A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Rodney, Mortimer Harley

1905446A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Rodney, Mortimer HarleyWilliam Richard O'Byrne

RODNEY. (Lieutenant, 1840.)

Mortimer Harley Rodney, born 23 Feb. 1817, is eldest son of the Hon. Mortimer Rodney (brother of the present Lord Rodney), by Sarah, daughter of Robt. Withy, Esq.; and grand-nephew of the late Capt. Hon. John Rodney, R.N.

This officer passed his examination in 1836; and for his services on the coast of Syria, including the bombardment of St. Jean d’Acre, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 4 Nov. 1840. His Succeeding appointments were – 15 Dec. 1840, to the Talbot 26, Capts. Henry John Codrington and Robt. Fanshawe Stopford, on the Mediterranean station, where he remained until the spring of 1842 – 28 Feb. 1843, to the Camperdown 104, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Brace and Sir John Chambers White at Sheerness – and 12 Sept. 1844 and 27 Oct. 1847, as First, to the Cruizer 16, and Nerbudda 12, Capts. Edw. Gennys Fanshawe, Wm. Maclean, and Edw. Peirse, both in the East Indies, whence he returned in 1848. On 19 Aug. 1845 he commanded the Cruizer’s pinnace and served with the boats of a squadron, carrying altogether 530 officers, seamen, and marines, at the destruction, under Capt. Chas. Talbot, of the piratical settlement of Malloodoo, on the north end of the island of Borneo, where the British encountered a desperate opposition and sustained a loss of 6 men killed and 15 wounded.[1]


  1. Vide Gaz. 1845, p. 6536.