A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Massie, John Bevis
MASSIE. (Lieutenant, 1838. f-p., 22; h-p., 2.)
John Bevis Massie, born 5 Sept. 1809, is brother of Capt. Thos. L. Massie, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 26 July, 1823, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Queen Charlotte 100, commanded at Portsmouth by Capt. J. Nash; and from the following Nov. until Oct. 1825 was employed on particular service in the Phaeton 46, Capt. Hen. Evelyn Pitfield Sturt. He then became Midshipman of the Icarus 10, Capt. Hon. Wm. Waldegrave, lying at Portsmouth; but had not been many weeks in that vessel before he was transferred to the Procris 10, commanded at first by Capt. Waldegrave and next by Capts. Chas. Henry Paget, Sir Thos. Sabine Pasley, and John Thos. Talbot; with whom, it appears, he served on the North Sea, Cork, and Mediterranean stations until July, 1832 – the last three years in the capacity of Mate. Being next, in April, 1833, received on board the Malabar 74, Capt. Hon. Josceline Percy, he returned to the Mediterranean, where he continued employed under that officer in the Canopus 84, until Feb. 1837. In the ensuing Oct. we find him joining the Donegal 78, flag-ship at Lisbon of Sir John Acworth Ommanney. He attained the rank of Lieutenant 28 June, 1838; and has been since appointed – 15 Nov. 1838, to the Daphne 18, Capt. John Windham Dalling, under whom he partook of the operations of 1840 on the coast of Syria – 15 July, 1842, and 15 April, 1844, to the Queen 110, and, as Senior Lieutenant to the Formidable 84, bearing each the flag of Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen in the Mediterranean, whence he returned and was paid off at the close of 1845 – and 22 Jan. 1846, also as First, to the Grampus 50, Capt. Henry Byam Martin, now in the Pacific. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.