MASSIE. (Retired Commander, 1840. f-p., 15; h-p., 35.)
Henry George Massie entered the Navy, 15 Jan. 1797, as A.B., on board the Nassau 64, Capts. Herbert Sawyer and Edw. O’Bryen; on accompanying the latter of whom, as Midshipman, into the Monarch 74, he was afforded an opportunity of sharing, under the flag of Vice-Admiral Rich. Onslow, in the action off Camperdown, 11 Oct. in the same year, 1797. He continued in the Monarch with Vice-Admiral Archibald Dickson, on the North Sea station until March, 1800, and then joined the Hebe frigate, Capts. Wm. Birchall and Geo. Reynolds, attached to the force in the Mediterranean, where, on his removal to the Foudroyant 80, bearing the flag of Lord Keith, he took part in the operations of 1801 on the coast of Egypt. In Dec. 1803, nearly five months after he had left the ship last named, he was received on board the Neptune 98, Capts. Wm. O’Brien Drury and Sir. Thos. Williams; in which ship, and in the Monarch and Edgar 74’s, bearing the flag of Lord Keith, we find him continuously employed, in the Channel, until there nominated, 7 July, 1806, Acting-Lieutenant of the Daphne, Lieut.-Commander Price. He was officially promoted 9 Sept. following; and was subsequently appointed – 13 Nov. 1806, to the Flying Fish, Lieut.-Commander Goodwin, from which vessel, after witnessing the unsuccessful attack upon Buenos Ayres, he invalided in Sept. 1807 – 17 March, 1809, to the Africa 64, Capts. Loftus Otway Bland and Geo. Fred. Ryves, stationed in the Baltic – 14 Jan. 1811, to the Royal William flag-ship at Spithead of Sir Roger Curtis and Sir Rich. Bickerton – and, 6 Feb. 1813, to the Prospero sloop, Capt. John Hardy Godby, in the North Sea. He went on half-pay in the following Sept., and accepted his present rank 5 Oct. 1840. Agent – J. Hinxman.
MASSIE. (Lieutenant, 1838. f-p., 22; h-p., 2.)
John Bevis Massie, born 5 Sept. 1809, is brother of Capt. Thos. L. Massie, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 26 July, 1823, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Queen Charlotte 100, commanded at Portsmouth by Capt. J. Nash; and from the following Nov. until Oct. 1825 was employed on particular service in the Phaeton 46, Capt. Hen. Evelyn Pitfield Sturt. He then became Midshipman of the Icarus 10, Capt. Hon. Wm. Waldegrave, lying at Portsmouth; but had not been many weeks in that vessel before he was transferred to the Procris 10, commanded at first by Capt. Waldegrave and next by Capts. Chas. Henry Paget, Sir Thos. Sabine Pasley, and John Thos. Talbot; with whom, it appears, he served on the North Sea, Cork, and Mediterranean stations until July, 1832 – the last three years in the capacity of Mate. Being next, in April, 1833, received on board the Malabar 74, Capt. Hon. Josceline Percy, he returned to the Mediterranean, where he continued employed under that officer in the Canopus 84, until Feb. 1837. In the ensuing Oct. we find him joining the Donegal 78, flag-ship at Lisbon of Sir John Acworth Ommanney. He attained the rank of Lieutenant 28 June, 1838; and has been since appointed – 15 Nov. 1838, to the Daphne 18, Capt. John Windham Dalling, under whom he partook of the operations of 1840 on the coast of Syria – 15 July, 1842, and 15 April, 1844, to the Queen 110, and, as Senior Lieutenant to the Formidable 84, bearing each the flag of Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen in the Mediterranean, whence he returned and was paid off at the close of 1845 – and 22 Jan. 1846, also as First, to the Grampus 50, Capt. Henry Byam Martin, now in the Pacific. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
MASSIE. (Captain, 1841. f-p., 20; h-p., 9.)
