[1] Byron Drury entered the Royal Naval College in 1828; and embarked, 13 August 1830, as a Volunteer, on board HMS Aetna surveying vessel, under the command of Captain Edward Belcher.

He afterwards served for upwards of three years, latterly as a midshipman, in HMS Rainbow, under Captain Sir John Franklin, on the Mediterranean station; and, joining next HMS Racehorse under Captain Sir James Everard Home, took an active part, as mate, in the siege of Pará in Brazil in 1835, where he was for several days in action with the enemy’s batteries.

[5] Drury was with Sir Gordon Bremer, in HMS Alligator, he subsequently assisted in surveying the harbour at Port Essington, in South Australia, during the formation of that place into a settlement.

He commanded a division of boats at the first capture of Canton in 1841,[6] For his services he received the China medal,[3] and officially promoted, by commission dated 8 June 1841.

[2] Drury’s next appointments was on 30 September 1843, to the steamer HMS Shearwater, under Captain Charles Gepp Robinson, which was employed in surveying the west coast of Scotland.