HMS Bacchante

HMS Bacchante, 25th June 1897

HMS Boadicea

HMS Boadicea - Name History

The third “Boadicea” was a 16-gun screw corvette, launched at Portsmouth in 1875.  She was of 4140 tons, 5290 horsepower and 14.9 knots speed.  Her length, beam, and draught were 280ft, 45ft, and 24ft.  In 1879 the “Boadicea,” flying the broad pennant of Commodore Frederick W. Richards, proceeded to Cape Town to take part in the Zulu War.  In March the “Boadicea” supplemented the Naval Brigade already at the front by 16 officers and 378 men under commodore Francis Romilly.  The naval brigade fought in the battle of Ginginhlovo, rendering excellent service with the guns, and holding the corners of the British Square, and it contributed greatly to the relief of Ekowe.  The conduct of the Naval Brigade was eulogised by Sir Garnet Wolseley, and the “Boadiceas” were the last to re-embark on July 31^st. In 1881 the “Broadicea” flying the broad pennant of Commodore Frederick Richards, assisted in the first Boer war by the landing of the Naval Brigade.  On January 6^th 128 officer and men, two machine guns, and a couple of rocket tubes proceeded to the front under Commodore Francis Romilly.  The Naval Brigade took part in the battle of Laing’s Nek, and the disaster at Majuba on February 27^th.  In this latter affair the “Boadicea” lost 1 officer and 10 men killed, Commander Romilly and 5 men mortally wounded and 10 severely wounded.  The Dido’s Naval Brigade lost in addition 3 killed and 3 wounded.  Surgeon Mahon displayed magnificent devotion and gallantry, and was specially promoted.  A peace was concluded soon afterwards, and the Naval Brigade returned to their ships.  In 1888 the “Boadicea,” commanded by Captain the Hon. Assheton Curzon Howe, and flying the flag of Rear Admiral the Hon. Edmund Fremantle, was at the head of a fleet of seven English vessels and one German ship took part in the blockade of the Zanzibar Littoral.  This was undertaken in the interests of the suppression of slavery, and partly in consequence of the revolt of several of the coast towns against German authority.  The blockade was of an uninteresting nature.   On November 6^th the “Boadicea’s” pinnace, commanded by Lieutenant Walter Clifton Slater, captured a large slave dhow off Pemba, after a exciting chase of six hours.  The dhow had 41 slaves on board, and was not brought to until shots had been shot on both sides.   In September 1890 nine German traders were murdered in Vitu, a small state about 230 miles north of Zanzibar.  On October 24^th the boats of the “Boadicea” Captain the Hon. Assheton Curzon Howe, and those of two other ships, proceeded to Baltia and burnt the village.  On October 26^th a Naval Brigade of 700 seamen and marines were landed under the personal command of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Edmund Femantle.  Meeting with some brisk resistance en route, the expedition captured the town of Vitu on October 27^th, Gunner George Alfred Jenning, of the “Boadicea” blowing up the town gate with gun cotton.  The town and the Sultan’s house were burned, and the brigade returned to their ships, having lost 12 men wounded and developed several cases of sunstroke.  Captain the Hon. Assheton Curzon Howe was made a C.B. for this service.  In 1905 the “Boadicea” was  broken up.

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HMS Euryalus

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