William Robert Mends
Encyclopedia
Sir William Robert Mends, GCB
(27 February 1812 – 26 June 1897), was a British admiral of the Royal Navy
, son of Admiral William Bowen Mends and nephew of Captain Robert Mends
.
William Mends was born at Plymouth
into a naval family. He married Melita, daughter of Dr Joseph Stilon R.N. on 6 January 1839.
on 7 May 1825. On 11 August 1835 he became a lieutenant and from 30 December served on-board in the Mediterranean (commanded by Edward Russell
). He moved to , the flagship
of Josias Rowley and commanded by John M'Kerlie on 29 November 1836. From 13 January 1837 he served as lieutenant in commanded by Hyde Parker
, still in the Mediterranean. Mends moved to take command of , a receiving ship based at Malta
on 28 July 1838. Mends was posted to , then as flag lieutenant to Sir John Louis
, Admiral-Superintendent at Malta.
From 3 November 1843 to 1846 he served as lieutenant in commanded by Commodore Sir Henry Martin Blackwood stationed off Ireland
and then the East Indies
.
On 8 November 1846 he was promoted to commander, serving in from 1 January 1848 to March 1849 once more in the Mediterranean, under Captain George Frederick Rich, and then from 11 July 1850 on commanded by Henry Martin Blackwood at Portsmouth.
Mends was promoted to captain on 10 December 1852. He served from 22 October 1853 to 1 January 1854 as captain of , flagship to Rear-Admiral Edmund Lyons
of the Mediterranean fleet, during the Crimean War
. From January 1854 he was captain of serving in the Black Sea
. Between 14 February 1855 and April 1857 he was captain of , flagship to Edmund Lyons in the Black Sea and then the Mediterranean.
From 3 April 1857 to 1 February 1860 he was captain of on Coast Guard service. He moved to take command of on 1 February 1860 when she replaced Hastings on coast guard service and was then appointed deputy controller general of the coast-guard in 1861. He spent May 1862 to February 1883 as Director of Transport at the Admiralty
.
Mends retired at the rank of rear-admiral on 1 January 1869, was promoted to vice-admiral on 1 January 1874 and then a full admiral on 15 June 1879.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(27 February 1812 – 26 June 1897), was a British admiral of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, son of Admiral William Bowen Mends and nephew of Captain Robert Mends
Robert Mends
Captain Sir Robert Mends was a prominent British Royal Navy officer of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, who lost an arm in the American War of Independence, caught in an explosion at the Battle of Groix in 1795 and wounded again at the Action of 6 April 1809...
.
William Mends was born at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
into a naval family. He married Melita, daughter of Dr Joseph Stilon R.N. on 6 January 1839.
Naval career
He entered the Royal Naval CollegeRoyal Naval Academy
The Royal Naval Academy was established at Portsmouth Dockyard as a facility to train officers for the Royal Navy. The founders' intentions were to provide an alternative means to recruit officers and to provide standardised training, education and admission.-Training:In 1773, a shore side...
on 7 May 1825. On 11 August 1835 he became a lieutenant and from 30 December served on-board in the Mediterranean (commanded by Edward Russell
Lord Edward Russell
Admiral Lord Edward Russell CB MP was a British naval officer and Whig politician.-Early life:He was the son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford and his second wife Lady Georgina Gordon-Career:...
). He moved to , the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of Josias Rowley and commanded by John M'Kerlie on 29 November 1836. From 13 January 1837 he served as lieutenant in commanded by Hyde Parker
Hyde Parker (Sea Lord)
Vice-Admiral Hyde Parker CB was a senior British naval officer who started to serve during the Napoleonic Wars and who was appointed First Naval Lord of the Admiralty in 1852...
, still in the Mediterranean. Mends moved to take command of , a receiving ship based at Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
on 28 July 1838. Mends was posted to , then as flag lieutenant to Sir John Louis
Sir John Louis, 2nd Baronet
Admiral Sir John Louis, 2nd Baronet was an officer in the Royal Navy.John Louis, son of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Louis, 1st Baronet, entered the Navy in 1795, was promoted to lieutenant in 1801, to commander in 1805 and to captain in 1806...
, Admiral-Superintendent at Malta.
From 3 November 1843 to 1846 he served as lieutenant in commanded by Commodore Sir Henry Martin Blackwood stationed off Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and then the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
.
On 8 November 1846 he was promoted to commander, serving in from 1 January 1848 to March 1849 once more in the Mediterranean, under Captain George Frederick Rich, and then from 11 July 1850 on commanded by Henry Martin Blackwood at Portsmouth.
Mends was promoted to captain on 10 December 1852. He served from 22 October 1853 to 1 January 1854 as captain of , flagship to Rear-Admiral Edmund Lyons
Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons
Admiral Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons, GCB, KCH was a British naval commander and diplomat who led a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, culminating with the Crimean War and his appointment as Commander of the Black Sea Fleet...
of the Mediterranean fleet, during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. From January 1854 he was captain of serving in the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. Between 14 February 1855 and April 1857 he was captain of , flagship to Edmund Lyons in the Black Sea and then the Mediterranean.
From 3 April 1857 to 1 February 1860 he was captain of on Coast Guard service. He moved to take command of on 1 February 1860 when she replaced Hastings on coast guard service and was then appointed deputy controller general of the coast-guard in 1861. He spent May 1862 to February 1883 as Director of Transport at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
.
Mends retired at the rank of rear-admiral on 1 January 1869, was promoted to vice-admiral on 1 January 1874 and then a full admiral on 15 June 1879.
Further reading
- Laughton, J. K.. "Mends, Sir William Robert (1812–1897)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004 ed.). Oxford University Press. . Accessed 10 October 2010.
- Mends, Bowen Stilon (1899). Life of Admiral Sir William Robert Mends G.C.B.. London: John Murray.