118-604: Sir Richard John Strachan, 6th Baronet GCB (27 October 1760 – 3 February 1828) was a British officer of the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , eventually rising to the rank of admiral . Sir Dicky, as his friends referred to him, was the last Chief of Clan Strachan. The Baronetcy became dormant in 1854 as he died without male heir. Strachan was born in Devon on 27 October 1760,
236-581: A pension of £1,000 a year. On 29 January he was created a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath (KB), and the City of London voted him the freedom of the city, and awarded him a sword of honour. Strachan was soon back in service, being dispatched early in 1806 to search for a French squadron reported to have sailed for America. After searching for some time, he failed to locate it and instead returned to watch
354-778: A French convoy through the Teignouse Passage between Quiberon and the Ile de Houat , and tried to keep them from reaching safety in the Gulf of Morbihan . Despite his efforts, the convoy reached the cover of a 20-gun corvette , and a number of coastal forts the next day. The situation changed when the hired armed cutter Nile attacked the corvette and forced her aground in Port Navalo. The corvette struck her colours, at which point boats from HMS Magicienne attempted to board and capture her. They were driven off by fire from
472-560: A French three-gun vessel. In 1796 Strachan was appointed to command HMS Diamond , after her previous captain, Sir Sidney Smith had been captured during a cutting-out expedition. On 31 December 1796, Strachan captured the French 12-gun brig Amaranthe , which the Royal Navy took into service as HMS Amaranthe . Strachan commanded Diamond until 1799, when he took command of the 74-gun third rate HMS Captain . He took her off
590-651: A barge alongside, Bonaparte instantly took off his hat, and bowed to him with a smile. The Order of the Bath was reorganised on 2 January 1815, with surviving Knights Companion becoming the first Knights Grand Cross (GCB). Strachan died at his house in Bryanston Square , London, on 3 February 1828. He had married Louisa Dillon, Marchioness of Salsa , in 1812, and together they had three daughters, but no son. The baronetcy became extinct upon his death. Strachan became famous during his career for his ungovernable temper and violent cursing. This eventually earned him
708-476: A candidate to receive his knighthood , of which ritual bathing (as a symbol of purification ) was an element. While not all knights went through such an elaborate ceremony, knights so created were known as "knights of the Bath". George I constituted the Knights of the Bath as a regular military order . He did not revive the order, which did not previously exist, in the sense of a body of knights governed by
826-699: A conference of allied leaders in May, Concorde was sent to Cap-Français with despatches for de Grasse and the requested pilots. When de Grasse received these despatches, he made the critical decision to sail his fleet to the Chesapeake Bay to assist in land operations against British forces operating under the command of Charles Cornwallis in Virginia . Concorde carried de Grasse's letters for Washington, Rochambeau, and de Barras back to Newport; arrival of this news set in motion Washington's march to Virginia and
944-477: A cruise in company with the 64-gun ships HMS Prudent and HMS St Albans , and on sighting the strange sail, Magnificent gave chase. She was close enough to identify the mysterious ship as a frigate by 18:00, and by 20:00 as darkness fell Concorde opened fire on her pursuer with her stern guns. Magnificent overhauled the French ship by 21:15, and after fifteen minutes forced her to strike her colours . Magnificent took possession of Concorde ,
1062-525: A hurricane had dismasted in late August and which the French frigates Charmante and Dédaigneuse had captured on 1 September. In France, the action was so highly regarded that the Navy Minister commissioned a painting of the battle. In 1781 Concorde was responsible for vital transfers of personnel, funds, and communications that contributed to the allied victory at Yorktown . In March 1781 she carried despatches to George Washington and
1180-486: A narrow escape from a French squadron under Rear-Admiral Honoré Joseph Antoine Ganteaume , which had sailed from Brest on 23 January 1801. The French sighted Concorde off Cape Finisterre on 27 January, and sent the 40-gun French frigate Bravoure to chase her down. Concorde cast off a Swedish ship she was towing and drew the French frigate away from the main body of the fleet. Barton then turned and engaged Bravoure for forty minutes, silencing her guns. By now
1298-522: A privateer in the West Indies. Concorde was later commanded by Captain Robert Barton, who took a number of privateers in a series of cruises in the West Indies in 1798, capturing the 16-gun Caye du Pont off St Bartholomew on 3 January, the 8-gun Proserpine off Montserrat on 8 January, the 8-gun Hardi off Barbuda on 11 February, the 2-gun Hazard off Montserrat on 13 February, and
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#17327825315231416-461: A red ring bearing the motto of the Order in gold letters. The circle is flanked by two laurel branches , and is above a scroll bearing the words Ich dien (older German for 'I serve') in gold letters. Stylised versions of this are known as Bath stars , and are used as epaulette pips to indicate British Army officer ranks and for police ranks . The star for civil Knights and Dames Grand Cross consists of an eight-pointed silver star, without
1534-451: A rock off Ushant with such force that she started taking on water at almost 3 inches a minute, which constantly increased. The damage was so severe that the incoming water nearly overloaded the pumps. She eventually made it into the Sound on 11 January attended by HMS Fisgard and the cutter from HMS Lord Nelson . Captain fired distress guns until she reached the narrows, when all
1652-456: A scroll bearing the words Ich dien in gold letters. The civil badge is a plain gold oval, bearing three crowns on the obverse side, and a rose, a thistle and a shamrock , emanating from a sceptre on the reverse side; both emblems are surrounded by a ring bearing the motto of the Order. On certain ' collar days ' designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear
