George Willes

Sir George Willes
Born 19 June 1823
Died 18 February 1901 (1901-02-19) (aged 77)
London
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service 1838-1888
Rank Admiral
Commands held HMS Chesapeake
HMS Impérieuse
HMS Prince Consort
China Station
Portsmouth Command
Battles/wars Crimean War
Second Opium War
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Admiral Sir George Ommanney Willes GCB (19 June 1823 – 18 February 1901) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.

Early life

Born at Hythe, Hampshire in 1823, Willes was the son of Captain George Willes, RN, by his wife Anne Lacon, daughter of Sir Edmund Lacon, Baronet.[1] He was educated at the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth, and joined the Royal Navy in 1838.[2]

Naval career

Willes received his commission as Mate in 1842, and as Lieutenant in 1844,[1] his early career being uneventful until the outbreak of the Crimean War, when he took part in the bombardment of Odessa and of Fort Constantine at Sevastopol in 1854.[2] In April that year he was promoted Commander, and in May 1856 Captain.[1] He was given command of the frigate HMS Chesapeake in 1859,[3] and of HMS Impérieuse in 1861. In both cases as Flag Captain to the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies.[2] In this capacity he took part in the Battle of the Taku Forts during the Second Opium War.[4]

In 1864 he was made Captain of the ironclad warship HMS Prince Consort.[2]

He became Admiral-Superintendent at Devonport in 1876 and Commander-in-chief, China Station in 1881.[2] His last post was as Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in 1886.[2] He retired in 1888.[2]

Family

In 1855 he married Georgiana Matilda Josephine Lockwood.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Obituary - Admiral Sir George Willes". The Times (36382). London. 19 February 1901. p. 8.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sir George Willes at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  3. ↑ Memorials in Portsmouth
  4. ↑ William Loney RN
Military offices
Preceded by
Robert Coote		 Commander-in-Chief, China Station
1881–1884 		Succeeded by
Sir William Dowell
Preceded by
Sir Geoffrey Hornby		 Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
1886–1888 		Succeeded by
Sir John Commerell
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