William Boys (Royal Navy officer)
William Boys | |
---|---|
![]() Boys c. 1790 | |
Born | 25 June 1700 |
Died | 25 June 1700 | (aged −250)
Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain |
Service/ | Royal Navy |
Rank | Commodore |
Commands | |
Battles/wars | Seven Years' War |
Commodore William Boys (25 June 1700 – 4 March 1774) was a Royal Navy officer who became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.
History
Promoted to captain, Boys joined the Royal Navy in 1717 and became a midshipman in the third-rate HMS Prince Frederick.[1] In June 1725 he was on board the South Sea Company slaver Luxborough Galley when the ship sunk following a fire and the six survivors only survived by cannibalism.[1] Promoted to captain he became commanding officer of the sixth-rate HMS Greyhound in June 1743, commanding officer of the fourth-rate HMS Princess Louisa in 1744 and commanding officer of the fifth-rate HMS Pearl on the East Indies Station in 1745.[1] He went on to be flag captain to Vice-Admiral Thomas Smith in the first-rate HMS Royal Sovereign in 1755 and commanding officer of the fourth-rate HMS Preston in 1759 and saw action during the Seven Years' War.[1] After that he became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1760 and lieutenant-governor of Greenwich Hospital in July 1761.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d "William Boys". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
- ^ "William Boys". Historical Autographs. Retrieved 3 January 2015.