​WADESON. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 9; h-p., 32.)

Charles Wadeson was born 15 July, 1793.

This officer entered the Navy, 29 Sept. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Plantagenet 74, Capt. Wm. Bradley, stationed in the Channel; where, off Lisbon, and at the Cape of Good Hope, he served, from Oct. 1807 until Sept. 1810, under the flag of the late Sir Albemarle Bertie, in the Foudroyant 80, Bellerophon 74, and, as Midshipman, in the Leopard 50. With the exception of a few months passed in 1814-15, at Plymouth, in the Prince Frederick, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Thos. Byam Martin, he ​was actively employed from Sept. 1810 until Oct. 1815, in the Mediterranean, on board the Lavinia 40, Capt. Geo. Digby, Rivoli 74, Capt. Graham Eden Hamond, Caledonia 120, bearing the flag of the late Lord Exmouth, Malta 80, Capt. Wm. Chas. Fahie, and, again under Lord Exmouth, in the Boyne 98. He was then presented with a commission dated 28 Feb. 1815. He has been afflicted, for upwards of 20 years, with paralysis of the right side, accompanied occasionally with deafness and now with the loss of speech.

WAGHORN. (Lieutenant, 1842.)

Thomas Waghorn entered the Navy 10 Nov. 1812; was advanced to his present rank 23 March, 1842; and has since been on half-pay. This officer has rendered himself famous as being the originator of the overland mail to India via Trieste. His zeal and activity in the cause of the public have been acknowledged by a pension from the Hon.E.I.Company.

WAINWRIGHT. (Lieutenant, 1841.)

James Francis Ballard Wainwright entered the Navy 10 Oct. 1832 J passed his examination 17 Jan. 1840; and (after having studied at the Royal Naval College) was presented with a commission 22 Dec. 1841. He was appointed, 7 March, 1842, to the Winchester 50. fitting for the flag of Hon. Josceline Percy, Commander-in-Chief at the Cape of Good Hope; and has been serving, since 20 May, 1846, in the Constance 50, Capts. Sir Baldwin Wake Walker and Geo. Wm. Conway Courtenay, now in the Pacific.

WAINWRIGHT. (Lieut., 1819. h-p., 18; h-p., 21.)

John Wainwright is eldest son of the late Capt. John Wainwright, R.N., C.B., who conducted, in the Chiffonne 36, a successful expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf in 1809, had charge in 1814, when Captain of the Tonnant 80, of the boats employed at the destruction of Commodore Barney’s flotilla up the Patuxent, and became afterwards Lieut.-Governor of the Royal Naval College.

This officer entered the Navy, in June, 1808, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Chiffonne 36, commanded by his father, under whom in the following year he witnessed the attack made on the Persian pirates. In Jan. 1813, after an interval of three years, he joined, as Midshipman, the Puissant 74, Capt. Benj. Wm. Page, lying at Spithead: in the following Aug. he entered the Royal Naval College; and between May, 1815, in the course of which month he left that institution, and the date of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 4 Nov. 1819, he was employed on the Home and St. Helena stations in the Madagascar and Phaeton frigates, both commanded by Capt. Fras. Stanfell, Racoon sloop, Capts. Jas. Wallis and Geo. Brine, Conqueror 74, Capt. F. Stanfell, Magicienne 42, Capt. John Brett Purvis, and Ramillies 74, Capt. Aiskew Paffard Hollis. His last appointments were – in June, 1820, to the Forte 44, Capt. Sir Thos. John Cochrane, stationed, until Oct. 1824, in the West Indies and on the coast of North America – 18 April, 1825, to the Blossom 24, Capt. Fred. Wm. Beechey, under whom he was for three years employed on Surveying-service – and 7 Sept. 1829, to the Melville 74, Capts. Alex. Wilmot Schomberg and Christopher John Williams Nesham, in the Mediterranean. He has been on half-pay since the commencement of 1831.

