizer 18, Capt. John Hancock. Under the latter officer, during a continuance of three years on the North Sea station, we find him bearing part, as Midshipman, in many encounters with the enemy, especially, on 16 May, 1804, in the Croizer’s gallant engagement of six hours and a half with a division of the French flotilla, consisting of 59 sail, passing along-shore from Flushing to Ostend, whose fire occasioned her a loss of 1 man killed and 4 wounded; and in her close action, 23 Oct. following, with a praam, which was completely silenced in less than an hour and a half. Mr. Boardman also contributed to the capture of several privateers, and, among others, on 17 Nov. 1804, of the notorious Contre Amiral de Magom, of 17 guns and 84 men. He next joined the Ville de Paris first-rate, bearing the flag in the Channel of Hon. Wm. Cornwallis, and, in May, 1806, the Montagu 74, Capts. Robt. Waller Otway and Rich. Hussey Moubray, on the Mediterranean station, where, under the former officer, he assisted at the evacuation of Scylla, 17 Feb. 1808, and in the subsequent co-operations with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia. Being confirmed a Lieutenant, 19 May, 1809, in the Fame 74, Capts. Rich. Hen. Alex. Bennett and Phipps Hornby, he was afterwards appointed, in that capacity – 13 Nov. 1810, to La Belle Poule 38, Capts. Jas. Brisbane, Geo. Harris, and Fras. Baker,under the first of whom he witnessed the destruction, 5 May, 1811, despite many severe obstacles, of a French 18-gun brig in the small harbour of Parenza[1] – and, 16 Sept. 1815, to the Bacchus brig, Capts. Wm. Hill and John Pengelly Parkin, employed on the East India station. He was paid off, 3 June, 1818, and has not since been employed.
Lieut. Boardman, having lost his first wife in 1838, married, secondly, 24 July, 1839, the widow of the late Commander Robt. Andoe, R.N.
BOARDMAN. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 11; h-p., 33.)
Thomas Boardman entered the Navy, 31 Dec. 1803, as a Supernumerary, on board the Princess floating battery, Capt. Sam. Colquitt, stationed at Liverpool; was next employed, as Fst.-cl. Vol. and Midshipman, in the Bonetta sloop, Capts. Savage and Probyn, off Boulogne and in the North Sea; joined, in May, 1805, the Eurydice 24, Capt. Wm. Hoste; and from Oct. following until 4 Jan. 1811, with the interval of a few months in 1810, when we find him in the Centaur 74, flag-ship off Toulon of Sir Sam. Hood, served with the same Captain, part of the time as Master’s Mate, in the Amphion 32. While in that ship he witnessed the invasion of Calabria in July, 1806, and, on 30 of the same month, a successful attack upon the important fortress of Cotrone; was present, 12 May, 1808, in a spirited engagement of some hours with the batteries in the Bay of Rosas in an attempt to capture from under their protection the French frigate-built 800-ton store-ship Balleine, mounting from 26 to 30 guns, with a crew of about 150 men; and, on 27 Aug. 1809, served in the boats under Lieut. Chas. Geo. Rodney Phillott, at the gallant destruction of the fort of Cortelazzo, near Trieste, and capture of a number of gun-boats and merchantmen anchored for safety beneath its walls.[2] On leaving the Amphion, Mr. Boardman became Acting-Lieutenant of the Acorn 18, Capts. Robt. Clephane, Fairfax Moresby, and Geo. Miller Bligh, but soon after-
