George Henry Towry

George Henry Towry
Born	4 March 1767
Died	9 April 1809 Somerset Place, London
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1780–1809
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War • Great Siege of Gibraltar French Revolutionary Wars • Action of 24 June 1795 • Battle of Cape St Vincent Napoleonic Wars

Captain George Henry Towry (4 March 1767 – 9 April 1809) was a Royal Navy officer of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century who is best known for his service as commander of the frigate HMS Dido, in the Action of 24 June 1795 in the Western Mediterranean Sea during the French Revolutionary Wars, when, in company with HMS Lowestoffe he successfully fought and defeated the French frigates Minerve and Artémise, capturing Minerve and driving off Artémise. He later commanded HMS Diadem at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797 and served during the Napoleonic Wars on the Transportation Board.

Towry was born in March 1767, educated at Eton College and joined the Royal Navy at 13 under the patronage of Lord Longford. He served during the American Revolutionary War aboard HMS Alexander and participated in the relief of the Great Siege of Gibraltar in 1782. Following the end of the war he continued in service under the Duke of Clarence and at the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars he was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet under the patronage of Lord Hood. He was rapidly promoted and by 1795 was a post captain in command of the small 28-gun frigate HMS Dido.