1770-782: A set of statutes and whose numbers were replenished when vacancies occurred. The Order consists of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom (currently King Charles III ), the Great Master (currently William, Prince of Wales ), and three Classes of members: Members belong to either the Civil Division or the Military Division. Knight Companion (KB), the order's only class prior to 1815, is no longer an option. Commonwealth citizens who are not subjects of
1888-664: A total of £18,259, was completed by April 1793, by which time the French Revolutionary Wars had broken out. Concorde was fitted for service at Chatham between April and May 1793, at a cost of £6,600, and was commissioned in April under Captain Thomas Wells. In 1794 command of Concorde passed to Captain Sir Richard Strachan , and she joined Commodore John Borlase Warren's squadron off
2006-633: A variety of stations, including at the Cape of Good Hope and the East Indies . She was laid up in 1807 and sold for breaking up in 1811. Concorde was one of three Concorde -class frigates built for the French Navy to a design by Henri Chevillard. She was built at Rochefort between April 1777 and January 1778, being launched on 3 September 1777. She went out to the West Indies after
2124-455: Is a gold Maltese Cross of eight points, enamelled in white. Each point of the cross is decorated by a small gold ball; each angle has a small figure of a lion. The centre of the cross bears three crowns on the obverse side, and a rose, a thistle and a shamrock , emanating from a sceptre on the reverse side. Both emblems are surrounded by a red circular ring bearing the motto of the Order, which are in turn flanked by two laurel branches, above
2242-603: Is clear at least that he set out to make himself indispensable to the Earl Marshal , which was not hard, their political principles being congruous and their friendship already established, but also to Sir Robert Walpole and the Whig ministry, which can by no means have been easy, considering his known attachment to the Pretender and the circumstances under which he came into office. ... The main object of Anstis's next move,
2360-466: Is in turn larger than the Companion's badge; however, these are all suspended on a crimson ribbon. Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear the badge on a riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Companions wear the badge from a ribbon worn around the neck. Dames Commander and female Companions wear the badge from a bow on the left side: The military badge
2478-437: Is made of black velvet ; it includes an upright plume of feathers . The collar , worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of gold and weighs 30 troy ounces (933 g) . It consists of depictions of nine imperial crowns and eight sets of flowers ( roses for England, thistles for Scotland, and shamrocks for Ireland), connected by seventeen silver knots. On lesser occasions, simpler insignia are used: The star
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#17327825315232596-607: Is the Great Master, of which there have been ten: Originally a Prince of the Blood Royal, as the Principal Knight Companion, ranked next after the sovereign. This position was joined to that of the Great Master in the statutes of 1847. The Great Master and Principal Knight is now either a descendant of George I or 'some other exalted personage'; the holder of the office has custody of the seal of
2714-426: Is used only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander. Its style varies by rank and division; it is worn pinned to the left breast: The star for military Knights and Dames Grand Cross consists of a Maltese Cross on top of an eight-pointed silver star; the star for military Knights and Dames Commander is an eight-pointed silver cross pattée. Each bears in the centre three crowns surrounded by
2832-605: The Amfitrite back to Cadiz. Strachan allowed the captain three minutes to decide whether he would comply with the order, but after waiting for six minutes without an answer, opened fire on Amfitrite . The engagement lasted only eight minutes, and resulted in a number of deaths, including the Spanish captain, who fell to a musket ball. Amfitrite surrendered and after being searched, was found to be laden with stores and carrying dispatches from Cadiz to Tenerife and Havana . She
2950-794: The Bombay Marine of the British East India Company . Captain Wood received his prisoners "with distinction" and Concorde returned to Bombay. Fortune , reduced to a poor condition, limped in several days later. Concorde was under Captain John Cramer, probably from February 1806. She was still in the East Indies in 1807, where in July she captured the 2-gun privateer Vigilant . Concorde returned to England and
3068-416: The Cape of Good Hope . On 7 November 1804, she captured the 24-gun privateer Fortune , under François-Thomas Le Même , after a ten-hour running battle. In the battle Fortune lost two men killed and had four wounded; Concorde had no casualties. Fortune also suffered extensive damage to her rigging. A few days earlier at Qais Island Fortune had captured and scuttled Fly , a 14-gun brig belonging to
3186-527: The Comte de Rochambeau from France. These despatches included a request from the comte de Grasse , commander of the West Indies fleet, for information on planned allied operations and the delivery of pilots familiar with the American coast. She also carried 6 million livres to support the war effort, and the new commander of the French naval squadron at Newport, Rhode Island , the comte de Barras . Following
3304-562: The French frigate Virginie . From 1797 until the early 19th century she had especial success against privateers, capturing a large number in the West Indies and in the Atlantic. She had a narrow escape from a superior French force in 1801, but was able to batter her pursuer, the 40-gun French frigate Bravoure , into submission; only the arrival of French reinforcements saved Bravoure from capture. Concorde spent her last years on
3422-673: The Gulf War . A more controversial member of the Order was Robert Mugabe , whose honour was stripped by the Queen, on the advice of the Foreign Secretary , David Miliband , on 25 June 2008 "as a mark of revulsion at the abuse of human rights and abject disregard for the democratic process in Zimbabwe over which President Mugabe has presided." Honorary members do not count towards the numerical limits in each class. In addition,
