Hickley , John Dennis , 1862-1895 , Lieutenant

Lieutenant John Dennis Hickley was born on 13th January 1862, the son of Admiral Henry Dennis Hickley. He began a promising career in the Navy in 1874, coming top of his naval cadet class at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. He became a Midshipman in October 1876 and served on HMS BELLEROPHON, MINOTAUR, and HIMALAYA. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in Her Majesty's fleet on the 31st December 1884 and gained further qualifications whilst stationed at Portsmouth, obtaining two First Class certificates for Instruction in Gunnery and Torpedoes in 1892. Hickley was subsequently involved in operations against Chief Nana of Brohemie on the Benin River, West Africa and was awarded the DSO for his services. Whilst in Africa with HMS PHOEBE in February 1895, J.D. Hickley drowned in a lagoon close to Lorenzo Marques during an unsuccessful duck-hunting trip.