A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Bourne, Richard
BOURNE. (Retired Commander, 1840. f-p., 13; h-p., 47.)
Richard Bourne entered the Navy, 30 Sept. 1787, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Druid 32, Capt. Joseph Ellison, on the Channel station; became Midshipman, in 1789, of the Carnatic 74, commanded by Hon. Capt. Bertie; and, having joined the Crescent, of 42 guns and 257 men, Capt. Jas. Saumarez, was, we believe, present at the capture, 20 Oct. 1793, after a close action of two hours, of the French frigate La Réunion, of 36 guns and 320 men, 120 of whom were either killed or wounded, without any casualty whatever to the British.[1] He next served in the Musquito and Sandfly gun-vessels, Lieut.-Commanders W. M‘Carthy and John Chilcott, and Diamond frigate, Capt. Sir Wm. Sidney Smith; was then appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the Syren 32, Capt. Graham Moore; and, on rejoining the Diamond, was placed in command, 12 Feb. 1796, of the Sandfly, while in which vessel he was confirmed a Lieutenant, 4 Aug. 1797. On 26 Feb. 1798, we find Mr. Bourne capturing, in company with the Badger gun-vessel, La Souris chasse-marée, of 16 guns; and, at the successful defence, 7 May following, of the small island of St. Marcouf, in the Channel, against the attack of a considerable division of the French flotilla, commanding most effectively the fort on the eastern island.[2] On 24 March, 1804, after five years of half-pay, he obtained command of the Felix schooner, of 12 guns. In that vessel Mr. Bourne, in Jan. 1805, conveyed to Sir Thos. Graves the intelligence, which he was the first to acquire, of the escape of the squadron under M. Missiessy from Aix Road. He subsequently fought an action of great gallantry with a privateer of far superior force; and, in 1806, was severely wounded in an attack on the town of Hea, on the coast of Spain. For the latter service the Patriotic Society appears to have voted him rewards both honorary and pecuniary. He was, however, placed on half-pay on 14 Oct. in the same year; and, unable afterwards to procure employment, accepted, 10 Dec. 1840, the rank of Retired Commander under order in Council of 1816.
Commander Bourne has a daughter, Louisa Blake, who married, 7 Dec. 1841, M. H. Mahon, Esq., of the 86th Regt.