the enemy’s troops. On 12 Dec. 1811, he made prize, in the Désirée’s boats, of Le Brave French privateer, of 14 guns (pierced for 16) and 60 men, near the island of Schelling; [1] and in Sept. 1813 he commanded the boats of the Heligoland squadron (in conjunction with a flotilla under Lieut. Chas. Haultain) in a vigorous, although, from unforeseen circumstances, unsuccessful attack on eight Danish vessels lying at Busum, a small and intricate harbour, near the mouth of the Elbe. In consideration of the great and repeated commendation elicited by his judgment and gallantry he was promoted, 22 Jan. 1814, to the rank of Commander. His next and last appointment was, 18 Sept. 1828, to the Nimrod 20, on the Cork station. During a period of great disturbance on the west coast of Ireland he had the good fortune, by the “practical judgment, zeal, and ability he exhibited in the discharge of various arduous and peculiar duties,” to gain the unqualified approbation of the Commander-in-Chief, Rear-Admiral Hon. Sir Chas. Paget. On the latter striking his flag he was left senior officer on the station, and in that capacity was despatched by the Admiralty to the river Shannon for the purpose of co-operating with Major-General Sir Thos. Arbuthnott in checking the riotous proceedings of the “Terry-Alts” in co. Clare. To enable him more effectually to discharge his duties he was created a Magistrate for cos. Limerick and Clare; and so ably did he acquit himself that on the restoration of order rendering his presence no longer necessary, he was presented, on the eve of his departure for England, with an address, signed by 58 of the magistrates and gentlemen in the vicinity, eulogizing in the highest degree his unceasing vigilance and his active, judicious, and unremitting exertions, indicating, also, the warmest gratitude for the means he had been of recalling tranquillity, and expressing in the strongest manner a hope that in the event of future circumstances requiring the presence of a ship-of-war, “his intimate knowledge of the localities of the country, the complete success of the enterprise committed to him, and the admirable conduct and discipline of the officers and men under his command, might point him out to his Majesty’s Government as the fittest person to entrust with a similar commission.” His conduct occasioned his being likewise recommended by the Viceroy of Ireland, the Marquis of Anglesey, to Sir Jas. Graham, the First Lord of the Admiralty. He paid the Nimrod off 2 March, 1832, and on 31 May following was advanced to his present rank.
He was nominated a K.H. 25 Jan. 1836. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
RADFORD. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11; h-p., 33.)
William Radford was born 9 Nov. 1780. This officer entered the Navy, in March, 1803, as A.B., on board the Helena 18, Capt. Woodley Losack, on the Cork station, where he removed as Midshipman, in 1805, to the Druid 32, Capts. Philip Bowes Vere Broke and Hon. John Astley Bennet, and continued employed until transferred, in Feb. 1807, to the Raven sloop, Capt. Grant. In the Helena he assisted at the capture, 5 June, 1805, of the Santa Leocadia Spanish privateer of 14 guns and 114 men; and in the Druid he aided in taking, among other vessels, the Prince Murat, privateer of 18 guns, and Le Pandour national brig of similar force. The Prince Murat he conducted safely as Prize-Master into Plymouth, although pursued on his passage by a French squadron, from whom he succeeded in effecting his escape by hoisting French colours instead of English, and disguising his men in the red caps and dresses belonging to the prisoners. Joining, in April, 1807, the Hydra 38, Capt. Geo. Mundy, he contributed, 1 Aug. in that year, to the capture of three armed feluccas (the Prince Eugène of 16 guns and 130 men, Belle Caroline of 10 guns and 40 men, and Rosario of 4 guns and 20 men) lying in the narrow harbour of Begu, on the coast of Catalonia, under the protection of a battery mounting 4 26-pounders, a tower, and a considerable land-force. He co-operated subsequently with the patriots on the coast of Spain, and was in particular active at the blockade of Barcelona. In Nov. 1810, while absent in a felucca which he had recently assisted in cutting out, he was captured by the French schooner-of-war Éclair, carried a prisoner to Nice, and thence marched into France, where he remained until the peace of 1814. He was advanced to the rank of Lieutenant 22 Feb. 1815, but has not been since able to procure employment. Lieut. Radford is the author of a work on the subject of Naval Architecture, presenting many points of attraction. For many years past he has been connected with iron and coal mine works in South Wales. He married, in May, 1827, Miss Ann Weaver, of the city of Hereford, a relative of Major Weaver, R.M., and was left a widower 29 Jan. 1829. Agents – Case and Loudonsack.
