A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Coode, John
COODE, C.B., K.F.M., K.W.N. (Captain, 1810. f-p., 25; h-p., 29.)
John Coode was born, 11 Feb. 1779, at Penryn, in Cornwall.
This officer entered the Navy, 16 June, 1793, as A.B., on board the Perseus 20, Capt. Geo. Palmer; but, in the following month, became Midshipmap of the Bellerophon 74, Capt. Thos. Pasley; and continued, until Jan. 1795, to serve in that capacity, with Capt. Fras. Pender and the late Sir Geo. Murray, on board the Resource 20, Glory 98, and Resolution 74, on the Home and Halifax stations. For upwards of four years Mr. Coode was next employed, as Acting-Lieutenant, in L’Espérance 18, Capt. Jonas Rose, Rover 18, Capt. Geo. Irvine [errata 1], – under whom he was wrecked in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Aug. 1798, – Dasher 18, Capt. Geo. Tobin, and St. Albans 64, Capts. Pender and John Okes Hardy. Having been confirmed in the latter ship 5 Sept. 1799, he was subsequently, in March, 1800, and April, 1801, appointed First-Lieutenant of the Southampton 32, Capt. John Harvey, and Leviathan 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral John Thos. Duckworth, on the West India station; where, in the former ship, he assisted at the reduction of the Danish and Swedish islands in March, 1801. On 3 Aug. 1802, Mr. Coode was promoted to the command of the Stork sloop; but, removing soon afterwards to the Druid 20, returned home, and in the following Oct. was paid off. Until advanced to Post-rank, 21 Oct. 1810, his next appointments were – in Dec. 1803, and April, 1805, to the successive command of the Atlas armed ship, and Brisk 18; in which latter vessel he appears to have captured on the Cork station, 12 Jan. 1810, Le Harpalode privateer, of 2 guns and 54 men. Assuming command, in Jan. 1814, of the Porcupine 22, as Flag-Captain to Rear-Admiral Chas. Vinicombe Penrose, the subject of this sketch took part in many of the operations then in progress on the north coast of Spain, and was stationed at the mouth of the Adour when the passage of the bar across it was so memorably effected by the flotilla under that officer. He also accompanied the armament that soon after forced its entrance into the Gironde; and, when in command of the advanced squadron at Pauillac, originated the instructions which led to the capture and destruction, on 2 April, of a large flotilla by a detachment of boats under the orders of Lieut. Robt. Graham Dunlop.[1] From Sept. 1814, until paid off, 21 May, 1819, Capt. Coode further served with Sir Chas. Penrose, in the Queen and Albion 74’s, on the Mediterranean station, where, however, he commanded the latter, as a private ship, at the bombardment of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816; on which occasion, although unable since to procure a pension, he was very severely wounded,[2] He was subsequently appointed, 6 Jan. 1838, Captain-Superintendent of the Royal William Victualling Yard and of the Royal Naval Hospital at Plymouth, but has been unemployed since 13 Feb. 1843.
For his gallantry at Algiers, Capt. Coode was nominated a C.B. 19 Sept. 1816; a K.F.M., by the King of the Two Sicilies, 6 Nov. 1818; and also a K.W.N, by the King of the Netherlands. He married, 8 Feb. 1819, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Vice-Admiral Sir C. V. Penrose, and has an eldest son, Charles Penrose Coode, First-Lieut. R.M., who espoused, 13 Nov. 1845, the only daughter of Capt. Chas. Easden, R.N. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.