Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/43

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

29

AUSTIN—AUTRIDGE—AVARNE—AYLING—AYLMER.

on 24 April, 1824, became First of the Fury sloop, Capt. Henry Parkyns Hoppner, and partoolc of all the perils and hardships of Capt. Parry’s second expedition in search of a north-west passage, which terminated in the loss of the above vessel, in the summer of 1825. After an interval of half-pay he obtained an appointment, 12 Dec. 1827, to the Chanticleer surveying-vessel, Capt. Henry Foster, on whose death, off the Isthmus of Panama, he succeeded to the acting-command. Being confirmed on his return to England, by commission dated 26 May 18.31, Capt. Austin subsequently obtained command, 27 Nov. 1832, and 30 Jan. 1834, of the Salamander and Medea steamers, in which he respectively escorted Donna Maria to Portugal, and Queen Adelaide to Holland, besides visiting different ports on the north coast of Spain. He attained Post-rank, 28 June, 1838, and was next appointed, 19 Nov. 1839, to the Cyclops, another steam-vessel. Joining in the operations of 1840 on the coast of Syria, he assisted at the bombardment and capture of the strong castle of Gebail, where he headed a body of 220 marines and 150 mountaineers in a brave though unsuccessful land-attack, in which 5 men were killed and 18 wounded. He was also present at the taking of Batroun; and on the occasion of the storming of Sidon he aided in carrying the adjacent castle, and then led the Turkish troops in forcing the passage conducting to the town, where a body of 1800 Egyptians were driven from a stronghold in which they still held out, and were compelled to surrender.[1] For his meritorious conduct in these affairs, as also at the capture of St. Jean d’Acre, Capt. Austin was nominated a C.B. On leaving the Cyclops, he obtained command, for a short period towards the close of 1843, of the Tartarus steam surveying-vessel. He has been attached as Supernumerary-Captain, since 19 Dec. 1845, to the William and Mary yacht.

Capt. Austin married, 8 Nov. 1831, Ann Eliza, only daughter of the late Thos. Hawkins, Esq., of Penzance, and widow of the Bev. J. Rawlinson, by whom he has issue. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.



AUSTIN. (Lieutenant, 1838.)

William Austin entered the Navy 7 Aug. 1823; passed his examination in 1830; and obtained his commission 2 Aug. 1838. His appointments have since been – 22 Jan. 1839, to the Acorn 16, Capt. John Adams, on the Africa station – 29 Oct. 1840, as First Lieutenant, to the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings – and, 4 March, 1845, in a similar capacity, to the Vulture steam-frigate, now employed in the East Indies. Agents – Messrs. Chard.



AUTRIDGE. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 30; h-p., 18.)

Charles Autridge entered the Navy, 30 June, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Poulette 20, Capt. Jas. Dunbar, with whom, and Capts. Hen. Hope and Anselm John Griffiths, he afterwards served, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Astrea 32, and Leonidas 38, until Nov. 1811. He was present, during that period, in the Astrea at the siege of Copenhagen, in Sept. 1807, and in the Leonidas at the reduction of Cephalonia and Santa Maura in 1809-10, besides participating in many boat affairs on the coasts of Italy and Spain. He served the remainder of the war in the Erebus, commanded by his relative, Capt. Wm. Autridge, Victory 100, flag-ship of Sir Jas. Saumarez, Salsette 36, Capt. John Bowen, and Phoenix 36, Capts. Wm. Henry Webley and Chas. John Austen, on the Baltic, East India, and Channel stations. Having passed his examination in 1809, he was at length promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by commission dated 10 Feb. 1815; and was subsequently appointed – 31 Oct. 1828, to the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Ramillies 74, Capt. Hugh Pigot – 11 June, 1831, to the Coast Guard – 26 Sept. 1837, to the command of the Skylark revenue-cutter – and, 19 June, 1841, to the Pigmy steam-packet. He was superseded from the latter vessel in July, 1846.



