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The following obituary for Richard Dawkins appeared in the Times newspaper.
| Obituary in the Times newspaper | |
| Date | Obituary |
| 24 March 1896 | Rear-Admiral Richard Dawkins, J.P., died on the 20th inst., at Stoke Gabriel, Devon, aged 67. He entered the Navy in 1841, and served in the Harlequin during the operations in the Yang-tse-kiang, 1842. He served in the boat attacks on pirates at Qualla, Battu, and Murdu, in Sumatra, in 1844 (China medal), and was promoted to be sub-lieutenant in 1847 and lieutenant in 1848. He served in the Modeste in the Baltic expedition, 1854 (Baltic medal), and in the Glatton in the Black Sea during the Crimean War (Crimean and Turkish medals, Sevastopol clasp), was first lieutenant of the Calcutta during the China War, 1857, and was present at the storming and capture of Canton (mentioned in despatches, China medal, 1857, and Canton clasp, and promoted to be commander). He was promoted to the rank of captain in 1863. Captain Dawkins was in command of the ironclad Vanguard on September 1, 1875, when the Iron Duke rammed and sank her during a fog off the coast of Wicklow. Captain Dawkins was the last to leave his ship, and no lives were lost. By a Court-martial which was subsequently held Captain Dawkins and other officers were reprimanded. Vice-Admiral Tarleton was subsequently relieved of blame by an Admiralty minute. Neither the verdict of the Court-martial nor the subsequent minute was received with satisfaction, and Sir Henry James (now Lord James of Hereford) commented severely on the matter in a speech at Taunton. However, Captain Dawkins was not employed again. He was appointed rear-admiral on the Retired-List in 1878. |
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