Francis William Fane
| Francis William Fane | |
|---|---|
| Died | 28 March 1844 |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
|
| Rank | Rear-Admiral |
| Battles/wars |
French Revolutionary Wars • Capture of Mahonesa • Engagement with Vestale Napoleonic Wars • Battle of Palamós |
Rear-Admiral Francis William Fane (14 October 1778 – 28 March 1844) son of John Fane (1751–1824) was a British Royal Navy officer of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars who served in several engagements while commissioned on the frigate HMS Terpsichore, including the blockade of Alexandria. There he was commended for rescuing five French soldiers from a group of Bedouin partisans, despite coming under fire from the people he was trying to rescue. He advanced rapidly through the ranks, and by 1810 was in command of his own frigate, participating in the Peninsular War. It was during this campaign that he was captured during an operation at Palamós, remaining a prisoner for the remainder of the war. After the peace of 1815, Fane did not continue in active service, and although he was promoted to admiral in 1844 he did not serve again at sea.
Francis William Fane entered the Royal Navy on 15 April 1795 as a young midshipman, and rapidly impressed his superiors with his service during the French Revolutionary Wars aboard the frigate HMS Terpsichore. On 24 October 1796, Terpsichore was cruising near Cartagena, Spain, when she encountered the Spanish frigate Mahonesa. Engaging the enemy directly, Captain Richard Bowen was able to defeat and capture the Spanish ship, despite his own vessel taking serious damage. Two months later, after hasty repairs at Gibraltar, Bowen was again cruising the Spanish coast, when on 12 December he sighted and chased the French frigate Vestale. In a fierce engagement, the French ship was forced to surrender, although Fane was badly wounded in the exchange of cannon fire. During the night however the ships became separated and by morning the French crew had overpowered the British sailors placed aboard their ship and taken it into Cadiz.
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Wikipedia