3540-518: The North American Station , first aboard HMS Preston under Commodore William Hotham , followed by HMS Eagle , the flagship of Lord Howe . Strachan went on to serve aboard HMS Actaeon off the coast of Africa , and in the West Indies . On the death of his uncle on 26 December 1777, he succeeded to the baronetcy. He was promoted to lieutenant on 5 April 1779 and was then appointed to HMS Hero in early 1781, under
3658-769: The Order of the Garter ). Foreign generals are also often given honorary appointments to the Order, for example: Marshal Ferdinand Foch and Marshal Joseph Joffre during the First World War ; Marshal Georgy Zhukov , King Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia , General Dwight D. Eisenhower , General George C. Marshall , General Douglas MacArthur , and General George S. Patton Jr. during the Second World War ; and General Norman Schwarzkopf and General Colin Powell after
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3776-560: The Quiberon Expedition , after which she joined Sir Edward Pellew's squadron. On 20 April 1796 Pellew's squadron, then consisting of Concorde , Pellew's 38-gun HMS Indefatigable , and the 36-gun HMS Amazon under Captain Robert Carthew Reynolds , spotted and chased a mysterious sail. After chasing their quarry for 15 hours over 168 miles they caught up with her, with Indefatigable leading
3894-417: The spurs to the knight-elect's heels, fastened a belt around his waist, then struck him on the neck (with either a hand or a sword ), thus making him a knight. It was this accolade which was the essential act in creating a knight, and a simpler ceremony developed, conferring knighthood merely by striking or touching the knight-to-be on the shoulder with a sword, or 'dubbing' him, as is still done today. In
4012-434: The 1859 revision. Women were admitted to the Order in 1971. In the 1971 New Year Honours , Jean Nunn became the first woman admitted to the order. In 1975, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester , an aunt of Elizabeth II , became the first woman to reach the highest rank, Dame Grand Cross. Princess Alice (née Douglas-Montagu-Scott) was a direct descendant of the Order's first Great Master, and her husband, who had died
4130-530: The 2-gun Rosière off Montserrat on 1 April. In an action with HMS Lapwing on 8 and 9 September she captured four privateers, the 8-gun Buonaparte , 10-gun Amazone , 4-gun Sauveur , and 2-gun Fortune . Concorde ' s success against privateers continued with the capture of the 18-gun Prudente on 14 February 1799, the 6-gun San Josef off Oporto in December 1800, and the 1-gun San Miguel el Volante on 1 December 1800. Next, Concorde had
4248-487: The 36-gun French frigate Engageante , the 44-gun Pomone , the 36-gun Résolue , and the 24-gun Babet . Warren chased and engaged them , leading the attack in Flora . When Flora was badly damaged from the combined fire from the French ships, the remaining British ships came up in support, and forced the rear-most French ships, Babet and Pomone , to surrender. Melampus , Nymphe and Concorde gave chase to
4366-538: The 4th, but both Debrett's and Burke's Peerage list him as the 6th. Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior military officers or senior civil servants , and the monarch awards it on the advice of His Majesty's Government. The name derives from an elaborate medieval ceremony for preparing
4484-691: The British monarch and foreign nationals may be made honorary members. The Order of the Bath is the fourth most senior of the British orders of chivalry , after the Order of the Garter , the Order of the Thistle , and the (dormant) Order of St Patrick . In the Middle Ages , a knighthood was often conferred with elaborate ceremonies. These usually involved the knight-to-be taking a bath (possibly symbolic of spiritual purification ), during which he
4602-701: The British monarch and foreigners may be made honorary members. Queen Elizabeth II established the custom of appointing visiting (republican) heads of state honorary GCBs, for example Gustav Heinemann and Josip Broz Tito (in 1972), Ronald Reagan (in 1989), Lech Wałęsa (in 1991), Censu Tabone (in 1992), Fernando Henrique Cardoso , George H. W. Bush (in 1993), Nicolas Sarkozy (in 2008), and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (in 2012), as well as Turkish President Abdullah Gül , Slovenian President Danilo Türk , Mexican President Felipe Calderón , and South African President Jacob Zuma (royal heads of state are instead usually made Stranger Knights and Ladies Companion of
4720-744: The Dutch East India Ship Ostenhuyson . Command of Concorde passed from Hunt to Captain Richard Bagot in November 1796, and he in turn was succeeded by Captain Batholomew Roberts in June 1797. Concorde captured the 4-gun privateer Poisson Volant off Cape Finisterre on 24 July 1797. She was bound from Bordeaux to Guadeloupe carrying wines and merchandise, after which she intended to cruise as
4838-658: The Earl of Chatham. Despite these controversies, promotion being entirely on the basis of seniority, he was made a Rear-Admiral of the Red on 25 October 1809, a Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 31 July 1810, Vice-Admiral of the White on 12 August 1812, Vice-Admiral of the Red on 4 June 1814, and Admiral of the White on 19 July 1821. After the defeat of Napoleon , and his temporary incarceration aboard HMS Bellerophon in 1815, Strachan set out to see
Sir Richard Strachan, 6th Baronet - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-407: The French Navy, until being condemned and broken up in November 1794. d. This was not Strachan's first encounter with Résolue . While serving in the East Indies in command of the 36-gun HMS Phoenix in November 1791 Strachan received orders to stop and search a French convoy, escorted by Résolue , which was believed to be carrying supplies for the support of Tipu Sultan , whom
5074-620: The French coast. The squadron also included Warren's 36-gun HMS Flora , the 38-gun HMS Arethusa under Captain Sir Edward Pellew , and the 36-gun frigates HMS Melampus , under Captain Thomas Wells, and HMS Nymphe , under Captain George Murray . While sailing off the Channel Islands on 23 April the British squadron came across a French squadron under Commodore Desgareaux consisting of
