Charles Jean d'Hector

Charles Jean d'Hector, comte d'Hector (22 July 1722, Fontenay-le-Comte, France - 18 August 1808, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom) was a French aristocrat and naval officer. Losing his father at a young age, he soon entered the French Navy, starting his service during the Seven Years' War, notably at the battle of Quiberon Bay. Following that battle he and the chevalier de Ternay saved part of the French fleet which had taken refuge in the Vilaine estaury. He was promoted to capitaine de vaisseau then squadron commander at the start of the American Revolutionary War. Put in command of Brest and its naval force, he assisted the Naval Minister maréchal de Castries in his plans to reform the fleet. He was visited at Brest by the future Tsar Nicholas I and his family and at Cherbourg on an inspection by Louis XVI of France.

He ended his career at the rank of lieutenant general. He emigrated to Britain upon the French Revolution and - despite his lack of funds - raised a volunteer regiment known as the Régiment Hector ou Marine Royale. This took part in the Quiberon Expedition in 1795. He died in exile in England aged 86.

The Hector family was a noble family originating in Quercy (now in Poitou) and it is first recorded in 1666. It owned the lordships of Tirpoil, Versigay, Marle, Beaumont and Closemont. He was born a sickly child and was speedily baptized in his birthplace since it was thought he would not survive the journey to church. His father, a naval officer, was killed in Canada in 1731. After attending primary school at Saint-Georges-de-Montaigu, he moved to Rochefort and there became a cadet aged 13 on 16 May 1735. He took part in several campaigns before becoming a garde-marine at Rochefort on 1 January 1741. He was promoted to 'aide d'artillerie' on 1 January 1746 before opting to join the navy instead on 1 July 1750. He was made a lieutenant de vaisseau on 11 February 1756 and the same year was put in command of the frigate La Pomone.

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