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


Royal NavyObituaries

The following obituary for Edward Augustus Inglefield appeared in the Times newspaper.

Obituary in the Times newspaper
DateObituary
7 September 1894

Admiral Sir Edward Inglefield.

The announcement of the death of Admiral Sir Edward Augustus Inglefield will occasion deep regret in many circles of English society. His naval career extended over half a century, and its brilliant record left him in the years of his professional retirement with a reputation which was universally recognized by all ranks in her Majesty?s forces. Born at Cheltenham in a naval family ? his father being Admiral Samuel Hood Inglefield and his mother the daughter of Admiral Albany Otway ? he was educated at the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth. Entering the Navy as a first-class volunteer on board her Majesty?s ship Etna in 1832, he served as signal mate at the bombardment of St. Jean d?Acre, and afterwards led a storming party at the capture of Sidon. In 1840, when sub-lieutenant, he took part in the operations on the coast of Syria, and was present at the capture of Beyrout. It was in these engagements that the first of his many rewards were gained ? the Syrian and Turkish medals with clasp. In 1842, on the occasion of the Queen's visit to Scotland in the yacht Royal George, he was invested with the rank of lieutenant, and afterwards assisted his father in surveying in China and on the coast of Borneo. He was serving on board the Samarang when she sank off Sarawak, and at that period of his career took part in many engagements with pirates off the coast of South America. He had charge, as acting commander, of her Majesty?s ship Comus at the battle of Parana, when the combined English and French fleets destroyed four of General Rosas?s heavy batteries at Punta Obligado, and his conduct on that occasion led to the confirmation of his rank as commander by commission dated November 18, 1845. After other services in Parana, he was appointed to the command of the yacht Isabel in a private expedition which was sent in search of Sir John Franklin to Smith?s and Jones?s Sound ? an experience which partly suggested the interesting story he published under the title of "A Summer Search for Sir John Franklin." Although it failed in its main object, his plucky mission on that occasion enabled him to record the discovery of an open polar sea and a coastline 800 miles in length, while he also had the pleasure of carrying mails to the Government Arctic expedition at Beechey Island. For these services he received the thanks of the Admiralty, the gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, the large silver medal of Paris, and a much-treasured diamond snuffbox from the Emperor of the French. He was at the same time elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the Royal Geographical Society. The gallant officer?s first Arctic experience brought him a second like command in 1853, when he went out by order of the Admiralty with three ships, specially despatched to the relief of Sir Edward Belcher's expedition. One of the three vessels was crushed in the ice, and foundered, but he was able to bring home an officer bearing the news of the discovery of the North-West passage. On his return to England, Commander Inglefield again received the thanks of the Admiralty, and was promoted to the rank of captain. In the following year he received the command of another expedition, consisting of the Phoenix, the Talbot, and a transport with stores, sent out to afford further relief to Sir Edward Belcher, and this time he brought back the officers and crews of five ships which were abandoned in the ice. For these services he was awarded the Arctic medal, and the honour was signally confirmed by the Queen in 1877, when he was knighted on the occasion of the celebration of the completion of the 50th year of her Majesty?s reign. Captain Inglefield was next engaged in the Crimea, and commanded the Firebrand at the fall of Sebastopol. He subsequently superintended the landing of the troops at Kinburn, and commanded her Majesty?s ship Sidon in the bombardment of the Black Sea forts and in the blockading of Odessa. At the close of the war he received the Crimean and Turkish medals with the Sebastopol clasp and the Order of the Medjidieh, fourth class. In 1866-67 he served as captain of the Prince Consort, and in May, 1869, attained flag rank, being appointed second in command of the Channel Fleet, at the same time being nominated a Companion of the Bath (Military Division). After serving as Naval Attach? at Washington, he was appointed Admiral Superintendent of Malta Dockyard, and second in command of the Mediterranean Squadron, a post which he held from 1872 to 1876, being in the interval raised to the rank of Vice-Admiral, and in 1887 made a Knight Commander of the Bath. In April, 1878, Sir Edward was gazetted Commander-in-Chief of the North American and West Indian Station, and in November of the following year was promoted to be full Admiral, while earlier in 1879 the honorary degree of D.C.L. was conferred upon him. He served as Admiral for five years and five months, and was a member of several committees appointed by the Admiralty. To his skill and daring as a seaman, Sir Edward Inglefield added a technical ingenuity which has bequeathed to naval engineering the hydraulic steering apparatus fitted in the Achilles and the Minotaur, the screw-turning engine of the Monarch, and the anchor bearing his name, which was supplied to the Dreadnought, Sans Pareil, Renown, Inflexible, and other ships. He was a graceful writer and a vigorous speaker, and, beside the book recounting his Arctic researches, was the author of pamphlets on "Maritime Warfare," "Naval Tactics," and "Terrestrial Magnetism." He took an active interest in the proceedings of the Royal United Service Institution, presiding on many occasions at its lectures, and was a younger brother of the Trinity House. Admiral Inglefield was twice married ? in 1857, to Eliza Fanny, daughter of Mr. Edward Johnston, of Allerton-hall, Liverpool; and in 1893, to Beatrice Marianne, daughter of Colonel Hodnett, late commanding the Dorset Regiment. He retired from the Navy with six medals in March, 1885, and had since enjoyed the flag officer's good-service pension. He died at his residence in Queen?s-gate on Wednesday, in his 75th year.


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