William Boys (Royal Navy officer)

William Boys
Born 25 June 1700
Died 4 March 1774
Allegiance  Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch  Royal Navy
Rank Commodore
Commands held HMS Greyhound
HMS Princess Louisa
HMS Pearl
HMS Royal Sovereign
HMS Preston
Nore Command
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

  1. 1 2 3 4 "William Boys". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  2. "William Boys". Historical Autographs. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
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