Lt. Henry Thomas Dundas le Vesconte, H.M.S Erebus

Vesconte in the original Daguerrrotype, May 1845. 
Currently held and owned by the SPRI in Cambridge.

Henry Thomas Dundas Le Vesconte (1813 – C.1848) was an English officer of the Royal Navy and polar explorer who from 1845 served under Sir John Franklin as Second Lieutenant (the fourth most senior rank) on the "Erebus" during the Franklin expedition to discover the Northwest Passage, which ended with the loss of all 129 crewmen in mysterious circumstances.

Born in Netherton, Devon in 1813, Henry was the only son of four children born to Sarah and Henry Le Vesconte. Henrys father too was a Commander in the Royal Navy who had fought as a Lieutenant on the "Jamaica" at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 and later received a commendation from Nelson for the capture of six gun vessels on shore at St Valery. With the same rank he fought at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 on the "Naiad" under Captain Thomas Dundas. Sir John Franklin was both present at the battle of Copenhagen and the battle of Trafalgar, although served on different ships in both engagements.

Colourised Daguerrotype of Henry Thomas Dundas le Vesconte by Ross Day

Of French descent, Henry Thomas Dundas Le Vesconte was named after his father and his father's commanding officer at the battle of Trafalgar.