Frederick Fogarty Fegen
Vice-Admiral Frederick Fogarty Fegen, M.V.O., J.P., Royal Navy, Retired (28 April, 1855 – 20 March, 1911) was an officer of the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Fegen was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with seniority of 8 December, 1879.[1]
He was promoted to Commander on 9 August, 1887 specially for the gallantry he demonstrated in action against an Arab slave dhow on 30 May, 1887. He was gazetted on 12 August for his heroics while working with six other men in one of Turquoise's pinnaces to approach the suspect dhow. Fegen resisted an attempted boarding by rushing forward when the vessels fouled, shooting two boarders and thrusting a cutlass through a third. Fegen was wounded by another man with a sword before a Pearson struck the boarder down. The craft drew clear leaving three British sailors wounded and as many as nine Arabs killed. As the dhow attempted to run, the British fired as they could with small arms, eventually hitting the helmsman, after which the Arab craft capsized, putting over fifty slaves into the water. Fully fifty-three of these unfortunates were saved from drowning by the British boatsmen. This feat is all the more incredible if the report of Consul-General Holmwood is accurate that twenty men in the dhow were armed with rifles and swords. Four British men were severely wounded. Of these, a Benjamin E. Stone, A.B., later died.[2][3]
He was appointed to the Gannet on 18 December, 1891, to assume command when she recommissioned. He assisted the German ship S.S. Rheinfels when she was stranded near the Ras Gharib lighthouse in September, 1894. The German Consul General relayed his thanks for this service.[4]
Captain
Fegen was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 January, 1895.[5]
Fegen paid off Gannet on 16 March, 1895. On 8 June, 1897 he was appointed in command of the second class protected cruiser Leander, serving in the Pacific.[6] In late 1898, the American and German governments expressed their thanks for Fegen's prompt action in assisting in the Nicaraguan revolution.[7] However, in November, Fegen fell afoul of his superiors twice as they registered their dissatisfaction with how he answered one of his commander-in-chief's minutes and for a poor inspection of Leander.[8]
Appointment as a Member of the Fourth Class of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) came on 11 October, 1901.[9]
Fegen grounded Severn when trying to come into Harwich on 13 December, 1901. Their Lordships recorded that they "[could not] consider that in skirting the shore so close, due care was exercised in the navigation of the ship & further that ... the C.O. should not have risked going into Harwich on a falling tide."[10]
He was appointed to the President for command of the Eastern Coastguard District on 21 May, 1903.[11]
On 3 November 1903, Fegen was appointed in command of the second class battleship Centurion.[12] In March of 1904, Commander-in-Chief, China Sir Bridge deemed him "below the average in ability and zeal." Centurion was to be Fegen's last ship command, as one month after its end, he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 12 September, 1905, vice Curzon-Howe.[13]
In accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 8 December, 1903, he was placed on the Retired List on 12 March, 1909.[14] He was advanced to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 30 April, 1910.[15]
Bibliography
- "Vice-Admiral F. F. Fegen" (Obituaries). The Times. Wednesday, 22 March, 1911. Issue 39539, col C, p. 11.
Service Records
- The National Archives. ADM 196/86.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/38.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/19.
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by James H. Corfe |
Captain of H.M.S. Gannet 18 Dec, 1891[16] – 16 Mar, 1895 |
Succeeded by Andrew Y. Catto |
| Preceded by Count Frederick C. Metaxa |
Captain of H.M.S. Leander 8 Jun, 1897[17][18] – 16 Feb, 1901[19] |
Succeeded by John M. de Robeck |
| Preceded by William L. H. Browne |
Captain of H.M.S. Severn 16 Feb, 1901[20] – Feb, 1903[21] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Charles H. Dare |
Captain of H.M.S. Mersey 11 Feb, 1903[22] – 21 May, 1903 |
Succeeded by Herbert du C. Luard |
| Preceded by John R. Jellicoe |
Captain of H.M.S. Centurion 3 Nov, 1903[23] – 26 Aug, 1905[24] |
Succeeded by Frederick St. G. Rich |
Footnotes
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 24791. p. 7324. 12 December, 1879.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/86. f. 143.
- ↑ Story in The Times of London dated 13 August, 1887 found inserted in Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 445.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 445.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26585. p. 7. 1 January, 1895.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 13 May, 1897. Issue 35202, col C, p. 6.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 445.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/86. f. 143.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27364. p. 6641. 11 October, 1901.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/86. f. 143.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 20 May, 1903. Issue 37085, col E, p. 9.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 445.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27837. p. 6329. 19 September, 1905.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28233. p. 2037. 16 March, 1909.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28362. p. 3063. 3 May, 1910.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 445.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1898). p. 266.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 445.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 445.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 445.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/86. f. 143.
- ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1903). p. 270.
- ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 22 October, 1903. Issue 37218, col E, p. 7.
- ↑ Fegen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 445.
