William Martin (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
William Martin was an officer of the Royal Navy
who saw service during the Wars of the Spanish
and the Austrian Successions
.
Martin rose from obscure origins to see service during the War of the Spanish Succession
. He was promoted to command several ships, seeing service in home waters and in the Mediterranean during the years of peace, and shortly after the outbreak of the War of the Austrian Succession
, was rewarded for his good service with a posting as commodore
, and command of a squadron. He served under several of the Mediterranean Fleet
's commanders, Nicholas Haddock
, Richard Lestock
, and most significantly Thomas Mathews
. Mathews was engaged in promoting British interests in the Mediterranean during the war, and policing the neutrality of the Mediterranean kingdoms, trying to prevent them joining the war in support of Britain's enemies. Several times Martin was sent with squadrons to rival nation's ports, to threaten them with naval retaliation if they did not comply with British demands, and was uniformly successful in convincing local rulers not to resist.
Promoted to flag rank
during the war, Martin served in a junior role in commanding the principal fleets, mainly in British waters, but also on an expedition to Lisbon
. Rising steadily through the ranks, and taking command in his own right eventually, he eventually retired ashore towards the conclusion of the war, and died in 1756 with the rank of admiral of the blue.
, and his wife Bennet Gash, or Gage. Other accounts suggest that he was the son of Commodore
George Martin, who died in 1724. William Martin appears to have entered the navy, as a volunteer-per-order
, on 26 August 1708, joining . Dragon went out to Newfoundland in May 1710, but Martin did not accompany her, having been left at Plymouth
on account of his health. Instead he went out to the Mediterranean aboard and was promoted to second lieutenant of on 30 July 1710 by Sir John Norris. Martin remained in the Mediterranean for the next few years, being transferred to on 4 January 1712 by Sir John Jennings and serving aboard her until July 1714.
Martin then went out with the fleet despatched to the Baltic
under Sir John Norris, and served at first aboard Norris's flagship
, but transferring at some point between 1715 and 1718 to , before returning to Cumberland. He was promoted to captain
of Cumberland on 9 October 1718, remaining with her until 9 February 1720, when he took command of , still with Norris's fleet in the Baltic between 1720 and 1721. He afterwards went to American waters to combat piracy.
, and then to service in the English Channel
with Sir Charles Wager's
fleet. He left Advice in 1732 and took command of the following year. His command of Sunderland lasted until 1737, and took him to Lisbon
and into the Mediterranean. His service in these waters continued after his transfer to in May 1738, with Ipswich assigned to Rear-Admiral Nicholas Haddock
's fleet. Martin's service continued after the outbreak of the War of the Austrian Succession, and he was appointed commodore in January 1741 and given a detached squadron off Cadiz
. Haddock returned to England at about this time, handing over command in the Mediterranean to his second officer, Richard Lestock
, who was in turn superseded by the arrival of Vice-Admiral Thomas Mathews
. Mathews had the task of carrying out diplomatic missions with the Mediterranean states and of securing British interests during the war. The Neapolitans
had, in violation of their claims of neutrality, sent troops to support Britain's enemy, Spain, and Mathews was determined to force their withdrawal from the war. In July 1742 Mathews sent Martin, in command of squadron, to Naples
'to bring the King of the two Sicilies to a just sense of his errors in having attacked in conjunction with the Spaniards the Queen of Hungary's territories in Italy.'
, Merrick de L'Angle, onshore to present the terms to the King
, demanding that an answer be returned within half an hour. The small squadron was considerably more powerful than anything the Neapolitans could muster, and after calling an emergency council, the King and his ministers attempted to make conditions, sending a deputy back to Martin with de L'Angle. Martin instead stated that he was sent ‘as an officer to act, not a minister to treat’, and once more demanded the King comply with the demands. With no way of resisting, the Neapolitans confirmed their neutrality, and promised to withdraw their troops. His objective achieved, Martin weighed anchor at midnight, and sailed to rejoin Mathews at Hyères Bay
.
from Spanish attacks, and in February 1743 he went to the Genoese
town of Ajaccio
, with orders to destroy some Spanish magazines
there. On arrival Martin again threatened to destroy the town with a naval bombardment, unless the inhabitants agreed to demolish the magazines, which they did. Despite this, the Genoese continued to provide assistance to the Spanish, and news reached Mathews early in 1743 that a Spanish ship had collected levies from Corsica
and sailed them to Italy, anchoring at Ajaccio. Mathews despatched Martin on 13 February in Ipswich, and accompanied by HMS Revenge
and to Ajaccio. Martin anchored off the port on 18 February, with his quarry, the San Isidro, anchored inside, hauled in close to the shore batteries. Martin weighed anchor at 4 am the next morning and warped into the harbour, laying Ipswich alongside the Spanish vessel, while Revenge did the same. The ships exchanged a heavy fire until the San Isidro caught fire and blew up at noon. Martin then returned to Mathews at Hyères.
in February 1744 under his old commander, Sir John Norris, and was promoted to vice-admiral on 19 June 1744. Martin was appointed second in command of the fleet sent to Lisbon under Sir John Balchen
, and while there produced a report on the contract hospitals. Martin was highly critical of them, and influenced the later decision to introduce dedicated medical centres solely for naval use. Balchen was lost during the return voyage to England, when his flagship, the 100-gun , disappeared at sea. Martin replaced him as commander of the fleet, a post he held until 1745.
under Admiral Edward Vernon
in December 1745, and then succeeded Vernon in the command. The fleet had been based off the Downs to meet the threat of a French invasion to support a Jacobite rising. One such fleet had already been dispersed the previous year
, and with the collapse of the threat Martin returned to his usual station, and commanded the main fleet until his retirement in July 1746 on health grounds. He was promoted to admiral of the blue on 15 July 1747, and retired to Twickenham
where he died on 17 September 1756. He had married Mary Atkins, of Twell, Gloucestershire
on 16 August 1726, but the couple did not have any children.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
who saw service during the Wars of the Spanish
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
and the Austrian Successions
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
.
