John Shortland
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| Lt. John Shortland | |
| Born | 5 September 1769 England |
|---|---|
| Died | 21 January 1810 Guadeloupe |
| Cause of death | Battle injuries |
| Occupation | Naval officer |
| Parents | John Shortland |
John Shortland (1769-1810), was the eldest son of John Shortland[1]. Shortland a naval officer, joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman and went to Quebec in a transport commanded by his father. From 1783 to 1787 he served in the West Indies. In 1787 he was master's mate in the Sirius when the First Fleet sailed for Australia. Shortland spent nearly five years in Australia including time on Norfolk Island where the Sirius was wrecked in 1790. In 1792 he returned to England.
In 1794 he returned to Australia with the new governor, John Hunter as first lieutenant.
On 9 September 1797, while on his way to Port Stephens in pursuit of some runaway convicts, Shortland entered the estuary of the Hunter River on which Newcastle, New South Wales is situated. During his brief stay, Shortland named the river, though for some years it was often referred to as the Coal River, made the first chart of the harbour in the form of an eye-sketch and collected some samples of coal. In a later letter to his father, Shortland predicted that his discovery would prove a great acquisition to the settlement[2].
The suburb of Shortland is named after him.
On 13 December 1809 he fought a gallant but hopeless action against two 48-gun and two 20-gun French ships. He was very seriously wounded and his ship so badly damaged that the enemy was compelled to burn her. His mangled body was taken by the French to the hospital at Guadeloupe where he died on 21 January 1810, 'firm in his attachment to the Protestant faith'. He was buried with full military honours at Basse-Terre[1].
[edit] References
- ^ a b Shortland, John (1796 - 1810). The Australian Dictionary of Biography - Online Edition.
- ^ Jill Hall M.P. Federal member for Shortland
