248 Obituary, [Ibis, 



early in January of this year, is the first naval officer 

 among our members whose death we have to deplore. 



Born in 1879 he was the second son of the 4th Earl of 

 Bradford and the brother of tlie present Peer, who is himself 

 at the front, as well as a younger brother, Major The Hon. 

 H. G. O. Bridgeman, R.H.A. Richard Bridgeman entered 

 the Navy and served in various parts of the world, including 

 the China Station and the Cape Station where he was 

 during the South African war. In 1911 he was the naval 

 officer appointed to accompany the King during his State 

 visit to India. He was 1st Lieut, of the 'Medina' and 

 commanded the naval guard at the Delhi Durbar, On his 

 return home he was promoted Commander. In June 1914 

 he was appointed Flag Commander to the Commander-in- 

 Chief of the Cape Station, and he subsequently took part 

 in the naval operations on the East African coast. He was- 

 awarded the D.S.O. for his gallant conduct during the 

 attack on Tanga Harbour, and he also was present at 

 the destruction of the German cruizer ' Konigsberg/ 

 Avhere he had a narrow escape — a bullet passing through 

 his cap. 



He had also had his share of the military campaign in 

 German East Africa, where he was employed as " liaison " 

 officer between the Commander-in-Chief of the naval forces- 

 and General Smuts, and frequently acted as observer in 

 aerial reconnaissances, during one of which he was unfor- 

 tunately killed. 



Commander Bridgeman Avas a typical British sailor and a 

 great favourite. He was a very keen sportsman and a good 

 shot, and it was this that lead him to interest himself in 

 birds. During his earlier period of service on the Cape 

 Station he did a good deal of collecting and was a frequent 

 visitor to the South African Museum in order to name his 

 specimens and acquire information. He had a great gift 

 for painting in water-colours and made life-like studies of 

 the birds he came across. He became a member of the 

 Union in 1902, but did not, so far as we are anare, write 

 on ornithology. 



