A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Dilke, Thomas
DILKE. (Captain, 1837. f-p., 17; h-p., 19.)
Thomas Dilke entered the Navy, 23 May, 1811, as Fst.-cl. Boy, on board the Revenge 74, Capts. John Nash and Chas. Bateman, in which ship, and the Marlborough 74, bearing the respective flags of Rear-Admirals Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge and Geo. Cockburn, he served, off Cadiz, latterly as Midshipman, until Nov. 1812. During the next six years, he appears to have been successively employed on the West India, Home, and Mediterranean stations, in the Magnificent 74, Capt. Willoughby Thos. Lake, Saracen 16, Capt. Alex. Dixie, Ramillies 74, and Malta 84, both commanded by Capt. Chas. Ogle, Rivoli 74, Capt. Aiskew Paffard Hollis, and Ganymede 26, Capt. Hon. Robt. Cavendish Spencer. On 3 Oct. 1818, he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Myrmidon 20, Capt. Robt. Gambier; and being officially confirmed in his new rank 22 Jan. 1819, was afterwards appointed – 12 July, 1821, to the Cherokee 10, Capts. Theobald Jones and Wm. Keats, off Leith – 12 April, 1823, to the Naiad 46, Capt. Hon. R. C. Spencer, in the Mediterranean – and, 28 Dec. 1826, to the Asia 84, as Flag-Lieutenant to Sir Edw. Codrington, Commander-in-Chief on the same station. While in the Naiad, Mr. Dilke contributed to the defeat, 31 Jan. 1824, of the Tripoli, Algerine corvette, of 18 guns and 100 men; and on the night of 23 May following, he commanded the boats, in conjunction with Lieuts. Michael Quin and Geo. Evans, at the brilliant destruction of a 16-gun brig moored in a position of extraordinary strength alongside the walls of the fortress of Bons, in which was a garrison of 400 soldiers, who, from cannon and musket, kept up a tremendous fire almost perpendicularly on the deck. For his conduct in the Asia at the battle of Navarin, 20 Oct. 1827, Mr. Dilke was promoted, the same day, to the command of the Rose 18, in which sloop he continued until some time in the following year. He was afterwards appointed, 4 Aug. 1835, to the Wanderer brig, on the North America and West India station; but since his Post-promotion, 10 Jan. 1837, has been on half-pay. Agent – J. Chippendale.