William Frederick Stanley Mann

Captain of the Cerberus & in command of the Naval Forces of Victoria

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CAPTAIN MANN, THE NEXT NAVAL COMMANDANT

The Australasian, 1 December 1888

Captain William Frederick Stanley Mann, of H.M.S. Rapid, who has been chosen by the Lords of the Admiralty to succeed Captain Thomas as commandant of the Victorian Naval Forces, is 42 years of age, and has spent 28 years in the naval service, having joined it as a cadet in September, 1850. He was appointed sub-lieutenant in October 1865, and two years later promoted to be lieutenant. The rank of commander was conferred on him in May 15, 1876, and his promotion to the captaincy took place on June 30, 1885. Captain Mann has seen a good deal of active service. During the earlier part of his career he served on H.M.S. Gorgon, which was one of the vessels engaged in the suppression of the slave trade on the east coast of Africa. He was senior lieutenant of H.M.S. Amethyst during the Ashantee war, and served with and was adjutant of the Naval Brigade, which took part in the expedition. He was present at the capture of Borborassi, took part in the action at Amoaful, and was also with the forces which captured Bekwa. He accompanied the rearguard during the advance from Amoaful to the Orduh River, and was present on the occasion of the crossing the Orduh, and at the occupation of Coomassie. He was specially mentioned in the despatches, and received the Ashantee medal and Coomassie clasp. Afterwards he acted as senior-lieutenant of H.M.S. Osbourne, was promoted to the command of the Beacon, and during the Egyptian war in 1882 rendered the services for which he received the Egyptian medal and the Khedive's bronze star. He relieved Captain Musgrave, of the Rapid, which was re-commissioned in April last, and is now with the Rapid on the coast of New Guinea. Captain Mann is married, Mrs. Mann, who accompanied him from England, being now resident in Sydney.

We regret to announce that Admiral W. F. S. Mann, whose long service in the Navy included the Ashanti and Egyptian Wars, died on Wednesday at his residence in London at the age of 77.

William Frederick Stanley Mann was the oldest son of the Rev. W. M. Mann and was born on June 21, 1846. Entering the Navy on September 13, 1859, he became a sub-lieutenant in 1865 and a lieutenant in 1867. Electing to specialise in gunnery, he joined the Excellent, gunnery schoolship, to qualify. Among the officers serving there at the time was Commander (afterwards Lord) Fisher, with whom the late Admiral became friends, and the association was maintained throughout their careers. In 1873 Mann went to the south-east coast of America as first lieutenant of the Amethyst, corvette, but returned a year later on appointment to the Royal yacht Osborne. His service in the Amethyst was eventful, however, as the vessel was among those ordered to assist in the Ashanti War. He served with, and was adjutant to, the Naval Brigade which was landed and was present at the capture of Borborassi, the action of Amoaffil, and the capture of Bekwa, as well as being with the rearguard during the advance from Amoaffil to the Ordah River. He also took part in the action on crossing the Ordah, and the occupation of Kumassi.

In the Osborne he served as first lieutenant at the time of the tour of the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII.) to India, and on its successful termination he was promoted to commander with effect from May 15, 1876. Three months later he became commander of the iron screw ship Bellerophon, flagship of Admiral Sir Cooper Key on the North American Station. He was also commander of the Invincible in the Mediterranean, and Rapid on that station. Following periods in command of the Beacon, gun-vessel, during the Egyptian War, and the Bittern, a similar ship, also in the Mediterranean, he was promoted captain in 1885, and in accordance with custom was for some time afterwards on half-pay. On February 26, 1889, he was appointed to command the Naval Forces of the Colony of Victoria, as it then was, and served in Australia for three years. He then received command of the Audacious, coastguard ship at Hull, and later of the Edinburgh and the Galatea, on similar service.

From Hull he went to the Mediterranean in 1895 as captain of the battleship Anson, and on his return in 1898 became flag-captain and in charge of the Naval Depot at Sheerness. He was promoted to rear-admiral on July 6, 1899, and then relinquished the post of A.D.C. to Queen Victoria, which he had held since May, 1896. He did not serve as a flag officer, but retired in 1901, his subsequent steps being on the retired list. He devoted himself to furthering the interests of various philanthropic and other societies connected with the Royal Navy and seafarers generally and in 1903 became chairman of the Management Committee of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society. In the summer of 1909 there was much controversy over the publication of private letters written by Admiral Mann and Captain (now Admiral Sir Reginald) Bacon to Sir John Fisher. Admiral Marin's letter, which was written on April 4, 1906, began: I have read The Times article of to-day's date on naval training. Grand - it should settle the ignorant and suspicious," and demonstrated his entire sympathy with Fisher's policy.

Admiral Mann was twice married, first, in 1877, to a daughter of Mr. Joseph Parker, of Brerrenham Park, Suffock; and secondly in 1892, to the eldest daughter of the Hon. Charles Mann, of Adelaide, South Australia.