A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Walker, Baldwin Wake
WALKER, K.C.B., K.L.H., K.R.G., K.I.C, K.S.A., K.R.E. (Captain, 1838.)
Sir Baldwin Wake Walker entered the Navy 5 July, 1812; and was made Lieutenant, 6 April, 1820, into the Nautilus 18, Capt. Isham Fleming Chapman, on the Jamaica station. He returned to England about the commencement of 1822; and was next appointed – 17 Jan. 1823, to the Brazen 26, Capt. Geo. Wickens Willes, in which vessel he was employed until the close of 1826 in South America and on the coast of Africa – 7 Sept. 1827 and 28 March, 1828, to the Rattlesnake 28 and Aetna bomb, Capts. Hon. Chas. Orlando Bridgeman and Stephen Lushington, both in the Mediterranean – 6 May, 1829, and 28 April, 1830, to the Asia 84 and Britannia 120, flag-ships of Sir Pulteney Malcolm, on the same station – and 27 Aug. 1831, as Senior, to the Barham 50, Capt. Hugh Pigot. While serving as First-Lieutenant In the Aetna he distinguished himself by the valuable assistance he afforded his Captain, Lushington, at the reduction, in Oct. 1828, of Morea Castle, the last hold of the Turks in the Peloponnesus.[1] For his services he was created a Knight of the Legion of Honour of France; and of the Redeemer of Greece. He continued employed in the Barham on the Mediterranean station until the spring of 1834; and on 15 July in that year he was advanced to the rank of Commander. He served afterwards, from 1 Sept. 1836 until advanced to his present rank 24 Nov. 1838, as Second-Captain, again in the Mediterranean, on board the Vanguard 80, Capts. Hon. Duncombe Pleydell Bouverie and Sir Thos. Fellowes; and he held command, from 16 April until Oct. 1845, and from 23 April, 1846, until Aug. 1847, of the Queen 110 and Constance 50, the former bearing the flag of Sir John West at Devonport, the latter stationed in the Pacific. In 1848 he was appointed Surveyor of the Navy.
Capt. Walker was for some time a Rear and Vice-Admiral in the Turkish service; and for the conduct he displayed in command of the Ottoman naval forces during the operations on the coast of Syria, including the attack upon Beyrout[2] and the bombardment of St. Jean d’Acre, he was nominated an Honorary Knight Commander of the Bath 12 Jan. 1841. He was made a Knight also of the Second Class of the Iron Crown of Austria, of the Second Class of St. Anne of Russia, and of the Second Class of the Red Eagle of Prussia. Sir Baldwin married, 9 Sept. 1B34, Mary Catherine Sinclair, only daughter of the late Commander John Worth, R.N. (1809), of Oakley House, Suffolk, and grand-daughter of the late Capt. Patrick Sinclair, R.N., of Duren, Caithness, N.B.