George Willes

Sir George Willes
Born	19 June 1823
Died	18 February 1901 London
Allegiance	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]

References