► Royal Navy ► Obituaries
The following obituary for William Arthur appeared in the Times newspaper.
| Obituary in the Times newspaper | |
| Date | Obituary |
| 18 November 1886 | Rear-Admiral W. Arthur, C.B., whose death at the age of 56 we have to record to-day, was born on July 4,1830, and entered the Navy as cadet in July, 1845. He became sub-lieutenant in 1851, lieutenant in 1854, commander in 1861, captain 1867, and reached the rank of rear-admiral last year. The deceased officer had seen considerable service and had won many honours. He served as midshipman in the Calliope during the whole of the Maori War, 1845 to 1847, for which he received the New Zealand medal; afterwards as mate in the Styx during the Caffre War, 1851-52, and gained a medal for this service also. In the war with Russia he was employed in the Baltic. He was present on board the Hannibal at the taking of Bomarsund in 1854, and when in the latter part of the same year that vessel was ordered to the Crimea he was on service there till 1856, and was present at the taking of Sebastopol, Kertch, Kinburn, and the occupation of Anapa, and for these services he received the Baltic, Turkish, and Crimean medals, and was mentioned in despatches. After the peace with Russia he was employed in the East, where he commanded the Drake gunboat at the taking of Canton in 1857, and in command successively of the Algerine, Nimrod, and Coromandel, he served during the whole of the operations in China, from the capture of Canton to the capture of Pekin in 1860. The record of his services during this period is as follows: - In 1858 he was engaged in a series of captures of piratical junks and strongholds, during which operations he received a severe contusion of the right leg. He was then honourably mentioned in despatches and received the thanks of the Admiralty. He was specially mentioned in despatches for services at the taking of Chik-Tsing in 1859, and in the next year he was actively engaged in the capture of the Taku forts and Tien-tsin. For these last services he received the China medal with clasps and the gold medal from the Imperial Government of China, and his promotion to the rank of commander, together with the thanks of the Admiralty, was gained for the capture and destruction of a piratical fleet of six vessels, in which engagement in 1860 he was wounded. This was the end of his active service; but he served as Naval Attaché at Washington from 1879 to 1882. The deceased officer, who was made a C.B. in 1881, was a Naval A.D.C. to the Queen, and was the author of "The Active List of Admirals and Captains." He died at Egham on Monday last. |
Top↑
 |