[BITList] Halifax's grand old man of Victorian-era Royal Navy

[wantok at me.com]

http://thechronicleherald.ca/thenovascotian/179814-provo-wallis-halifax-s-grand-old-man-of-victorian-era-royal-navy
Provo Wallis: Halifax’s grand old man

of Victorian-era Royal Navy

November 18, 2012
 
Hero of War of 1812 was preparing to head back to sea duty when he died at age of 100





As a 2nd lieutenant during the War of 1812, Provo William Parry Wallis distinguished himself and became something of a folk hero. The Halifax-born sailor eventually achieved the rank of admiral of the fleet, a position he held until his death at 100 years of age. (Courtesy of The Nova Scotia Archives)
THE DASHING young Halifax-born naval hero of the War of 1812, 2nd Lieutenant Provo William Parry Wallis, was four years old when he began his naval career, an association which was to link the Age of Sail and the Age of Steam and see him reach the rank of Admiral of the Fleet before his death at 100 years of age, still on active service in the Royal Navy.

Wallis was born in Halifax on May 12, 1791, to Provo Featherstone Wallis and Elizabeth Lawlor Wallis. His father worked in the Naval Dockyard at Halifax as a senior clerk in the shipwright’s office.

The senior Wallis saw a future for his son in the Royal Navy. He was not a man without influence and so, at an age when most boys living near the sea were playing with toy boats, his son was listed in that service as an able seaman.

He continued to serve on paper but by 1800 he was a midshipman aboard the frigate HMS Cleopatra.

Adventure appeared early when the lad was captured during his ship’s engagement with a French warship and then rescued within a few days. Aboard HMS Curieux, in 1809, he was shipwrecked on the island of Guadaloupe. Again, along with the rest of the crew, he was rescued.

He received a commission as a second lieutenant in 1811 and was sent to the frigate HMS Shannon. Destiny was waiting off-stage.

The War of 1812 saw plenty of action off the eastern coast of North America with British and American naval vessels trying to blockade one anothers’ shipping and with privateers prowling the coastline in search of prizes and profit.

In late May 1813, the Shannon was off the coast of Massachusetts, her crew eager to engage the USS Chesapeake, which was in Boston harbour. Both ships were nearly evenly matched, although the Shannon’s crew had been together longer and was more rigorously trained.

A popular verse of the time noted that “The Chesapeake so bold, out of Boston, so we’re told, Came to take the British frigate neat and handy-o ….”

A search of the American ship after the battle revealed that their optimism had included carrying aboard three barrels of handcuffs to be used on the British they intended to vanquish.

As it turned out, within 15 minutes of the first firing of the guns from both ships, it was over.

Men from the Shannon boarded the Chesapeake, overcoming resistance from the Americans.

Capt. James Lawrence and many of the Chesapeake’s men were dead or injured. Capt. Philip Bowes Vere Broke of the Shannon had been badly wounded and the first lieutenant killed.

In this situation, it fell to 2nd Lt. Provo Wallis to take command, not only of the Shannon but of her prize.

There was much to do. The wounded needed to be treated as best as was possible, the dead to be buried at sea, repairs and cleaning carried out aboard both vessels and damage repaired where possible, prize crews chosen to take charge of the Chesapeake and preparations made to tow her to Halifax.

Overseeing it all was an enormous responsibility for the young second-lieutenant.

On June 6, the Shannon escorted her prize into Halifax harbour to the cheers of spectators lining the waterfront.

Provo Wallis was an instant hero. He was promoted captain of the Shannon. His former captain, Broke, gave him a sword and the two men developed a friendship which lasted throughout their lives.

By July, Provo Wallis had sailed the Shannon back to England.

The following January saw him appointed to command HMS Snipe, a sloop.

The young naval officer found time to get married, in 1817, choosing as his bride Juliana Massey, daughter of Archdeacon Roger Massey.

The couple had two daughters but, sadly, Juliana died during the 1820s.

In 1824, Provo Wallis was given command of the HMS Niemen and was again at the Halifax station. By 1838, he was in command of the HMS Madagascar serving on the West Indies station.

By 1843, Provo Wallis was aboard HMS Warspite in the Mediterranean where he served for nearly three years. In 1847, he was appointed a naval aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria.

Two years later, he was married again, this time to Jemima Mary Gwynne Wilson, from Bintree, a tiny village near Norwich, England.

Her father, General Sir Robert Thomas Wilson, was governor of Gibraltar.

Ascent to the admiral rankings came next, in 1851, when Provo Wallis was appointed rear admiral.

His service at sea continued and, in 1857, he was commander-in-chief on the southeast coast of South America.

In 1857, he took command of HMS Cumberland, but it was to be his last ship.

Within a few months, he was recalled to Britain and promoted to vice-admiral.

The honours continued to come with a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1860 and promotion to admiral in 1863.

In 1869 he was named Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom, followed by Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom and a Grand Commander of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1873.

His final promotion came in 1877 when he was named Admiral of the Fleet, a rank later held in the 20th century by the late Earl Mountbatten.

The hero of the Chesapeake and Shannon conflict still played an active role in naval affairs, making his home in the little village of Funtington, a short distance from the major Royal Navy base at Portsmouth and keeping up to date with naval matters.

In his 90s, he often took his wife out rowing in a small boat.

He paid regular visits to Portsmouth and, at least once a week, went to London by train to handle business affairs and have lunch at the Army and Navy Club.

The Admiral’s career had begun in the glory days of sail and now steam was dominant on the high seas.

The suggestion that, in his youth, he had seen Nelson, added a mystique to his career.

He and his wife entertained guests often and one can imagine many a social evening with naval officers and members of the local gentry at dinner.

Then, following dinner, the admiral clears his throat. “Did I ever tell you about the old Shannon and the time we met the Chesapeake off Boston harbour …?” He moves utensils around on the table, setting the scene for a story most of his listeners have heard many times.

“Why, no, sir, but do tell us,” says one man, passing the port while others roll their eyes towards the ceiling.

Meanwhile, admirals wishing to move up the scale were held firmly in place by the presence of Admiral of the Fleet Provo Wallis at the top of the active list. Finally, the lords of the admiralty sent him a letter, recalling his distinguished career and asking if he had given thought to retiring.

The admiral replied that he was quite happy as things were, thank you.

The next letter, a little more to the point, raised the matter that as long as the admiral remained on the active list, he was eligible for sea duty.

Likely, the lords of the admiralty were thinking of somewhere like the South China sea.

Back came a broadside: the admiral would love a chance to go to sea again.

On Feb. 13, 1892, the Almighty intervened and the admiral died.

He was buried with full naval honours in the cemetery of the tiny church at Funtington.

On that same day, no less than six admirals of the Royal Navy finally received their promotions.

Lorna Inness is a former senior editor for The Chronicle Herald.




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