A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Falcon, Maxwell

1710157A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Falcon, MaxwellWilliam Richard O'Byrne

FALCON. (Commander, 1846.)

Maxwell Falcon entered the Navy 5 May, 1825; passed his examination in 1831; and was promoted to a Lieutenancy, 23 March, 1840, in the Electra 18, Capt. Edw. Reeves Philip Mainwaring, on the South American station. He there removed, 25 Feb. 1841, to the President 50, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross, and from 29 April, 1843, until the receipt of his second promotal commission, bearing date 11 Jan. 1846, served in the East Indies on board the Castor 36, Capt. Chas. Graham. His advancement to the rank of Commander was made a reward for his conduct in command of a breaching battery in an attack made upon a rebel New-Zealand chief named Kawiti; whose strongly-fortified pah, situated many miles inland, was stormed on the date last mentioned, after several days of labour and fatigue, and triumphantly carried, notwithstanding a desperate fight of four hours.[1] He is now on half-pay.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1846, pp. 2346, 2348.