AVARNE. (Lieutenant, 1824.)

Isaac Avarne died in 1845.

This officer entered the Navy, in Feb. 1810, as Midshipman, on board the Alexandria 32, Capt. John Quilliam, stationed on the Baltic. After serving with the same officer also in the Crescent 36, he became -successively attached, on the Home and Mediterranean stations, to the Royal Oak 74, flagship of Rear-Admirals Pulteney Malcolm and Lord Amelius Beauclerk, and Grasshopper 18, Capts. Hen. Robt. Battersby and Sir Chas. Burrard. Between 1816, in which year he passed his examination, and the date of his promotion, 17 April, 1824, Mr. Avarne appears to have been next employed, as Mate, on board the Wye 26, commanded in North America and the West Indies by Capt. John Harper, and Britannia 120, bearing the flag at Plymouth of Sir Alex. Cochrane. His subsequent appointments were – 24 July, 1824, to the Romney troop-ship, Capts. Wm. Jas. Mingaye and Nich. Lockyer, in which he visited the coasts of America and Africa, and also the Mediterranean – and, 30 April, 1827, again to the Britannia, bearing the flag of the Earl of Northesk. He went on half-pay in Feb. 1828, and did not afterwards go afloat. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.



AYLING. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11; h-p., 31.)

William Ayling entered the Navy, 7 March, 1805, as Second-cl. Vol., on board the Royal William, Capts. John Wainwright and Hon. Courtenay Boyle, lying at Spithead. With the exception of an attachment, from Aug. 1810 to Aug. 1811, to the Thisbe 28, Capt. Wm. Rogers, guard-ship in the river Thames, he was subsequently employed, between June, 1807, and the year 1815, chiefly as Midshipman, in the Paulina, Hind, Crocodile, Narcissus, and Pomone, all commanded by Capt. John Rich. Lumley, on the Mediterranean, Home, and North America stations. He was promoted from the Leander 50, Capt. Wm. Shiksey, to the rank he now holds 3 Aug. 1815; and has since been on half-pay. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.



AYLMER, C.B., K.F.M. (Rear-Admiral, of the Red, 1837. f-p., 20; h-p., 37.)

The Honourable Frederick William Aylmer, born 12 Oct. 1777, is second surviving son of Henry, fourth Lord Aylmer, by Catherine, daughter of Sir Chas. Whitworth, of Leyborne, and sister of Chas. Earl Whitworth; and a descendant of Matthew, first Lord Aylmer, a distinguished naval officer in the reign of James II., who attained the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Red, and was elevated to the peerage for his professional services. He is heir to his brother, General Lord Aylmer, G.C.B.

This officer entered the Navy, 24 Nov. 1790, as a Volunteer, on board the Syren 32, Capt. John Manley, with whom, after conveying the Duke of York to Holland at the commencement et hostilities, he served, in the Apollo 36, until the receipt of his first commission, 17 Dec. 1796. Being next appointed, 22 March, 1797, to the Swiftsure 74 Capt. Benj. Hallowell, he took part in that ship im the battle of the Nile, and assisted in the operations; which led to the reinstatement ef the King of the Two Sicilies in the full sovereignty of his dominions. He subsequently obtained the Turkish gold medal for his services during the Egyptian campaign of 1801; and, after officiating for a few months as Acting-Commander of the Fury bomb, was confirmed in that rank by commission dated 7 Jan 1802. Capt. Aylmer, whom we subsequently find commanding the Delight and Wasp sloops, in the latter of which he effected the capture, 19 July 1803 of Le Désespoir privateer, of 2 guns and 28 men, was eventually apppointed Acting-Captain, in March, 1805, of the Glory 98, bearing the flag off Cadiz of Sir John Orde. His promotion to Post-rank was established by the Admiralty on 18 May in the

  1. Vide Gaz. 1840, pp. 2227, 2252, 2603, 2608.