Thomas Lecke Massie entered the Navy 28 Oct. 1818, as Midshipman, on board the Rochfort 80, Capt. Andrew Pellet Green, bearing the flag of Sir Thos. Fras. Fremantle and Sir Graham Moore in the Mediterranean; where he continued, until the spring of 1828, to serve in the Redpole 10, Capt. R. Anderson, Rochfort again, Capt. Chas. Marsh Schomberg, Columbine 18, Capt. Hon. Chas. Abbot, Martin 18, Capt. Henry Eden, Rose 18, Capts. Hon. C. Abbot and Lewis Davies, and Asia 84, Capt. Sir Edw. Codrington. While in the Columbine, which vessel was totally lost off Sapienza, near the Morea, 25 Jan. 1824; we find him employed in several boat-attacks on the pirates in the vicinity of Cape Matapan; particularly on one occasion, when he took command of the pinnace and assisted in capturing one vessel and destroying another. He was present in the Martin, in Sir Harry Neale’s demonstration before Algiers; and when in the Rose during the Greek revolution, he was again anti-piratically employed, and obtained mention for his conduct in an attack upon several vessels at Samothracia. As a reward for his behaviour in the Asia at the battle of Navarin, Mr. Massie was promoted to a death-vacancy in that ship, and his commission dated 11 Nov. 1827. His subsequent appointment, in the capacity of Lieutenant were – 25 June, 1828, and 19 Feb. 1830, as a Supernumerary, to the Ramillies and Talavera Coast Blockade ships, Capts. Hugh Pigot and David Colby – 7 April, 1831, to the Prince Regent 120, Capt. Jas. Whitley Deans Dundas, employed in the Channel and under the flag of Rear-Admiral Wm. Parker off Lisbon – 27 June, 1832, as Senior, for the purposes of a trial-cruize, to the Vernon 50, Capt. Sir Fras. Augustus Collier – 8 Jan. 1833, in a similar capacity, to the Satellite 18, Capt. Robt. Smart, stationed in the North Sea with the force off Antwerp, and in South America, where he remained three years – 7 June, 1836, to the Vanguard 80, Capt. Hon. Duncombe Pleydell Bouverie, part of an experimental squadron – and, 22 Nov. 1836, again as First, to the Carysfort 26, Capt. Henry Byam Martin, in the Mediterranean. He attained the rank of Commander 28 June, 1838; and, being appointed Second-Captain, 7 March, 1840, of the Thunderer 84, Capt. Maurice Fred. Fitzhardinge Berkeley, was present in the course of that year at the camp at D’Journi, and at the bombardment of Beyrout, the storming of Sidon, and the capture of St. Jean d’Acre. On the fall of Sidon Capt. Massie went on shore, and assisted in organizing the police, and putting the place in a state of defence – a service that procured him the approbation of Capt. Berkeley. For his conduct at Acre he was advanced (as soon as he had completed his term of servitude as Commander) to Post-rank, by commission dated 17 March, 1841. He has since been on half-pay.
In 1839, Capt. Massie and several other officers were sent out to assist in reconstructing the Turkish fleet; but, in consequence of some political change, they were under the necessity of returning at the end of six months. Capt. Massie married, 8 Feb. 1844, Charlotte Hester, only daughter of E. V. Townshend, Esq., of Wincham Hall, Cheshire.
MASSINGBERD. (Commander, 1842. f-p., 18; h-p., 7.)
Vincent Amcotts Massingberd is a relative of Algernon Langton Massingberd, Esq., of Gunby Hall, co. Lincoln, whose maternal grandfather, Henry Massingberd, Esq., was a son (with Capt. Thos. Massingberd, R.N., of Candlesby House, co. Lincoln) of Thos. Massingberd, Esq., by Elizabeth Emerson, sister of Sir Walter Amcotts, Bart.
This officer entered the Navy, 21 June, 1822, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Ariadne 28, Capt. Coustantine Rich. Moorsom, and sailed for the Cape of Good Hope, where, in 1824, he exchanged, with the same Captain, into the Andromache 46. In Sept. 1825, having returned to England, he followed Capt. Moorsom, as Midshipman, into the Prince Regent 120, bearing the flag of Sir Robt. Moorsom at Chatham. In the summer of 1826 he was discharged into the Jasper 10, fitting for the Mediterranean, on which station he continued employed,
