Richard Saunders Dundas

Sir

Richard Dundas
Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Dundas
Birth nameRichard Saunders Dundas
Born(1802-04-11)11 April 1802
England
Died3 June 1861(1861-06-03) (aged 59)
London, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Navy
Years of service1817–1861
RankVice-admiral
CommandsHMS Sparrowhawk
HMS Volage
HMS Warspite
HMS Belvidera
HMS Melville
HMS Powerful
Baltic Fleet
Battles / warsFirst Opium War
Crimean War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Saunders Dundas, KCB (11 April 1802 – 3 June 1861) was a Royal Navy officer. As a captain, he took part in the capture of the Bogue forts in January 1841, during the First Opium War. He was appointed to the command of the Fleet in the Baltic Sea, in succession to Sir Charles Napier, in February 1855 and led the naval support during the latter stages of the Crimean War, enforcing a strict blockade and carrying out the bombardment of Sveaborg in August 1855. He was appointed First Naval Lord in the first Palmerston ministry in November 1857 and then, after stepping down to be Second Naval Lord during the second Derby–Disraeli ministry, he stepped up again to become First Naval Lord in the second Palmerston ministry in June 1859, remaining in office until his death. The prime minister (Viscount Palmerston) described Dundas as "a most distinguished officer".