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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Loring, Hector

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1809697A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Loring, HectorWilliam Richard O'Byrne

LORING. (Commander, 1845. f-p., 14; h-p., 12.)

Hector Loring, born in Aug. 1808, at Fareham, co. Hants, is second and only surviving son of Capt. John Loring, R.N., who commanded the Bellerophon 74 at the blockade of St. Domingo in 1803, and died 9 Nov. 1808; and first-cousin of the presentVice-Admiral Sir John Wentworth Loring, K.C.B., K.C.H. His elder brother, John, a passed Midshipman in the R.N., died of yellow fever at Bermuda on board the Euryalus frigate, about 1820.

This officer entered the Navy, 8 Aug. 1821, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Queen Charlotte 100, Capt. John Baker Hay, bearing the flag at Plymouth of Sir Jas. Hawkins Whitshed. Proceeding towards the close of the same year to the East Indies in the Liffey 50, Commodore Chas. Grant, he was afforded an opportunity, during the Burmese war, of witnessing the capture of Rangoon, and of participating, as Midshipman, in much boat-service on the river Irawady. On his return to England in Jan. 1326 he joined the Victory 104, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Martin at Portsmouth, where he remained until the following Dec.; in the course of which month he was received on board the Challenger 28, Capts. Hayes, Joseph Harrison, and Adolphus FitzClarence. After a further servitude on the Home station in the latter ship and in the Gloucester 76, Capt. Henry Stuart, Mr. Loring (whose examination was passed in Sept. 1827) again, in 1829, sailed for the East Indies, as Mate of the Southampton 50, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen, who appointed him Acting-Lieutenant, in 1831-2, of his own ship, and of the Satellite 18, Capt. Marcus Theodore Hare, Cruizer 18, Capt. John Parker, and Curaçoa 26, Capt. David Dunn. He continued to officiate in the capacity last mentioned for upwards of four years; and on 23 June, 1835, was at length confirmed in the rank of Lieutenant, a few weeks only before the Curaçoa was paid off. His next appointments were – 4 Oct. 1835, to the Aetna bomb, Capt. Alex. Thos. Emeric Vidal, fitting for the coast of Africa – 13 Nov. 1835,as Additional, to the President 52, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Cockburn in North America and the West Indies – 25 Jan. 1836, to the Nimrod 20, Capt. John Frazer, of which vessel, employed on the same station, he soon became First-Lieutenant – 1 Feb. 1840, to the Thunderer 84, Capts. Maurice Fred. Fitzhardinge Berkeley and Daniel Pring, under the former of whom he discharged the duties of Second-Lieutenant in the operations on the coast of Syria, including the storming of Sidon and bombardment of St. Jean d’Acre – and 1 Feb. and 19 July, 1844, and 30 Jan. 1845, as First-Lieutenant (a post he had for a long time held in the Thunderer), to the Camperdown 104, Queen 110, and Trafalgar 120, flag-ships of Sir John Chambers White at the Nore. He attained his present rank 25 July, 1845, and since 30 April, 1847, has been serving as Second-Captain of the Howe 120, Capt. Sir Jas. Stirling.

Commander Loring married, in May, 1841, Charlotte Jessy, daughter of the late Jas. Jameson, Esq., of the Bengal Medical Service, by whom he has issue. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.