François de Casembroot

François de Casembroot (Liège, 26 July 1817- The Hague, 14 April 1895) was an officer of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Casembroot was named Commander of the ship "Medusa", which patrolled the Japanese coast from 1862 to 1864. On July 11, 1863, the ship was attacked in the Strait of Shimonoseki by the ships and the batteries of the daimyo of Chōshū, Mori Takachika, who was following an Imperial "Order to expel barbarians" (攘夷実行の勅命 – Jōi jikkō no chokumei). [Polak, p.95] Casembroot managed to respond and escape, although with significant damage. Four sailors were killed in action, and 5 other were wounded.

The following year, in September 1864, Casembroot participated to the Allied retaliations against Chōshū, again on the "Medusa", in the Bombardment of Shimonoseki.

Back in the Netherlands, Casembroot was complimented for his actions in Japan, was ennobled and was decorated together with his men.

In 1865, Casembroot wrote an account of his adventures in Japan, entitled "De medusa in wateren van Japan" ("The "Medusa" in the waters of Japan").

Notes

References

* Polak, Christian (2001) Soie et Lumieres. L'Age d'or des échanges franco-japonais (des origines aux années 1950), 日仏交流の黄金期（江戸時代～１９５０年代）, (French and Japanese), Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie Française du Japon, Hachette Fujingaho.

External links

* [http://www.navyandmarine.org/ondeck/1863shimonoseki.htm Account of the battle of Shimonoseki]
* [http://www.pdavis.nl/Japan.htm W.L. Clowes on the Anglo-Japanese hostilities of 1863 - 1864]