WALDEGRAVE, C.B. (Rear-Admiral of the White, 1841. f-p., 17; h-p., 36.)
The Right Honourable Granville George Waldegrave, Lord Radstock, born 24 Sept. 1786, is eldest son of William Waldegrave, Lord Radstock, Admiral of the Red, G.C.B.[2] (whom he succeeded as second Baron 20 Aug. 1825), by Cornelia, second daughter of David Van Lennap, Esq., Chief of the Dutch factory at Smyrna; and brother of Capt. Hon. Wm. Waldegrave, R.N. (1828), who died 20 Dec. 1838.
This officer (whose name had been borne in 1794 on the books of the Courageux 74, commanded by his father) embarked, in 1798, as Midshipman, on board the Agincourt 64, Capt. John Bligh, bearing the flag of his parent at Newfoundland, where he remained until June, 1800. He then joined the
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1811, p.2427.
- ↑ William Waldegrave, second son of John, third Earl of Waldegrave, was born 9 July, 1753, and entered the Navy about 1766, under the auspices of Commodore Spry. la 1775 he obtained command of the Zephyr sloop; he was made Post, 30 May, 1776, into the Rippon 60, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Edward Vernon in the East Indies; and he afterwards commanded the Pomone 28, Prudente of 38 guns and 280 men, Phaeton 38, and Majestic and Courageux 74’s. In the Pomone he made prize of the Cumberland, a notorious American privateer of 20 guns and 170 men; and in the Prudente, aided to a certain extent by the Licorne 32, he succeeded in capturing, 4 July, 1780, the French frigate La Capricieuse of 32 guns, pierced for 44, with a complement of 308 men, more than 100 of whom, in the course of an obstinate contest of four hours, were either killed or wounded, with a loss to the Prudente of 17 killed and 28 wounded. He afterwards, in the same ship, took L’Américain privateer of 32 guns and 245 men, accompanied Admiral Darby to the relief of Gibraltar, assisted under Admiral Kempenfeld in capturing part of a French convoy under M. de Guichen, and obtained possession of another privateer, the Boulogne of 16 guns. With the exception of a short time in 1790, during which he commanded the Majestic, Capt. Waldegrave was on half-pay from 1783 until 1793. He then, in the Courageux, accompanied Vice-Admiral Hotham to the Mediterranean, and after the occupation of Toulon was ordered to England with Lord Hood’s despatches. On his arrival he was sent back with instructions for that nobleman’s further guidance. He was nominated a Colonel of Marines 11 April, 1794; was advanced, 4 July following, to the rank of Rear-Admiral; hoisted his flag, in May, 1795, on board the Minotaur 74, as Commander of a squadron ordered to cruize to the westward; became a Vice-Admiral 1 June in the same year; and sailed a few months afterwards for the Mediterranean, with his flag on board the Barfleur 98. In the spring of 1796 he was sent with five ships of the line to conduct a negotiation of great delicacy with the Dey of Tunis. He subsequently fought, as third in command, in Sir John Jervis’ action with the Spanish fleet off Cape St. Vincent 14 Feb. 1797. For his cool, steady, and meritorious conduct on that memorable occasion he was offered a baronetcy, which he declined, as being inferior to the rank he held as an Earl’s son. He was shortly afterwards appointed Commander-in-Chief at Newfoundland, where he remained for three years; and on 29 Dec. 1800 was raised to the peerage of Ireland, as Baron Radstock, of Castle Town, Queen’s County. In April, 1802, he became a full Admiral. About the same period he was nominated Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies, but in consequence of the cessation of hostilities he did not accept the appointment. He was created a G.C.B. 2 Jan. 1815, and died an Admiral of the Red, as above, 20 Aug. 1825.
