1. Admiral Sir Sydney Colpoys Dacres, was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Greek War of Independence, when he was involved in an attack on the Turkish forces at Morea, and later during the Crimean War.
18 Facts About Sydney Dacres
1. 2.
Sydney Dacres went on to be Visitor and Governor of Greenwich Hospital.
3.
The Dacres had a long history of naval service, Sydney's uncle, James Richard Dacres, was a vice-admiral, while his cousins Barrington Dacres and James Richard Dacres would both serve in the navy, the former becoming a post-captain, the latter a vice-admiral.
4.
Sydney Dacres's elder brother Sir Richard James Dacres was a field marshal in the British Army and was awarded the GCB.
5.
Sydney Dacres was promoted to post-captain on 1 August 1840 and duly relinquished command of the Salamander on 15 September 1840.
6.
Sydney Dacres took command on 8 June 1852, commissioning her at Plymouth and sailing her to Lisbon.
7.
Sydney Dacres spent 1853 as part of the Channel squadron, then with the outbreak of the Crimean War Dacres sailed to the Black Sea in 1854 to support operations.
8.
Sydney Dacres remained in command until 22 November 1854, when he was succeeded by Acting-Captain Leopold George Heath.
9.
Sydney Dacres was appointed a Companion of the Bath on 5 July 1855, and on 30 April 1857 he was among the British officers who fought in the Crimea who received permission from Queen Victoria to accept the award of Officer of the Legion of Honour.
10.
Sydney Dacres then moved ashore, becoming Captain-Superintendent of the Royal Hospital Haslar and the Royal Clarence Victualling Yard in July 1855, a post he held until 25 June 1858, the date he was promoted to rear-admiral.
11.
Sydney Dacres then became commander in chief of the Channel Squadron on 24 April 1863, a post he held until June 1866 and during which he oversaw the integration of the new ironclads into the fleet.
12.
Sydney Dacres was appointed a Knight Commander of the Bath on 28 March 1865, and promoted to vice-admiral on 17 November 1865, while in command of the Channel Squadron.
13.
Sydney Dacres became a Commissioner of the Admiralty and Second Naval Lord on 12 July 1866, rising to be the First Naval Lord on 18 December 1868.
14.
Sydney Dacres was promoted to admiral on 1 April 1870, and was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Bath on 20 May 1871.
15.
Sydney Dacres stepped down as First Naval Lord on 27 November 1872, becoming Visitor and Governor of Greenwich Hospital on 2 December that year.
16.
Sydney Dacres was placed on the retired list on 10 January 1874.
17.
Sydney Dacres married Emma Lambert on 1 October 1840 at St Pancras New Church.
18.
Sydney Dacres gave birth to a son at Batheaston on 3 December 1845.