A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Walkie, John
WALKIE. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 21; h-p., 23.)
John Walkie was born in 1781, and died about the commencement of 1848.
This officer entered the Navy, 18 Oct. 1803, as Midshipman, on board the Bolina tender, Lieut.-Commanders John Greig and Chas. A. Baumgardt, stationed at Liverpool and Plymouth; and, from 5 Nov. 1804 until 31 Aug. 1808, was employed in the Channel and West Indies, in South America, and at the Cape of Good Hope in the Staunch gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Benj. Street. Being nominated, 30 Sept. 1805, Acting-Master of the latter vessel, he served as such during the operations of 1807 in the Rio de la Plata. While engaging the batteries for the purpose of diverting the attention of the enemy from the besieging army during the attack upon Monte Video, he was wounded; and, in the disastrous attempt made by Lieut.-General Whitelocke upon Buenos Ayres he proved of utility in sounding the inner harbour, as well as by the assistance he afforded in placing the gun-boats in a position to attack the citadel. In April, 1807, he took part in a spirited action of two hours fought off Colonia between the Staunch and two Spanish schooners and five gun-boats of very superior force, one of the former of which was driven on shore – the rest escaping. On leaving the Staunch, Mr. Walkie removed as Acting-Master to the Otter sloop, commanded by the late Sir Nesbit Josiah Willoughby; under whom we find him, when in company off the Isle of France with the Raisonnable 64, Capt. Josias Rowley, engaged in an affair with two French frigates; both of which, however, succeeded in getting safely into port. At the capture in Sept. 1809 of the town of St. Paul’s, Ile de Bourbon, it was Mr. Walkie’s fortune to obtain the thanks of the Senior officer, Capt. Rowley, for the essential service he performed in blowing up the batteries, destroying the guns, and pulling down the barracks. He was rewarded too by being appointed, in the following Nov., Acting-Master of La Bourbonnaise (late Caroline), a prize-frigate taken on the latter occasion, the command of which had been given to Capt. Robt. Corbett; under whom, on his return to England, Mr. Walkie became, in June, 1810, Acting-Lieutenant in the Africaine of 48 guns and 295 men. On 11 Sept. following, being again off the Isle of France, he was wounded in the boats under Lieut. Geo. Forder in a gallant but unsuccessful attack upon a schooner, in which the British sustained a loss on the whole of 2 killed and 16 wounded. Two days after this the Africaine, at the end of a close action of two hours and a half, wherein 49 of her officers and crew were killed and 114 (including her Captain mortally) wounded, was under the necessity of striking her colours to the French frigates Iphigénie and Astrée, carrying between them 86 guns and 618 men, 10 of whom were killed and 35 wounded. Mr. Walkie was taken a prisoner to the Isle of France, and there detained until its subjugation by the British in the ensuing Dec. He then joined the Clorinde 38, Capt. Thos. Briggs, with whom he continued employed as Acting-Lieutenant and Lieutenant (commission dated 20 May, 1812) on the East India, Cork, and Mediterranean stations until July, 1816 – the last year and nine months in the Leviathan 74. He was next, 2 June, 1824, appointed to the Astrea 6, Capt. Wm. King, at Falmouth; on which station he held command, from 16 Sept. in the same year until July, 1832, of the Goldfinch packet. He remained thenceforward on half-pay. His promotion to the rank of Commander took place 23 Nov. 1841. We may add, that when with the valiant Willoughby in the Otter, he saw much brilliant boat-service.