Sir Alexander Milne, 1st Baronet
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (civil division) Milne baronetcy |
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Early career
Milne was born the second son of the Admiral Sir David Milne and Grace Milne (daughter of Sir Alexander Purves, Bt).[1] His older brother David was later known as David Milne-Home.[2]
His father purchased 10 York Place, Edinburgh in 1814 and the family lived there.[3]
Milne joined the Royal Navy in February 1817.[1] After initial training at the Royal Navy College at Portsmouth he joined his father's flagship, the fourth-rate HMS Leander, on the North American Station in 1819.[4] Over the next few years he served in the sixth-rate HMS Conway, third-rate HMS Ramillies, second-rate HMS Ganges and third-rate HMS Albion.[5] He became an acting lieutenant in the sloop HMS Cadmus on the coast of Brazil in June 1827 and was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant on 8 September 1827.[5] Promoted to commander on 25 November 1830, he joined the sloop HMS Snake on the West Indies Station in December 1836 and was employed capturing slave-traders.[4]
Promoted to captain on 30 January 1839, Milne was given command of the sixth-rate HMS Crocodile on the North America and West Indies Station and employed carrying out fishery protection duties before becoming Captain of the sixth-rate HMS Cleopatra also on the North America and West Indies Station in November 1840.[5] In HMS Cleopatra he was employed both capturing slave-traders and carrying out fishery protection duties.[4] He became Flag-captain in the first-rate HMS Caledonia to his father, who was then serving as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, in April 1842 and Flag-captain in the first-rate HMS St Vincent to Sir Charles Ogle, who was then serving as Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, in October 1846.[5]
Milne became
Senior command
Promoted to
Milne became
Milne became
He became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, hoisting his flag in the battleship HMS Lord Warden, in April 1869.[5] He was promoted to full admiral on 1 April 1870[11] and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 20 May 1871.[12] "In the autumn of 1870 the Mediterranean Squadron, under the command of Sir Alexander Milne joined up with the Channel Squadron for the purpose of carrying out combined manoeuvres off the coast of Portugal, and Sir Alexander, being the senior admiral, took supreme command. The low freeboard, fully rigged turret-ship Captain had joined the Channel Squadron a short time before, and the combined fleet put to see from Vigo".[13] On 6 September "the fleet was sailing in two columns on the starboard tack in a fresh north-west breeze, and Sir Alexander Milne went on board the Captain in the afternoon to inspect her and see how she behaved at sea, as she was a novelty... During the time the Commander-in-Chief was on board the Captain the wind and sea had increased, and he had great difficulty in getting back to his own ship – the Lord Warden. In fact, the captain of the Captain (Hugh Burgoyne) tried to persuade him not to risk it, but to remain on board for the night and return in the morning. Sir Alexander, however, was a dour auld Scotsman and said he would get back to his ship, and did."[13] That night the Captain capsized and sank and "only the gunner and seventeen men were saved."[13]
He again became First Naval Lord in the first Gladstone ministry in November 1872, remaining in office under the second Disraeli ministry and identifying the critical need for trade protection at times of War and demanding new cruisers to protect British merchant shipping.[1] He retired from office in September 1876 and was created a baronet on 26 October 1876.[14]
In retirement he was a member of the Royal Commission Appointed to Enquire into the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.[15] Promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 10 June 1881,[16] he lived at Inveresk House in Inveresk where he died from pneumonia on 29 December 1896.[1] He was buried in Inveresk churchyard on 2 January 1897: the grave lies on the north edge of the original churchyard, near the north-west corner.[1]
Family
In 1850 he married Euphemia Cochran (d.1889). They had two daughters and one son (
See also
- O'Byrne, William Richard (1849). John Murray – via Wikisource. . .
References
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18781. Retrieved 30 December 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "David Milne-Home". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol III
- ^ a b c d Heathcote, p. 175
- ^ a b c d e f "William Loney RN". Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ a b c Sainty, J C (1975). "'Lord High Admiral and Commissioners of the Admiralty 1660-1870', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4: Admiralty Officials 1660-1870". pp. 18–31. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "No. 22088". The London Gazette. 29 January 1858. p. 433.
- ^ "No. 22211". The London Gazette. 21 December 1858. p. 5479.
- ^ "No. 22823". The London Gazette. 26 February 1864. p. 886.
- ^ "No. 22960". The London Gazette. 21 April 1865. p. 2131.
- ^ "No. 23603". The London Gazette. 1 April 1870. p. 2006.
- ^ "No. 23739". The London Gazette. 20 May 1871. p. 2473.
- ^ a b c Fitzgerald, Penrose (1913), Memories of the sea, Edward Arnold, pp. 278–9
There is another similar account of Milne's inspection of Captain at: Ballard, George Alexander (1980), The black battlefleet, Nautical Publishing Company Ltd, pp. 110–1 - ^ "No. 24376". The London Gazette. 27 October 1876. p. 5719.
- ^ "No. 24761". The London Gazette. 12 September 1879. p. 5451.
- ^ "No. 24997". The London Gazette. 19 July 1881. p. 3548.
Sources
- Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 - 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
- William Loney RN Career History
- Laughton, John Knox (1901). Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography (1st supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co. . In
Further reading
- Beeler, John, ed. (2004). The Milne Papers: The Papers of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alexander Milne, Bt., K.C.B. (1806-1896), Volume I (1820-1859). Navy Records Society, volume 147. Burlington, Vermont: Ashgate. ASIN B004H4IXPO.
- Beeler, John, ed. The Milne Papers: The Papers of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alexander Milne, Bt., K.C.B. (1806-1896), vol. 2, The Royal Navy and the Outbreak of the American Civil War, 1860-1862 (Publications of the Navy Records Society Series. Routledge, 2016). 760 pp. ISBN 978-1-4094-4686-6. online review
- Courtemanche, Regis A. (1977). No Need of Glory: The British Navy in American Waters 1860-1864. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0870214936.