A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Simmons, William Cress
SIMMONS. (Lieut., 1825. f-p., 25; h-p., 15)
William Cress Simmons entered the Navy, 13 Dec. 1807, as a Boy, on board the Dasher 18, Capts. De Couroy and Robt. Worgan Geo. Festing; in which vessel he was for upwards of three years actively employed in the East Indies, part of the time as Midshipman and Master’s Mate. On removing with Capt. Festing, in 1811, to the Illustrious 74, he accompanied, under Commodore Broughton, the expedition against the island of Java, where he served in the boats and on shore with great credit. On his passage home with Capt. Festing, in the early part of 1812, in the Psyche 32, that frigate, being in a very dilapidated condition, was under the necessity of putting into Ferrol, where she was dismantled and laid up. Volunteering his services therefore on board the Rhin 38, Capt. Chas. Malcolm, he took an energetic part in the operations then in progress under Sir Home Popham on the north coast of Spain, landing on every occasion, and contributing to the reduction, with the exception of Santona and St. Sebastian, of all the enemy’s fortresses. After serving for two years and a half in the Channel in the Foxhound brig,. Capts. John Parish and Thos. Warrand, he returned, towards the close of 1815, to India as Admiralty-Midshipman (he had passed his examination 6 July, 1814) in the Iphigenia 42, Capts. Andrew King, John Reynolds, and John Tancock. While there he was transferred as Master’s Mate, in June, 1813, to the Challenger 18, Capt. Philip Henry Bridges, with whom he arrived at Spithead in March, 1819, in the Trincomalee 48. During six months that he had been in the latter ship he had occasionally had charge of a watch, and had “proved himself a most useful officer.” On leaving her, in the ensuing April, he joined the Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Campbell at Portsmouth. He was subsequently employed – from July, 1819, until July, 1821, as Master’s Mate, in the Dromedary store-ship, Master-Commander Rich. Skinner, in circumnavigating the globe – from July to Oct. 1821 in the Bustard 10, Capt. Wm. Geo. Martin, and Genoa 74, Capt. Fred. Lewis Maitland, both at Chatham – and from Oct. 1821 until June, 1825, as Admiralty-Midshipman, Master’s Mate, Second-Master, and Acting-Lieutenant, in the Northumberland 78, and Cambridge 82, commanded by the present Vice-Admiral Thos. Jas. Maling in the river Medway and in South America. He then returned to England, having been advanced to the rank of Lieutenant by a commission bearing date 10 Jan. 1825. Unable to procure further employment afloat he accepted, 18 Sept. 1840, the command, which he still retains, of a station in the Coast Guard.
A document, signed by Admiral Maling, informs us that while Mr. Simmons was serving with him in the Northumberland and Cambridge “he found him to be a person whom he thought it his duty to bring forward before others who had stronger private claims.” In a testimonial given to him on leaving the Dromedary he had been strongly recommended as “an excellent ofEcer, good seaman and navigator, and deserving young man.” He married, 19 Aug. 1828, Harriet, fourth daughter of the late Hugh Douglass, of Plymouth, co. Devon, and grand-daughter of the late Hugh Douglass, of Dalkeith, N.B.