5192-418: The French commodore. Strachan returned to England in 1793, and was appointed to command the frigate HMS Concorde and in spring 1794 joined a squadron patrolling off Brest , under the command of Sir John Borlase Warren . The squadron engaged a rival squadron of four French frigates on 23 April 1794 and succeeded in capturing three of them. Strachan and Concorde had forced the surrender of one of them,
5310-609: The French entry to the American War of Independence , and reached Martinique on 17 August 1778. On 28 August 1778, under Captain Le Gardeur de Tilly , she came up on the 32-gun HMS Minerva , under Captain John Stott, and after two and a half hours of fighting, captured her. Minerva was towed to Cap Français on Saint-Domingue , where she was joined shortly afterwards by the captured HMS Active , which
5428-699: The Garter equivalent (the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod ) perform any duties in the House of Lords . There were originally seven officers, each of whom was to receive fees from the Knights Companion both on appointment, and annually thereafter. The office of Messenger was abolished in 1859. The office of Genealogist was abolished at the same time, but revived in 1913. The offices of Registrar and Secretary were formally merged in 1859, although
5546-466: The Genealogist, Brunswick Herald of Arms to the Gentleman Usher, and Bath King of Arms was also made Gloucester King of Arms with heraldic jurisdiction over Wales. This was the result of a move by Anstis to give the holders of these sinecures greater security; the offices of the Order of the Bath were held at the pleasure of the Great Master, while appointments to the heraldic offices were made by
5664-631: The King under the Great Seal and were for life. Members of the Order wear elaborate uniforms on important occasions (such as its quadrennial installation ceremonies and coronations ), which vary by rank: The mantle , worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of crimson satin lined with white taffeta . On the left side is a representation of the star (see below). The mantle is bound with two large tassels. The hat , worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander,
5782-468: The Knights of the Bath, as well as the colour of the riband and mantle , and the ceremony for creating a knight. The rest of the statutes were mostly based on those of the Order of the Garter, of which he was an officer (as Garter King of Arms). The Order was founded by letters patent under the Great Seal dated 18 May 1725 ; 299 years ago ( 1725-05-18 ) , and the statutes issued
5900-537: The Maltese cross; the star for civil Knights and Dames Commander is an eight-pointed silver cross pattée. The design of each is the same as the design of the military stars, except that the laurel branches and the words Ich dien are excluded. The badge varies in design, size, and manner of wearing by rank and division. The Knight and Dame Grand Cross' badge is larger than the Knight and Dame Commander's badge, which
6018-472: The Mediterranean in 1799 and taken into the navy. b. Stott was badly wounded in the engagement, losing a piece of his ear, and his hearing and eyesight to the resulting swelling. A ball remained lodged in his head, and he died shortly aftwerwards on Hispaniola . A young Horatio Nelson was serving in the West Indies at the time, and wrote to his friend and patron William Locker about
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#17327825315236136-625: The Military Division, to Commissariat and Medical officers serving with the Army and Navy , including those serving with the East India Company . In 1859, a further edition of the Statutes was issued; the changes related mainly to the costs associated with the Order. Prior to this date, it had been the policy that the insignia (which were provided by the Crown) were to be returned on
6254-406: The Order for members who had been appointed for the services in the recent war. The fees were abolished, and replaced with a salary of approximately the same average value. The offices of Genealogist and Messenger were abolished, and those of Registrar and Secretary combined. In 1910, after his accession to the throne, George V ordered the revival of the Installation ceremony, perhaps prompted by
6372-403: The Order of the Bath; a similar design of badge is still worn by members of the Civil Division. Their symbolism however is not entirely clear. The 'three joined in one' may be a reference to the kingdoms of England , Scotland , and either France or Ireland , which were held (or claimed in the case of France ) by English and, later, British monarchs. This would correspond to the three crowns in
6490-399: The Order of the Garter (or the Order of the Thistle for Scots), none of which were awarded in large numbers (the Garter and the Thistle are limited to twenty-four and sixteen living members respectively). The political environment was also significantly different from today: The Sovereign still exercised a power to be reckoned with in the eighteenth century. The Court remained the centre of
6608-420: The Order were increasingly made for naval , military , or diplomatic achievements. This is partly due to the conflicts Britain was engaged in over this period. The Peninsular War resulted in so many deserving candidates for the Bath, that a statute was issued allowing the appointment of Extra Knights in time of war, who were to be additional to the numerical limits imposed by the statutes, and whose number
6726-448: The Order's collar over their military uniform or evening wear. When collars are worn (either on collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations), the badge is suspended from the collar. The collars and badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross are returned to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood upon the decease of their owners. All other insignia may be retained by their owners. HMS Concorde (1783) Concorde
6844-432: The West Indies for a return to Britain later in the year, though her commander for this voyage is unknown. She arrived in Britain and was paid off in September at Chatham . With the end of the American War of Independence and the draw-down in the navy, Concorde was not brought into immediate service but remained laid up at Chatham until November 1790, when Wilson, of Frindsbury . began a great repair. The work, which cost
