A Naval Biographical Dictionary/McCrea, Robert Contart
M‘CREA. (Captain, 1837. f-p., 18; h-p., 26.)
Robert Contart M‘Crea was born 13 Jan. 1793. This officer entered the Navy, 23 Nov. 1803, as Sec.-cl. Vol., on board the Décade frigate, commanded at the blockade of Cherbourg by Capt. Wm. Geo. Rutherford; on accompanying whom as Midshipman into the Swiftsure 74, he went with Lord Nelson in pursuit of the Franco-Spanish fleet to the West Indies, and took part, 21 Oct. 1805, in the battle of Trafalgar. After again serving for a few months off Cherbourg in the Thalia 36, Capt. Thos. Manby, he successively joined, in March and July, 1808, the Victory 100, flag-ship in the Baltic of Sir .Jas. Saumarez, and Salsette 36, Capt. Walter Bathurst. In the latter ship Mr. M‘Crea saw much active service, passed through scenes of a very trying nature, and assisted, in 1809, at the reduction of Flushing. He continued with Capt. Bathurst in the Fame 74, latterly on the Mediterranean station, until April, 1811; and in Jan. 1812 he was a second time placed under the orders of Sir Jas. Saumarez in the Victory, of which ship it was his fortune to be confirmed a Lieutenant, after having acted for five months in that capacity, 20 Nov. following. While next attached, between 6 May, 1813, and 27 April, 1815, to the Amphion 32, Capt. Jas. Pattison Stewart, we find him on one occasion, viith two boats under his orders, cutting off two sloops laden with provisions for the relief of Fort Balthz, and driving a third on shore under the enemy’s batteries, in the East Scheldt; and, on another, officiating as third in command of five boats in a desperate attempt made to cut out five French brigs from under the walls of Fort Lillo. Assuming charge, in the early part of 1818, of the Scourge Revenue-cruizer, Mr. M‘Crea, who continued in that vessel until 1821, succeeded in effecting the capture of not less than 13 smuggling luggers, sloops, and cutters. On 4 June, 1824, 10 weeks after he had been nominated Flag-Lieutenant, in the Britannia 120, to Sir Jas. Saumarez, Commander-in-Chief at Plymouth, he was awarded a second promotal commission; but he did not again go afloat until 1834 – on 1 June in which year he obtained an appointment to the Zebra 16. When subsequently on the coast of New Holland that sloop, it appears, was thrown on her beam-ends and compelled to part with her guns; and she was also, when in the Straits of Malacca, struck with lightning and dismasted. In April, 1837, her Commander, who had been advanced to Post-rank on 10 of the previous Jan., succeeded in forcibly removing the ex-Rajah of Quedah from his abode at Bruas, on the coast of Perak, in the Straits of Malacca, and carrying him a prisoner to Pinang. In the performance of this service the boats of the Zebra, under the personal direction of Capt. M‘Crea, had had to sustain a severe action of an hour and a half with a brig and a powerful stockade, defended by a numerous band of Malays, more than 60 of whom are reported to have been killed and wounded. The loss of the British was also very severe. Before they could reach the stockade it had been necessary for them to ascend a narrow, tortuous river, enfringed with jungle on both sides; where, had a few trees been felled and allowed to fall across, they would have been perfectly hemmed in, and their destruction have been inevitable. To mark their estimation of Capt. M‘Crea’s conduct, the East India Company presented him with a piece of plate of the value of 100 guineas. He paid the Zebra off in Oct. 1838; and has not been since employed.
He married, 10 April, 1822, Charlotte, elder daughter of the Rev. W.P. Dobree, Rector of a place in Guernsey, by whom he has issue eight children.