Lieut. Wainwright married, 27 Jan. 1821, Elizabeth, second daughter of Sam. Powell, Esq., of Upper Harley Street, London, and of Brandlesome Hall, co. Lancaster, by whom he has issue. Agents – Goode and Lawrence.

WAKE. (Commander, 1849. f-p., 19; h-p., 1.)

Baldwin Arden Wake, born 4 Jan. 1813, in Blake Street, York, is son of Baldwin Wake, Esq., M.D. (son of Drury Wake, Esq., formerly of the 17th Lancers, and nephew of Sir Wm. Wake, Bart., of Courteen Hall, co. Northampton), by Sarah, sister of the present Jas. Spedding, Esq., of Summergrove, co. Cumberland, late a Captain in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards (and now Major of the Royal Westmoreland Militia, and a Deputy-Lieutenant and Magistrate for co. Cumberland), who was severely wounded in the engagement of 2 Oct. 1799, near Egmont-op-Zee, in North Holland. Another of Lieut. Wake’s uncles, Lieut.-Colonel Carlisle Spedding, served as a Captain in the 4th Regiment of Dragoons under the Duke of Wellington in Spain and Portugal during nearly the whole of the Peninsular War, was present at most of the actions and sieges, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Albuera in 1811.

This officer entered the Navy, 24 July, 1827, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Espoir 10, Capt. Henry Fras. Greville, under whom he was for three years employed at the Cape of Good Hope. In Sept. 1830 he removed as Midshipman to the Falcon 10, Capts. Henry Griffith Colpoys, Thos. Metcalfe Currie, and John Garrett, on the West India station. On a subsequent occasion, when that vessel was going at the rate of 4 knots an hour, he jumped overboard and, with the assistance of a main-top man, named John Hogan, was the means of saving the life of a seaman, who had fallen from the fore-chains and was unable to swim. On a dark night in Dec. 1831, the Falcon being then at Sheerness, he again, with a rope, leaped overboard, to the rescue of a man intoxicated, although the boats were hoisted up and a strong tide was at the time running. As a reward for this act of intrepidity, Mr. Wake was introduced by Capt. Garrett to the Commander-in-Chief, Sir John Poo Beresford, who received him, in Feb. 1832, on board his flag-ship, the Ocean 80, and ever afterwards extended to him his patronage. On the night of 13 Feb. 1833, about three months after he had been transferred to the Forester 3, Lieut.-Commander Wm. Henry Quin, that vessel, during a violent gale off Scilly, parted from her anchors and was driven on the Crow bar. On the cutter being hoisted out Mr. Wake volunteered with a seaman to clear it from the tackles; the boat was, however, swamped, and the seaman drowned; Mr. Wake himself being only saved by grasping a rope at the very moment that the Forester was driven off the bar. The latter having again struck upon the rocks, several efforts were made to send a line to the shore; but this was not accomplished until Mr. Wake, seizing it in his mouth, succeeded in getting through the surf; when a hawser was hauled on shore, and the Forester thereby prevented from being carried round a point and inevitably lost. After serving for nearly a year at Plymouth in the San Josef 110, flag-ship of Sir Wm. Hargood, Mr. Wake was appointed in March, 1834 (he had passed his examination in the preceding Nov.), Mate of the Racehorse 18, Capt. Sir Jas. Everard Home, fitting for the West Indies; where, on the occasion of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, which took place 19 April, 1837, he was nominated Additional of the Melville 74, bearing the flag of Sir Peter Halkett, the Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West India station. While the Racehorse was equipping at Plymouth, a seaman fell from the main-rigging and was fast sinking, when Mr. Wake, perceiving what had occurred, plunged through a port and brought him to the surface. Being off Para in 1835, when that city lay at the mercy of a troop of Indians, our truly gallant officer found means, at the risk of his life, of performing another valuable service. On his own responsibility, accompanied by a Mate of the Racehorse, the present Commander Byron Drury, he approached during the night a building from which, although in the midst of the insurgents, his exertions enabled him to bring away 220 Brazilian troops, who were thus saved from a massacre which took place on the following day. His last appointments were – in 1837-8, to the Cornwallis 72, flag-ship of Hon. Sir Chas. Paget, Serpent 16, Capt. Rich. Laird Warren, and ​Cornwallis again, all on the North America and West India station – 4 Feb. 1840, to the Pearl 20, Capts. Chas. Colville Frankland and Rich. Henry Stopford, with whom he served, until paid off in June, 1844, on the coast of North America, a great part of the time as First-Lieutenant – 25 April, 1845, to the Queen 110, flag-ship of Sir John West at Devonport – and 10 Nov. 1845, to the Albion 90, Capts. Nicholas Lockyer and Chas. Howe Fremantle. In the latter ship, of which he became Senior Lieutenant, he served in the Channel and Mediterranean until paid off in 1848. He attained his present rank 5 March, 1849.