6962-421: The attack. Both ships exchanged fire, considerably damaging each other, upon which Concorde came up under the quarry's stern and forced her to surrender. She was discovered to be the 40-gun French frigate Virginie , under Captain Jacques Bergeret. Virginie was towed to port and taken into the navy. On 31 January 1795 Concorde was part of a squadron under Captain Sir John Borlase Warren that seized
7080-431: The badge. Another explanation of the motto is that it refers to the Holy Trinity . Nicolas quotes a source (although he is sceptical of it) who claims that prior to James I the motto was Tria numina juncta in uno (three powers/gods joined in one), but from the reign of James I, the word numina was dropped, and the motto understood to mean Tria [regna] juncta in uno (three kingdoms joined in one). The prime mover in
7198-441: The boats from the dock and the fleet came out to assist her. Captain eventually made it to the Hamoaze , and went back into Cawsand Bay on 5 May. In 1802 Strachan was appointed to command HMS Donegal . Whilst serving aboard her, he was made senior officer at Gibraltar and ordered to watch the combined French and Spanish fleet at Cadiz , under the orders of Nelson . Whilst on this station, she spotted and gave chase to
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#17327825315237316-425: The captures, noting that William Williams, commander of Active had also died shortly afterwards, apparently of a broken heart. The heavy British losses at the time speeded Nelson's own promotion, and he was made master and commander of the brig HMS Badger on 8 December 1778. c. Minerva was retaken on 4 January 1781 and was renamed HMS Recovery . Active spent the rest of her career with
7434-416: The command of Captain James Hawker. Aboard Hero Strachan was part of Commodore George Johnstone's squadron, and was present at the Battle of Porto Praya against the Bailli de Suffren on 16 April 1781. After this action, Hero moved on to the East Indies , where Strachan moved to take up a post, first aboard HMS Magnanime and then aboard HMS Superb . It was whilst aboard Superb that Strachan
7552-539: The corvette and returned to Magicienne . Strachan meanwhile devised a plan to attack the French. Later that day, Magicienne was ordered to approach, to draw the fire of the batteries. Strachan ordered Lieutenant Hannah and a party of seamen and marines into four boats, which were towed into the harbour by Suwarrow ; while Nile and HMS Lurcher towed another four more boats manned by Marlborough ' s men who had been rescued by Strachan three weeks previously. Under heavy fire of grape , round and musket-balls from
7670-413: The death of the holder; the exception had been foreigners who had been awarded honorary membership. In addition, foreigners had usually been provided with stars made of silver and diamonds, whereas ordinary members had only embroidered stars. The decision was made to award silver stars to all members, and only require the return of the Collar . The Crown had also been paying the fees due to the officers of
7788-418: The destruction of the French fleet. Strachan was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue on 9 November 1805. When, on 28 January 1806, the thanks of both Houses of Parliament were voted to those who had fought at Trafalgar, Strachan and his command was specially included. He was also, by special act of Parliament , the Annuity to Sir Richard Strachan Act 1806 ( 46 Geo. 3 . c. 5), rewarded with
7906-435: The details of the problems that the Navy might encounter, he failed to consider the army's problems. Relations with the army's commander, Lord Chatham, quickly became strained and the ambitious Walcheren Campaign ended up being abandoned, having only achieved the capture of Flushing . A period of angry recriminations followed the withdrawal, with Chatham presenting a narrative to King George III in 1810, blaming Strachan for
8024-410: The draw-down in the navy after the end of the war, Concorde underwent repairs and returned to active service with the outbreak of war with France in 1793 as the fifth-rate HMS Concorde . Initially part of squadrons cruising off the French coast, she played an important part in the action of 23 April 1794 , capturing the French frigate Engageante . At a later engagement she helped capture
8142-458: The early medieval period, the difference seems to have been that the full ceremonies were used for men from more prominent families. From the coronation of Henry IV in 1399, the full ceremonies were restricted to major royal occasions, such as coronations, investitures of the Prince of Wales or royal dukes , and royal weddings, and the knights so created became known as Knights of the Bath . Knights Bachelor continued to be created with
8260-414: The eldest son of Lieutenant Patrick Strachan RN and a daughter of Captain Pitman RN. His uncle was Sir John Strachan , fifth baronet . Strachan entered the Royal Navy in 1772 at the age of twelve, serving first aboard HMS Intrepid . He sailed with Intrepid to the East Indies , before moving to HMS Orford , then under the command of his uncle. He went on to serve in a number of different ships on
8378-513: The establishment of the Order of the Bath was John Anstis , Garter King of Arms , England's highest heraldic officer. Sir Anthony Wagner , a recent holder of the office of Garter King of Arms, wrote of Anstis's motivations: It was Martin Leake's opinion that the trouble and opposition Anstis met with in establishing himself as Garter so embittered him against the heralds that when at last in 1718 he succeeded, he made it his prime object to aggrandise himself and his office at their expense. It
8496-467: The eventual entrapment of Cornwallis at Yorktown. On 7 January 1783, Concorde was in company with Nymphe . They sighted HMS Raven , which initially sailed towards them until she realized that they were not British frigates. An all-day chase ensued until about 9p.m. when one of the French frigates got within pistol-shot and fired a broadside that took away Raven ' s main topgallant-mast. The chase continued until about 10:30 p.m. when one of
8614-439: The expedition's failure. Strachan defended himself, declaring that the ships had done all that had been required of them. He nevertheless became the scapegoat for the failure, and was not given any more assignments. The confusion and conflicting accounts led to the following doggerel verse: Great Chatham, with his sabre drawn, Stood waiting for Sir Richard Strachan; Sir Richard, longing to be at 'em, Stood waiting for
