[1] He initially joined the fifth-rate HMS Naiad in the Mediterranean Fleet as a midshipman and saw action against pirates off Cap Bon in Tunisia in 1824.

[3] Promoted to commander on 17 April 1827, he was posted to the sloop HMS Heron on the South America Station that same month.

[3] In HMS Endymion he saw action in the First Opium War and was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 24 December 1842.

[4] Grey took command of the second-rate HMS Hannibal in March 1854 and conveyed 10,000 French troops to Åland off Finland before proceeding to the Bosphorus where he was deployed as principal agent of transports during the Crimean War.

[8] Having been promoted to full admiral on 24 April 1865[9] and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 28 March 1865,[10] he resigned his post when the second Russell ministry fell from power in July 1866.