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- Year of the SeaAdmiral Lord de Saumarez
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SAUMAREZ, JAMES SAUMAREZ (1757-1836), English admiral, was descended from an old family, and was born at St Peter Port, Guernsey, 11th of March 1757. Many of his ancestors had distinguished themselves in the naval service, and he entered it as midshipman at the age of thirteen. For his bravery at the attack of Charleston in 1776 on board the Bristol he was raised to the rank of lieutenant, and he was promoted commander for his gallant services off the Dogger Bank, 5th of August 1781, when he was wounded. In command of the Russell, he contributed to Rodneys victory over De Grasse (12th of April 1782). For the capture of La Reunion, a French frigate, in 1793, he was knighted. While in command of a small squadron, he was, on the 5th of June 1794, attacked by a superior French force on the way from Plymouth to Guernsey, but succeeded in gaining a safe anchorage in Guernsey's harbour. After being promoted to the Orion in 1795, he took part in the defeat of the French fleet off Lorient, on the 22nd of June, distinguished himself in the battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797, and was present at the blockade of Cadiz from February 1797 to April 1798, and at the battle of the Nile, where he was wounded. On his return from Egypt he received the command of the Caesar, with orders to watch the French fleet off Brest during the winters of 1799 and 1800. In 1801 he was raised to the rank of rearadmiral of the blue, was created a baronet, and received the command of a small squadron which was destined to watch the movements of the Spanish fleet at Cadiz. Between the 6th and 12th of July he performed a brilliant piece of service, in which after a first repulse at Algeciras he routed a much superior combined force of French and Spanish ships. For his services Saumarez received the order of the Bath and the freedom of the city of London. In 1803 he received a pension of 1200 a year. On the outbreak of the war with Russia in 1809 he was given command of the Baltic fleet. He held it during the wars preceding the fall of Napoleon, and his tact was conspicuously shown towards the government of Sweden at the crisis of the invasion of Russia. Charles XIII. (Bernadotte) bestowed on him the grand cross of the military order of the Sword.
In 1814 Saumarez was advanced to full Admiral, appointed Rear Admiral of Great Britain in 1819 and then in 1821 to Vice-Admiral of Great Britain. His last command in a long and distinguished career was that of Port Admiral at Plymouth from 1824 to 1827 and in 1831 he received the highest and ultimate honour of being raised to the peerage. He took the title of "Baron de Saumarez of Guernsey" and returning to his native island was accorded a hero's welcome by the Island Parliament and the population. Later in 1834 he was honoured again by receiving the last mark of Royal favour from the King of Sweden, Charles XIV, on being sent a full-length portrait of the King "who was always grateful for the services which lord de Saumarez had rendered to his adopted Country". Lord de Saumarez died on 9th October 1836 and was buried in the Parish Church of Castel.
Plaque of Admiral Lord Saumarez,displayed at Castle Cornet,St.Peter Port, Guernsey.
Action off West Coast of Guernsey, 8 June 1794.
Sir James Saumarez, H.M.S. Crescent, Druid and Euridice
Jean Breton, Pilot. Plaque displayed at Castle Cornet, St.Peter Port, Guernsey.
The Saumarez Memorial was built in 1876, in honour of Admiral Lord de Saumarez.
The Saumarez Memorial stood some 90 feet high, until the Germans demolished it during the Second World War. Fortunately the four large bronze plaques around the base of the monument were saved, and can now be seen in Castle Cornet. Two of the plaques can be seen above.
The Saumarez Memorial. Delancey Park. Guernsey. Peacock "Autochrom" P.5513