A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Lethbridge, John
LETHBRIDGE. (Lieutenant, 1827. f-p., 19; h-p., 19.)
John Lethbridge was born 24 Nov. 1793.
This officer entered the Navy, 11 Feb. 1809, as Jst.-cl. Vol., on board the Frederickstein 32, Capt. Joseph Nourse, on the Mediterranean station, where he followed the same Captain as Midshipman into .the Volontaire 38, and continued, latterly in the Hibernia 120, Capt. Edw. Kittoe, until Aug. 1811. , He then returned to England with Capt. Robt. Waller Otway in the Cumberland 74; and towards the close of the year, having been received on board the Andromache 38, Capt. Geo. Tobin, proceeded off the north coast of Spain. While there he served at the blockade of St. Sebastian, preparatory to its reduction, and, on 23 Oct. 1813, assisted at the capture of La Trave, of 44 guns and 321 men, which ship surrendered, after a short but smart action, and a loss of 1 man killed and 28 wounded. In the spring of 1814 Mr. Lethbridge participated in the operations up the Gironde, where, on shore and afloat, we-find him concerned in the destruction of a French line-of-battle-ship, three brigs of war, several smaller vessels, and all the forts and batteries on the north side of the river. In July, 1814, he removed to the Tanais 38, Capt. Joseph James, and during the two following years was stationed in the West Indies. Having passed his examination 3 July, 1815, he was next, between Oct. 1816 and the period of his advancement to the rank of Lieutenant 28 April, 1827, employed at Portsmouth, Plymouth, and the Cape of Good of Hope, and again on the Home station, as Admiralty-Midshipman and Mate, in the Queen Charlotte 100, Capt. Edm. Soger, Superb 74, Capt. Chas. Ekins, Tees 26, Capt. Geo. Rennie, Severn 40, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch, Racehorse 18, Capt. Wm. Benj. Suckling (under whom he was wrecked on a reef of rocks, off Langness Point, Isle of Man, 14 Dec. 1822), Gannet 18, Capt. Wm. Simpson, and Ramillies 74, Capt. Hugh Pigot. At the period of his proemotion Mr. Lethbridge, who has since been on half-pay, was the oldest Mate, as to age, in the service.