A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Knocker, John Bedingfield
KNOCKER. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 9; h-p., 32.)
John Bedingfield Knocker, born 1 April, 1793, at Dover, co. Kent, is brother of Lieut. Wm. Knocker, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 27 Jan. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Pompée 74, Capt. Rich. Dacres, bearing the flag in the Mediterranean of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith; and in the following July, having removed to the Aurora 28, Capt. Hon. Geo. Elliot, was present at the bombardment and capture, notwithstanding a very firm resistance, of a battery mounted on Cape Licosa, in Spain. Rejoining the Pompée soon afterwards, he served in that ship under the flag of Hon. Henry Edwin Stanhope in the expedition of 1807 to Copenhagen, whence he assisted in bringing home the Christian VII. 80, one of the Danish prizes. In Nov. of the latter year he obtained a berth on board the Diana 38, Capts. Chas. Grant and John Cramer, under whom, on his return from a visit to the Brazils, we find him, from Oct. 1809 until the commencement of 1810, employed with the advanced squadron up the Scheldt. During that particular period he was constantly absent on boat service, and on the night of 2 Dec. assisted, with much gallantry, in cutting out three schuyts, moored to the shore at Odenskirk, and provided with heavy ordnance.[1] In Nov. 1810 he participated, as Master’s Mate, in an attack made on the two French frigates Amazone and Eliza lying aground under the protection of several strong batteries in the neighbourhood of La Hogue. On 23 of the ensuing month the latter vessel (the other having effected her escape) was effectually destroyed by two of the Diana’s boats – one of them commanded by Mr. Knocker, to whom a Lieutenant’s commission was in consequence sent, but which, as he had not served his time, he was of course unable to retain. During his attachment to the Diana, he was once struck with violence by a splinter on the occasion of a vessel being driven under the fire of some batteries on the French coast; and in Aug. 1811 he was sent home in charge of a fine schooner, of which he had himself effected the capture under the walls of St. Sebastian while in command of the ship’s boats. With the exception of a few months, from Nov. 1812 to March, 1813, during which he was confined to the Naval Hospital at Port Mahon, Mr. Knocker continued to serve with Capt. Grant in the St. Alban’s 64, and Armada 74, off Cadiz and Toulon, until nominated Acting-Lieutenant, 9 April, 1813, of the Royal George 100, Capt. Thos. Fras. Chas. Mainwaring. He was confirmed to that ship 10 July following, and was lastly, in Nov. of the same year, appointed to the Hibernia 120, flag-ship of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith. He returned home from the Mediterranean and was paid off in July, 1814.
He married, 14 Oct. 1822, Elizabeth, daughter of Anthony Cox, Esq., Banker, of Harwich, co. Essex, by whom he has issue 14 children.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 2067.