Commander Wake’s heroic conduct in the Falcon obtained for him the honorary medallion of the Royal Humane Society; and his services in saving the Forester were acknowledged by a silver medal from the Royal Shipwreck Institution. While belonging to the Pearl he had the good fortune to preserve the life of Mr. John Hepburn, Master Attendant of Portsmouth Dockyard, which was placed in great danger at the launching of the Bittern sloop. His “gallant exertions” on that occasion elicited the thanks of the Admiralty.

WAKE. (Lieutenant, 1846.)

Charles Wake passed his examination 1 May, 1844; and after serving on the Home station as Mate in the Daring 12, Capt. Henry Jas. Matson, was appointed in that capacity, 25 Sept. 1845, to the Heroine 6, Capt. Chas. Edmunds, fitting for the coast of Africa; where he was nominated, 27 March, 1846, Acting-Lieutenant of the Styx steam-sloop, Capt. Henry Chads. He was officially promoted 5 Aug. following; and was next, 22 March and 20 Oct. 1847, appointed, as Additional and First Lieutenant, to the Hibernia 104, flag-ship of Sir Wm. Parker, and Odin steam-frigate of 560 horse-power, Capt. Hon. Fred. Thos. Pelham, both in the Mediterranean, on which station he is now employed.

WAKEFIELD. (Lieutenant, 1827.)

John Watson Wakefield entered the Navy, in 1816, as a Volunteer, on board the Hebrus 36, Capt. Edm. Palmer; and on 16 Aug. in the same year was present at the battle of Algiers. He served afterwards as Midshipman in North America and the East Indies in the Forth 40 and Leander 60 (the latter bearing the flag of Hon. Sir Henry Blackwood); and as Mate (he passed his examination in 1822) on the Home, South American, and West India stations, in the Apollo yacht, Capt. Hon. Sir Chas. Paget, Éclair sloop and Doris 42, both commanded by Capt. Wm. Jas. Hope Johnstone, and Barham 50, flag-ship of Hon. Chas. Elphinstone Fleeming. He returned home from the West Indies in the Rattlesnake 28, Capt. John Leith, shortly after his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, which took place 20 Aug. 1827; and has since been on half-pay. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.

WAKEM. (Lieutenant, 1815.)

Nicholas Wakem was born in 1795. He is nephew of Retired Capt. Robt. Tom Blackler, R.N. (Commander, 1811), who was wounded while serving as First-Lieutenant of the Iphigenia frigate, Capt. Henry Lambert, in the affair at Port Sud-Est, 24 Aug. 1810, and died 23 July, 1844, at Devonport, aged 64.

