Royal Navy obituary in the Times newspaper
Royal Navy obituary in the Times newspaper


Royal NavyObituaries

The following obituary for Nowell Salmon appeared in the Times newspaper.

Obituary in the Times newspaper
DateObituary
15 February 1912

SIR NOWELL SALMON.

We regret to announce the death of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Nowell Salmon, which took place yesterday morning, in his 77th year, at 44, Clarence-parade, Southsea. Sir Nowell, who had been in frail health for some years, was taken ill a few days ago with bronchitis, and, although he rallied somewhat at times, passed away at 6 o’clock. Lady Salmon, and Captain G.N. Salmon, Rifle Brigade, and Miss Salmon, son and daughter, were with him at the end.

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Nowell Salmon, V.C., G.C.B., was the son of the Rev. H. Salmon, rector of Swarraton, in Hampshire, by his wife, Emily, daughter of Admiral Nowell, an officer who had served with the highest distinction as a lieutenant in the battle of Dominica and as a commander in the opening years of the Revolutionary War, but had been incapacitated from further active employment by the partial loss of sight resulting from a wound in the head.

Nowell Salmon was born in February, 1835, and having received his early education at Marlborough, entered the Navy in May, 1847. As midshipman and mate he was in the Baltic in 1854-6, and was promoted to lieutenant in January, 1856. A few months later he was appointed to the Shannon, commanded by Captain (afterwards Sir William) Peel, and in her went out to China and to India, where he went up country with the celebrated Shannon Brigade. At the second relief of Lucknow the sailors were suffering great loss from one of the enemy's sharpshooters, who from a point of vantage on the wall shot down all that came within reach. A neighbouring tree commanded his hiding place, but the attempt to climb it was fatal to several. Salmon, however, succeeded, and from it killed the sepoy. The daring action was rewarded with the Victoria Cross and promotion to the rank of commander, March 22, 1858. From 1859 to 1863 he commanded the Icarus in the Mediterranean and in the West Indies; on December 12, 1863, he was promoted to be captain. In that rank he commanded the Defence in the West Indies and Mediterranean; the Valiant, guard-ship in the Shannon, and the Swiftsure in the Mediterranean. On August 2, 1879, he became a rear-admiral, and from 1882 to 1885 was Commander-in-Chief at the Cape of Good Hope. He was made a vice-admiral on July 1, 1885, and a K.C.B. on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, June 21, 1887. In that year he was appointed a member of the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the system under which patterns of warlike stores were adopted and the stores obtained and passed into her late Majesty’s service. From December, 1887, to January, 1891, he was Commander-in-Chief in China, became admiral on September 10, 1891, and was Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth from June, 1894, to August, 1897, his term being extended for two months in order that he might command at the Review held at Spithead in commemoration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on June 26, 1897. On this occasion, June 22, he was nominated a G.C.B. With reference to that Review the First Lord of the Admiralty said, "While compliments are being paid to the display at Spithead we should not forget the Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, Sir Nowell Salmon, and his staff. The perfect mooring of that 25 miles of ships reflected the greatest credit upon all the Portsmouth officials." From August, 1897, Sir Nowell was the Queen’s First and Principal Naval Aide-de-camp till January 18, 1899, when he was promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet. He was retired from the active list in February, 1905.

In 1866 he married Emily Augusta, daughter of Mr. Edward Saunders, of Westbrook, Upwey, Dorset.

Sir Nowell Salmon’s death reduces the number of Admirals of the Fleet to nine - namely, Lord John Hay, Sir F.W. Richards, Lord Walter Kerr, Sir E.H. Seymour, and Lord Fisher (retired); and Sir C.F. Hotham, Sir A.K. Wilson, Sir Gerard Noel, and Sir A.D. Fanshawe on the active list.

The funeral will take place on Saturday at Curdridge, Hants.



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