8732-426: The fact that the Bath was represented as a military Order, only a few military officers were among the initial appointments (see List of knights companion of the Order of the Bath ). They may be broken down into categories as follows (some are classified in more than one category): The majority of the new Knights Companions were knighted by the King, and invested with their ribands and badges on 27 May 1725. Although
8850-458: The failure of the venture, he was later to declare that It is my wish to serve with Strachan, as I know him to be extremely brave and full of zeal and ardour, at the same time that he is an excellent seaman, and, tho' an irregular, impetuous fellow, possessing very quick parts and an uncommon share of sagacity and strong sense. a. Some confusion over which baronet he was exists. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography lists him as
8968-556: The fighting. Concorde was then assigned to Rear-Admiral George Montagu's squadron in May 1794, and took part in the manoeuvres during the Atlantic campaign of May 1794 . Strachan left Concorde in July 1794 to take command of Melampus , and in August Captain Anthony Hunt took over command of Concorde . Concorde was part of John Warren's squadron off Quiberon between June and July 1795, supporting
9086-481: The first Installation ceremony of the more junior Order of St Michael and St George , held a few years earlier, and the building of a new chapel for the Order of the Thistle in 1911. The Installation ceremony took place on 22 July 1913 in the Henry VII Chapel , and Installations have been held at regular intervals since. Prior to the 1913 Installation, it was necessary to adapt the chapel to accommodate
9204-587: The fleeing Résolue and Engageante . Strachan in Concorde attempted to damage the rearmost of the French ships, Engageante , before pushing on to chase Résolue , but Résolue dropped back to support Engageante , damaging Concorde ' s sails and rigging. With Nymphe and Melampus still too far astern, and unable to catch Résolue himself, Strachan engaged Engageante and after 105 minutes of fighting, forced her to surrender, while Résolue made her escape. Concorde lost one man killed and 12 wounded in
9322-403: The following week. The Order initially consisted of the Sovereign, a Prince of the blood Royal as Principal Knight, a Great Master, and thirty-five Knights Companion. Seven officers (see below) were attached to the Order. These provided yet another opportunity for political patronage, as they were to be sinecures at the disposal of the Great Master, supported by fees from the knights. Despite
9440-556: The frigate L'Engageante . Strachan was then appointed to the 42-gun HMS Melampus which was attached in the summer to the main British fleet. In spring 1795 Strachan was dispatched in command of a squadron of five frigates to cruise off the Normandy and Brittany coasts. He was highly successful at this, capturing or destroying a considerable number of French coastal craft, many laden with military stores and conveyed by armed French warships. On 9 May 1795, he captured Crache-feu ,
9558-520: The frigates was again in range, with the other coming up rapidly. At this point, Raven , which was under the command of Commander John Wells, struck . The French Navy took Raven into service under the name Cérès , which she had born when under French colours between 1778 and 1782. On 15 February the 74-gun HMS Magnificent , under Captain Robert Linzee , sighted Concorde . Magnificent had sailed from Gros Islet Bay on 12 February on
9676-429: The large 42-gun Spanish frigate Amfitrite in November 1804. After pursuing her for 46 hours, Amfitrite lost her mizzen-top-mast and was subsequently overhauled by Donegal . A boat was dispatched from Donegal and the Spanish captain was brought aboard. Strachan did not speak Spanish and the captain did not speak English, so it was with difficulty that Strachan attempted to inform him that his orders were to return
9794-559: The larger number of members. An appeal was made to the members of the Order, and following the Installation a surplus remained. A Committee was formed from the Officers to administer the 'Bath Chapel Fund', and over time this committee has come to consider other matters than purely financial ones. Another revision of the statutes of the Order was undertaken in 1925, to consolidate the 41 additional statutes which had been issued since
9912-427: The latter being described as carrying 36 guns and 300 men, and being under the command of M. le Chevalier du Clesmaur. Shortly after surrendering the Concorde ' s maintopsail caught fire, forcing the crew to cut away the mainmast to extinguish it. Prudent and St Albans came up two hours later and Magnificent towed Concorde to St. John's , Antigua . Concorde was bought into the navy and commissioned in
10030-533: The line and four frigates in the Bay of Biscay . Whilst sailing off Cape Finisterre on 2 November 1805, the squadron encountered four French ships of the line that had escaped from the Battle of Trafalgar under the command of Rear-Admiral Dumanoir le Pelley . Strachan pursued them, bringing them to battle on 4 November. After a short engagement, known as the Battle of Cape Ortegal , he captured all of them, completing
10148-457: The main French fleet was fast approaching, and with his sails and rigging damaged, Barton did not attempt to take possession of Bravoure . Instead he made for a British port to report the encounter. Concorde had four men killed and 19 wounded in the engagement; Bravoure had 10 killed and 24 wounded. Captain John Wood succeeded Barton in 1802, and the following year Concorde went out to
10266-402: The man he had spent most of his career fighting to defeat. Napoleon himself was apparently aware of Strachan's deeds. On Thursday he [Napoleon Bonaparte] gratified the spectators with his appearance frequently on the poop and gangway, on which occasions the British, as well as the French officers, stood uncovered and apart! One of his officers intimating to him, that Sir Richard Strachan was in
10384-404: The marks of distinction which they have so nobly earned. The Order was now to consist of three classes: Knights Grand Cross, Knights Commander, and Companions. At the same time, the large and small Naval Gold Medals were suspended, while the bearers became Knights Commander and Companions, respectively. The existing Knights Companion (of which there were 60) became Knight Grand Cross; this class
