A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gedge, John
GEDGE. (Captain, 1821. f-p., 23; h-p., 34.)
John Gedge entered the Navy, 10 Sept. 1790, as A.B., on board the Aquilon 32, Capt. Robt. Montagu, on the Mediterranean station, in which ship and the Formidable 98, bearing the flag in the Channel of Hon. John Leveson Gower, he served until 22 Sept. 1791. In July, 1793, he became Midshipman of the Daedalus 32, Capt. Sir Chas. Henry Knowles; and, on his return from a voyage to Halifax, he joined, in July, 1794, the Diana 38, Capt. Jonath. Faulknor, under whom, on 23 of the following Aug. [errata 1], he assisted at the destruction, near the Penmarcks, of the French 36-gun frigate Volotaire. Removing next to the Penguin of 16 guns and 124 men, Capts. John King Pulling and Bendall Robt. Littlehales, Mr. Gedge, on 21 Aug. 1797, further contributed, after a running fight of an hour and 40 minutes, to the capture, on the Irish station, of L’Oiseau privateer of 16 guns and 119 men, and of her prize the Express, late of Dartmouth. While yet in the Penguin, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by commission dated 10 July, 1798; and, on leaving that sloop, he joined, 3 Dec. 1799, the Galatea 32, Capt. Hon. Geo. Byng, with whom he served until July, 1802. He was afterwards appointed – 22 July, 1803, to the Penelope 36, Capt. Wm. Robt. Broughton – 28 Feb. 1804, to the Romulus, Capt. Woodley Losack – in the course of the same year to the Sea-Fencible service at North Yarmouth – and, 25 June and 27 Sept. 1805, to the command of the Carrier cutter, and Locust gun-brig. On 10 Noy. 1811, being in company, in the latter vessel, with the Skylark sloop, Lieut. Gedge effected the capture of one and destruction of another of a flotilla of 12 vessels, under a heavy fire of four hours from the enemy’s batteries and musketry, near Calais; and, for his conduct on that occasion, which was officially reported as deserving the highest praise and recommendation, he was promoted to the rank of Commander on 5 of the same month.[1] He had previously, on 26 Feb. 1811, taken, close in with Dunkerque, a French national armed vessel carrying 2 long 12-pounders with small arms.[2] His next appointment was, 7 June, 1814, to the Cadmus 10, on the North Sea station, where he served until paid off in Dec. 1818. He attained Post-rank 19 July, 1821; and accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.
Capt. Gedge is married, and has issue,