This officer entered the Navy, about 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the St. Nicholas, Lieut.-Commander Snow, prison-ship at Plymouth; where he removed as Midshipman to the Oiseau. From Nov. 1807 until Aug. 1813 he served in the West Indies, Mediterranean, and North Sea, in the York 74, Capts. Robt. Barton and Alex. Wilmot Schomberg; and between the latter date and Aug. 1816, when he was presented with a commission dated 20 March, 1815, he was employed off Cherbourg, on the coast of Africa, again in the Mediterranean, and at Sheerness, chiefly as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Créole 36, Capts. Robt. Forbes and Geo. Chas. Mackenzie, Clorinde 40, Capt. Sam. Geo. Pechell, and Bulwark 74, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Rowley. He assisted, in 1809, in the York, at the capture of Martinique, the Saintes, the 74-gun ship D’Haupoult, and Flushing. In the Créole, besides contributing to the capture of several slavers, we find him participating, 23 Jan. 1814, in a running action fought with much spirit for nearly two hours between her and the French 40-gun frigate Sultane; on which occasion the loss of the British amounted to 10 killed and 26 wounded, and that of the enemy to about 20 killed and 30 wounded. In the Clorinde Mr. Wakem was in attendance upon the unfortunate consort of George IV. during her visit to the Mediterranean in 1815-16. Since the receipt of his commission he has been on half-pay.

WALCOTT. (Captain, 1846.)

Charles Walcott is brother of Capt. J. E. Walcott, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 29 June, 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Menelaus 38, Capt. Sir Peter Parker; in which ship, after witnessing the reduction of the Isle of France, he visited the Mediterranean and Chesapeake. He was present on the former station when the Menelaus gallantly pursued the French 40-gun frigate Pauline and 16-gun brig Ecureuil, under the batteries in the neighbourhood of Toulon, and then effected a masterly retreat from the French fleet which had come out to their protection, 28 May, 1812. On the death of Sir Peter Parker, who was killed in a land operation at Bellair, near Baltimore, 30 Aug. 1814, he removed to the Hebrus 36, Capt. Edm. Palmer. In her he served in an attack upon the enemy at Point Petre; at the capture of the town of St. Mary’s; at the forcing, in July, 1815, of the formidable passage of the Gironde and the destruction of the heavy batteries by which it was defended; and at the bombardment of Algiers. After he had been for rather more than 12 months stationed at Portsmouth and Plymouth in the Eridanus 36, Capt. Wm. King, and Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Thornbrough, he joined, in Dec. 1817, the Sybille 44, bearing the flag of Sir Home Popham in the West Indies; where he was nominated, in Feb. 1819, Acting-Lieutenant of the Confiance 18, Capt. Alex. Montgomerie. He was officially promoted 19 May following; he returned home soon afterwards in the Tartar frigate, Capt. Sir Geo. Ralph Collier; and he was subsequently appointed – 12 Dec. 1825 and 4 Aug. 1826, to the Warspite 76, Commodore Sir Jas. Brisbane, and Champion 18, Capt. John Fitzgerald Studdert, both in the East Indies – and 23 March, 1831, to the Asia 84, Capts. Hyde Parker and Peter Richards, on the Lisbon station. He was advanced to the rank of Commander 5 June, 1834, as a “special promotion on Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy leaving the Admiralty;” and from 22 March, 1838, until rewarded for his services with a Post-commission, 5 Jan. 1846, was employed in the Coast Guard. He has since been on half-pay.

Capt. Walcott is married and has issue.

WALCOTT. (Capt., 1822. f-p., 14; h-p., 31.)

John Edward Walcott is third son of Edm. Walcott Sympson, Esq., of Winkton, Hants; brother of Capt. Chas. Walcott, R.N.; and brother-in-law of Rear-Admiral Geo. Henderson.

This officer entered the Navy, 19 Oct. 1802, as Fst.-cl. Vol. (under the patronage of the late Right Hon. Geo. Rose, Treasurer of the Navy), on board the Blenheim 74, Capts. Philip Turner Bover, Murray Maxwell, Henry Matson, and Thos. Graves, in which ship, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Sam. Hood, he sailed for the West Indies. On his return thence he joined as Midshipman, in June 1804, the Lively 38, Capts. Graham Eden Hamond and Geo. M‘Kinley. In company, in her, with other ships, we find him, 5 Oct. following, present at the capture, off Cape St. Mary, of three Spanish frigates laden with treasure, and the destruction of a fourth. He also, 29 May, 1805, bore a part in a very spirited skirmish, in which the Lively, alone, sorely galled