10502-400: The new Order for Walpole was that it would provide a source of such favours to strengthen his political position. He made sure that most of the 36 new honorees were peers and MPs who would provide him with useful connections. George I having agreed to Walpole's proposal, Anstis was commissioned to draft statutes for the Order of the Bath. As noted above, he adopted the motto and badge used by
10620-597: The nickname of 'Mad Dick' among his men, but he remained a popular and sought-after commander. Captain Graham Moore , the brother of Sir John Moore , described him on the eve of the Walcheren expedition as one of those in our service whom I estimate the highest. I do not believe he has his fellow among the Admirals, unless it be Pellew , for ability, and it is not possible to have more zeal and gallantry. Despite
10738-480: The opportunity also taken to regularise the 1815 expansion of the Order. The 1847 statutes also abolished all the medieval ritual, but they did introduce a formal Investiture ceremony, conducted by the Sovereign wearing the Mantle and insignia of the Order, attended by the Officers and as many GCBs as possible, in their Mantles. In 1850, a special statute authorised appointments of Knight Commander and Companion, in
10856-458: The order and is responsible for enforcing the statutes. The statutes also provide for the following: Regular membership is limited to citizens of the United Kingdom and of other Commonwealth countries of which the British monarch is Sovereign. Appointees are usually officers of the armed forces or senior civil servants, such as permanent secretaries . Members appointed to the Civil Division must "by their personal services to [the] crown or by
10974-618: The performance of public duties have merited ... royal favour." Appointments to the Military Division are restricted by the minimum rank of the individual. GCBs hold the rank of admiral in the Royal Navy, general in the British Army or Royal Marines , or air chief marshal in the Royal Air Force . KCBs must at least hold the rank of vice admiral , lieutenant general in the Army or Marines, or air marshal . CBs tend be of
11092-534: The political world. The King was limited in that he had to choose Ministers who could command a majority in Parliament , but the choice remained his. The leader of an administration still had to command the King's personal confidence and approval. A strong following in Parliament depended on being able to supply places, pensions, and other marks of Royal favour to the government's supporters. The attraction of
11210-598: The port of Rochefort . Thick fog and poor weather covered the port in January 1808, and allowed the French to sail out undetected and escape to the Mediterranean . Strachan gave chase, joining Admiral Collingwood's forces, but the French were able to gain the safety of Toulon . Strachan was ordered to return home, where, in 1809, he became Commander-in-Chief, North Sea , watching the Dutch coast. On 9 June 1809, he
11328-455: The prestige of the Order. In 1847, Queen Victoria issued new statutes eliminating all references to an exclusively military Order. As well as removing the word 'Military' from the full name of the Order, this opened up the grades of Knight Commander and Companion to civil appointments, and the Military and Civil Divisions of the Order were established. New numerical limits were imposed, and
11446-462: The previous year, had also held that office. The second Dame Grand Cross, Sally Davies , was appointed in the 2020 New Year Honours . The British Sovereign is the Sovereign of the Order of the Bath. As with all honours, except those in the Sovereign's personal gift, the Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the Government . The next-most senior member of the Order
11564-565: The rank of rear admiral , major general in the Army, Royal Navy or Royal Marines, or air vice marshal in the Royal Air Force, and in addition must have been Mentioned in Despatches for distinction in a command position in a combat situation, although the latter is no longer a requirement. Non-line officers (e.g. engineers , medics) may be appointed only for meritorious service in wartime. Commonwealth citizens not subjects of
11682-515: The revival or institution of the Order of the Bath was probably that which it in fact secured, of ingratiating him with the all-powerful Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole. The use of honours in the early eighteenth century differed considerably from the modern honours system , in which hundreds, if not thousands, of people each year receive honours on the basis of deserving accomplishments. The only honours available at that time were hereditary (not life) peerages and baronetcies , knighthoods , and
11800-425: The shore battery high above, they boarded the corvette, and set her on fire. They then re-embarked and began heading back towards Captain , when the corvette blew up with a tremendous explosion. The British lost only one man killed, when a shot hit the fluke of Suwarrow ' s anchor, ricocheted, and struck the head of a sailor. Seven others were injured. In January 1801, Strachan almost died when Captain struck
11918-403: The simpler form of ceremony. The last occasion on which Knights of the Bath were created was the coronation of Charles II in 1661. From at least 1625, and possibly from the reign of James I , Knights of the Bath were using the motto Tria juncta in uno ( Latin for 'Three joined in one'), and wearing as a badge three crowns within a plain gold oval. These were both subsequently adopted by
12036-528: The spring of 1788 for China , carrying the ambassador , the Hon. Charles Alan Cathcart . Cathcart died during the journey, as Vestal passed through the Strait of Banca, and the ship returned to England. Strachan and Vestal were then ordered to the East Indies again, to join a squadron under the command of Commodore William Cornwallis . On arrival, Strachan was reassigned to HMS Phoenix . In November 1791 she
12154-648: The statutes allow the Sovereign to exceed the limits in time of war or other exceptional circumstances. The office of Dean is held by the Dean of Westminster . The King of Arms, responsible for heraldry , is known as Bath King of Arms; he is not, however, a member of the College of Arms , like many heralds. The Order's Usher is known as the Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod ; he does not, unlike his Order of
