A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Mapleton, David Robert Bunbury
MAPLETON. (Commander, 1846.)
David Robert Bunbury Mapleton, born 4 Feb. 1810, is son of the late Commander David Mapleton, R.N.,[1] of Newton Abbots, co. Devon.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College in 1822, and embarked in 1824, as a Volunteer, on board the Atholl 28, Capt. Jas. Arthur Murray, fitting at Portsmouth. After serving for some time in the Chanticleer 10, Boadicea 46, and Parthean 10, Capts. Hope Johnstone, Sir Jas. Brisbane, and Hon. Geo. Barrington, he became Midshipman of the Diamond 46, Capt. Lord Napier, and sailed for South America, where he continued, in the Thetis and Briton frigates, Capts. Arthur Batt Bingham and Hon. Wm. Gordon, until 1828. In the following year, having returned to England and passed his examination, he again proceeded to Southern America in the Warspite 76, flag-ship of the late Sir Thos. Baker, who, we believe, nominated him Lieutenant of the Talbot 28, Capt. Rich. Dickinson. He was not, however, officially promoted until 10 Jan. 1837; previously to which period he had been re-employed as Mate in the Reindeer packet, Lieut.-Commander Henry Percy Dicken, and Wanderer 16, commanded on the North America and West India station by Capt. Thos. Dilke. His succeeding appointments were 28 Feb. 1837, to the Malabar 74, Capt. Sir Wm. Augustus Montagu, fitting for the Lisbon station 24 March, 1838, to the Fairy 10, Capt. Wm. Hewett, engaged in the survey of the North Sea – 9 May, 1839, to the command (which he retained until 17 June, 1841) of the Raven cutter, employed on particular service – 4 May, 1842, to the Coast Guard 31 May, 1843, to the command of the Avon steam-vessel, on the North America and West India station, whence he returned in the following Sept. – and, 27 April, 1844, and 1 Sept. 1846, to that of the Sydenham and Torch steamers, on the Mediterranean and Home stations. He attained his present rank 9 Nov. 1846.
Commander Mapleton married, first, in Jan. 1837, Elizabeth, daughter of Capt. David Braimer, R.N. (1817); and, that lady dying in March, 1838, secondly, 21 July, 1840, Ann, daughter of David Compigne, Esq., of Gosport, Hants, by whom he has issue a son and two daughters. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
- ↑ Commander Mapleton entered the Navy in 1797, antl obtained his first commission 10 May, 1804. He served for a long time as Second and First Lieutenant under Lord Cochrane (whose high official praise he repeatedly elicited) in the Pallas and Impérieuse frigates; was in upwards, during the term of his career afloat, of 100 engagements with the enemy – principally in cutting out vessels and storming forts; and was on several occasions wounded, especially at the taking of Genoa, where he was the only officer mentioned by Lord Wm. Bentinck. He attained the rank of Commander 17 May, 1814; and died 22 March, 1842, aged 61.