A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Sykes, Thomas
SYKES. (Commander, 1813. f-p., 21; h-p., 37.)
Thomas Sykes is brother of Commander John Sykes, R.N.; and first-cousin of Vice-Admiral Sykes.
This officer entered the Navy, in Sept. 1789, as A, B., on board the Drake brig, Capts. Geo. Countess, Rowley Bulteel, and Dolling, with whom he served for two years in the Channel, part of the time in the capacity of Midshipman. He was employed next, from Oct. 1794 until 14 March, 1799, chiefly on the Home station, in the Scipio and Arbthusa, both commanded by Capt. Mark Robinson, Active frigate, Capt. Leveson Gower, Royal William, Capt. Fras. Pickmore, Pompée 74, Capt. Jas. Vashon, Netley schooner, Lieut.-Commander Fras. Godolphin Bond, and Puissant 74, Capt. Allen; and he was then made Lieutenant into the Selby, Capt. Thos. Palmer, in the North Sea. Between Dec. 1799 and April, 1802, he served in the Mediterranean and North Sea in the Alkmaar, Capts. Geo. Burlton and Thos. Elphinstone, El Carmen 36, Capt. Wm. Selby, Calpe, Capt. Hon. Geo. Heneage Lawrence Dundas, and Ardent 64, Capt. Wm. Nowell; and he was next in succession appointed, on the Mediterranean, Baltic, Home, Jamaica, and North American stations, to the Minotaur 74, Capt. Chas. John Moore Mansfield, Swiftsure 74, Capts. M. Robinson and Wm. Geo. Rutherford, Tartar 32, Capts. Geo. Edm. Byron Bettesworth and Joseph Baker, Venerable 74, Capt. Sir Home Popham, Shark sloop, Capt. John Gore, Cyane 20, Capt. Thos. Forrest, Shark again, Capt. Gore, San Domingo 74, flag-ship of Sir John Borlase Warren, and Poictiers 74, Capt. Sir John Poo Beresford. While Second-Lieutenant and commanding officer on board the El Carmen, Mr. Sykes succeeded, in the Tagus, in extinguishing a fire which had been designedly communicated to the ship. After assisting in the Calpe at the defeat, near Gibraltar, of 17 Spanish gun-boats, one of which was driven on shore, he took part in that vessel in the action between Sir Jas. Saumarez and Admiral Linois near Algeciras 6 July, 1801; on which occasion, having been sent to afford succour to the Hannibal 74, aground under the enemy’s batteries, he was taken prisoner, on the surrender of the latter ship, together with his boat’s crew. Although on shore en parole, he was allowed to participate in the profits of the victory gained six days afterwards by Sir James over the combined squadrons of France and Spain in the Gut of Gibraltar. In the Swiftsure Mr. Sykes shared, as Second-Lieutenant, in the glories of Trafalgar. During the memorable gale which succeeded the battle, it being observed that the French 74-gun ship Redoutable, which the Swiftsure had taken in tow, was rapidly sinking, Mr. Sykes, after every effort had been apparently made by the boats to rescue the crew, and when the approaching darkness rendered any further attempt hazardous in the extreme, implored his Captain, Rutherford, that he might be allowed to make one more trip. By dint of great persuasion he was at length permitted to take the launch and proceed on his heroic mission. In consequence of the tremendous rolling of the Redoutable in the heavy sea which had set in he found it impossible to get close to her; and all he could do was to watch the lee-roll of the ship and drag into his boat as many of the half-drowned wretches as could be laid hold of. The length of time he was thus occupied creating the greatest alarm in the mind of Capt. Rutherford, the latter sent in quest of him the pinnace, under the orders of the present Commander Thos. Read. On being joined by that officer, Mr. Sykes directed him to follow his example; nor did the two desist in their humane endeavours until their boats were full. They then, after they had both been given up, returned to their ship; and in another hour the Redoutable, with 300 persons whom it had not been possible to save, was no more. When subsequently in Palermo Bay Mr. Sykes, then First of the Swiftsure, subdued a fire which had been occasioned in the rigging by a stroke of lightning, in so prompt and able a manner as to win the admiration of his Captain and Sir Wm. Sidney Smith, both of whom were on shore and were eye-witnesses of what took place. From Sir Sidney indeed he received a letter bearing testimony to all that occurred. In the Tartar, of which frigate he was Senior-Lieutenant from Feb. 1808 until Feb. 1811, Mr. Sykes, on 15 May in the former year, when within five or six miles of Bergen, on the coast of Norway, and in the centre of a most rocky and intricate navigation, proceeded in command of the launch, in company with the other boats of the ship under Capt. Bettesworth, to the above town, for the purpose of bringing away the shipping in the harbour, among which were three privateers. On approaching the place an Indiaman was found lying there under the protection of a battery; and she would in all probability have been cut out, had not a guard-boat, which was without her, fallen in with and fired upon the launch; who immediately returned the salute, and, after wounding nearly all the crew, took her. This proceeding having alarmed the people on shore, they flew to the batteries, and Capt. Bettesworth, finding moreover that the shipping was effectually protected by a chain, returned to his ship, leaving the launch alone to watch the movements of the enemy. While so employed Mr. Sykes was attacked by six gun-boats, with whom he continued engaged until parted by some intervening rocks. On at length rejoining the Tartar, to which he was only enabled to retrace his way through the agency of a fisherman, he found that during his absence from her she had endured a severe action with the enemy’s flotilla, and that, besides being much cut up, her Captain had been killed, By means of the greatest exertion he succeeded, with the aid of a pilot, in ultimately carrying her into the open sea, through a passage so narrow that she was forced along by spars planted against the sides of the rocks. By Capt. Baker Mr. Sykes was twice officially mentioned, once in particular, 15 May, 1809, for the address and activity he displayed in command of the boats at the capture, near Felixberg, on the coast of Courland, of a Danish privateer of 4 guns, whose crew, 24 in number, had landed with their muskets, and, being joined by the country people, had posted themselves behind the sand-hills on the beach.[1] He was at length, 8 July, 1813, promoted by Sir John Borlase Warren to the command of the Indian sloop at Quebec; and on 9 Nov. following he was confirmed in his present rank. His last appointments were, 23 Feb. and 28 Oct. 1814, to the Recruit 16 and Fantome 18. While in the latter ship, in which he was wrecked 24 Nov. in the same year, on his passage from St. John’s, New Brunswick, to Halifax, he saved a valuably laden vessel and was presented in consequence with a piece of plate by the merchants of Castine.
Commander Sykes married Louisa, second daughter of Wm. Hayward, Esq., of Quedgeley House, co. Gloucester, and grand-daughter of Thos. Hayward, Esq., M.P. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 867.