12272-405: The statutes set out the full medieval ceremony which was to be used for creating knights, this was not performed, and indeed, was possibly never intended to be, as the original statutes contained a provision allowing the Great Master to dispense Knights Companion from these requirements. The original knights were dispensed from all the medieval ceremonies with the exception of the Installation, which
12390-529: The two positions had been held concurrently for the previous century. An Officer of Arms and a Secretary for the Knights Commander and Companions were established in 1815, but abolished in 1847. The office of Deputy Secretary was created in 1925. Under the Hanoverian kings, certain of the officers also held heraldic office. The office of Blanc Coursier Herald of Arms was attached to that of
12508-440: The west coast of France, at times operating as part of a squadron, and at other times alone. On 5 November 1800 he came to the assistance of the stranded and sinking HMS Marlborough , which had struck a ledge of rocks near Isle Grouat during the previous night's gale. Captain ' s boats were pushed through the surf and were able to take off Marlborough's officers and crew. Later that month, on 17 November, Captain chased
12626-517: Was a 32-gun frigate of the French Navy , lead ship of her class . Built in Rochefort in 1777, she entered service with the French early in the American War of Independence and was soon in action, capturing HMS Minerva in the West Indies . She survived almost until near the end of the war when HMS Magnificent captured her in 1783. Not immediately brought into service due to
12744-596: Was also to appoint eight officers for this body. However, the statute was never invoked. In January 1815, after the end of the Peninsular War , the Prince Regent (later George IV ) expanded the Order of the Bath to the end that those Officers who have had the opportunities of signalising themselves by eminent services during the late war may share in the honours of the said Order, and that their names may be delivered down to remote posterity, accompanied by
12862-456: Was appointed as the naval commander of an expedition, consisting of 264 warships and 352 transports carrying 44,000 troops, to attack the island of Walcheren and destroy the French arsenals in the Scheldt . Strachan was ill-qualified for the position, lacking both the experience and the temperament to hold a joint command in such a complex combined operation. Whilst he was careful to attend to
12980-400: Was instructed in the duties of knighthood by more senior knights. He was then put to bed to dry. Clothed in a special robe, he was led with music to the chapel where he spent the night in a vigil . At dawn, he made confession and attended Mass , then retired to his bed to sleep until it was fully daylight. He was then brought before the King, who after instructing two senior knights to buckle
13098-456: Was limited to 72 members, of which twelve could be appointed for civil or diplomatic services. The military members had to be of the rank of at least major-general or rear admiral . The Knights Commander were limited to 180, exclusive of foreign nationals holding British commissions, up to ten of whom could be appointed as honorary Knights Commander. They had to be of the rank of lieutenant-colonel or post-captain . The number of Companions
13216-525: Was not specified, but they had to have received a medal or been mentioned in despatches since the start of the war in 1803. A list of about 500 names was subsequently published. Two further officers were appointed, an 'Officer of arms attendant on the Knights Commanders and Companions', and a 'Secretary appertaining to the Knights Commanders and Companions'. The large increase in numbers caused some complaints that such an expansion would reduce
13334-427: Was not subject to any restrictions. Another statute, this one issued some 80 years earlier, had also added a military note to the Order. Each knight was required, under certain circumstances, to supply and support four men-at-arms for a period not exceeding 42 days in any year, to serve in any part of Great Britain. This company was to be captained by the Great Master, who had to supply four trumpeters , and
13452-442: Was ordered to stop and search the French frigate Résolue , which was escorting a number of merchant ships believed to be carrying military supplies to support Tippu Sultan . Résolue resisted Phoenix and a brief fight ensued before Résolue struck her colours. Trublet de Villejégu , captain of Résolue , insisted on considering his ship as a British prize, so Cornwallis ordered Strachan to tow her into Mahé and return her to
13570-582: Was paid off in September 1807. She spent several years laid up in Ordinary . The Navy sold her at Deptford on 21 February 1811. a. Concorde ' s sisters were the Hermione and Courageuse . Hermione was wrecked in 1793, while Courageuse was captured during the siege of Toulon , but was retaken in the fall of the city to the French. She was retaken by the British while sailing in
13688-472: Was performed in the Order's Chapel, the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey , on 17 June. This precedent was followed until 1812, after which the Installation was also dispensed with, until its revival in the twentieth century. The ceremonies however remained part of the Statutes until 1847. Although the initial appointments to the Order were largely political, from the 1770s, appointments to
13806-421: Was present at the first of four actions that took place between Sir Edward Hughes and de Suffren, the Battle of Sadras on 17 February 1782. After acquitting himself well, Strachan was promoted by Hughes in January 1783 to the command of the cutter HMS Lizard , and then again on 26 April 1783 to be captain of the corvette Naiad . Strachan's next appointment was in 1787 to HMS Vestal . He sailed in
13924-543: Was taken over and later commissioned into the Navy as HMS Amfitrite . Donegal would later make another capture off Cadiz, taking a Spanish vessel carrying a cargo reputed to be worth £200,000. On 23 April 1804 Strachan was made a colonel of marines , and returned to England in HMS Renown . On arrival he was immediately appointed to HMS Caesar and placed in command of a detached squadron including three ships of
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