George Rodney Mundy (1805 - 1884)

BiographyBorn in 1805, George was the son of General Godfrey Mundy and Sarah Brydges, daughter of Admiral George Brydges Rodney (1st Baron Rodney). Continuing the family tradition, George enrolled in Royal Navy at 13 as a cadet at Portsmouth and the following year he volunteered aboard HMS PHAETON and began his overseas service on the North America and West Indies Station, the Mediterranean Fleet and South America Station.

Rising quickly through the ranks, Mundy was promoted to commander in 1828 and over the following decade served on a number of vessels and in 1837 as captain; he acted as commanding officer in the West Africa Squadron and later the East Indies Station. It was here that Mundy is best noted for being asked to keep the Sultan of Brunei "in line" in relation to the accession by the British Crown of the island of Labuan. During this period, Mundy undertook sea and land operations where he was "assailed with difficulties of no ordinary description". These endeavours, including dealing with pirates, brought him to the attention of the Admiralty and in 1846 / 1847, he was placed in charge of the Borneo station.

Mundy sprint the remainder of his naval career rising through the ranks and carrying out foreign postings from Italy to Syria. In 1863 he was promoted to Vice Admiral and Commander in Chief, North America and West Indies Station. He retired in 1875 and made retired Admiral of the Fleet in 1877 in addition to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath and Knight Grand Cross.

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