Martin rose from obscure origins to see service during the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
. He was promoted to command several ships, seeing service in home waters and in the Mediterranean during the years of peace, and shortly after the outbreak of the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, was rewarded for his good service with a posting as commodore
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
, and command of a squadron. He served under several of the Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
's commanders, Nicholas Haddock
Nicholas Haddock
Nicholas Haddock was an admiral in the British Royal Navy and a Member of Parliament .Haddock, the second son of Admiral Sir Richard Haddock, was destined for a naval career from childhood and first distinguished himself at the age of 16 as a midshipman at the Battle of Vigo in 1702...
, Richard Lestock
Richard Lestock
Richard Lestock was an officer in the Royal Navy, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral. He fought in a number of battles, and was a controversial figure, most remembered for his part in the defeat at the Battle of Toulon, and the subsequent court-martial.-Family and early years:Lestock is...
, and most significantly Thomas Mathews
Thomas Mathews
Thomas Mathews was a British officer of the Royal Navy, who rose to the rank of admiral.Mathews joined the navy in 1690 and saw service on a number of ships, including during the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession. He interspersed periods spent commanding ships with time at home...
. Mathews was engaged in promoting British interests in the Mediterranean during the war, and policing the neutrality of the Mediterranean kingdoms, trying to prevent them joining the war in support of Britain's enemies. Several times Martin was sent with squadrons to rival nation's ports, to threaten them with naval retaliation if they did not comply with British demands, and was uniformly successful in convincing local rulers not to resist.
Promoted to flag rank
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
during the war, Martin served in a junior role in commanding the principal fleets, mainly in British waters, but also on an expedition to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. Rising steadily through the ranks, and taking command in his own right eventually, he eventually retired ashore towards the conclusion of the war, and died in 1756 with the rank of admiral of the blue.
Family and early life
Little is known about Martin's early life. He may have been the eldest son of Tutchen Martin, resident of StepneyStepney
Stepney is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London's East End that grew out of a medieval village around St Dunstan's church and the 15th century ribbon development of Mile End Road...
, and his wife Bennet Gash, or Gage. Other accounts suggest that he was the son of Commodore
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
George Martin, who died in 1724. William Martin appears to have entered the navy, as a volunteer-per-order
Volunteer-per-order
Volunteer-per-order was a name for a rating for young boys in the Royal Navy for young gentlemen who were training to become officers. The rating was introduced by Samuel Pepys in 1676 and the recipient received £24 a year and a letter from the crown which virtually guaranteed him promotion after...
, on 26 August 1708, joining . Dragon went out to Newfoundland in May 1710, but Martin did not accompany her, having been left at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
on account of his health. Instead he went out to the Mediterranean aboard and was promoted to second lieutenant of on 30 July 1710 by Sir John Norris. Martin remained in the Mediterranean for the next few years, being transferred to on 4 January 1712 by Sir John Jennings and serving aboard her until July 1714.
Martin then went out with the fleet despatched to the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
under Sir John Norris, and served at first aboard Norris's flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, but transferring at some point between 1715 and 1718 to , before returning to Cumberland. He was promoted to captain
Post-Captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy.The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:...
of Cumberland on 9 October 1718, remaining with her until 9 February 1720, when he took command of , still with Norris's fleet in the Baltic between 1720 and 1721. He afterwards went to American waters to combat piracy.
Command and Mediterranean
Martin took command of in 1727, and was assigned at first to the fleet supporting GibraltarGibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, and then to service in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
with Sir Charles Wager's
Charles Wager
Sir Charles Wager was a British Admiral and First Lord of the Admiralty between 1733 and 1742.Despite heroic active service and steadfast administration and diplomatic service, Wager's reputation has suffered from a profoundly mistaken idea that the navy was then at a low ebb...
fleet. He left Advice in 1732 and took command of the following year. His command of Sunderland lasted until 1737, and took him to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and into the Mediterranean. His service in these waters continued after his transfer to in May 1738, with Ipswich assigned to Rear-Admiral Nicholas Haddock
Nicholas Haddock
Nicholas Haddock was an admiral in the British Royal Navy and a Member of Parliament .Haddock, the second son of Admiral Sir Richard Haddock, was destined for a naval career from childhood and first distinguished himself at the age of 16 as a midshipman at the Battle of Vigo in 1702...
's fleet. Martin's service continued after the outbreak of the War of the Austrian Succession, and he was appointed commodore in January 1741 and given a detached squadron off Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
. Haddock returned to England at about this time, handing over command in the Mediterranean to his second officer, Richard Lestock
Richard Lestock
Richard Lestock was an officer in the Royal Navy, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral. He fought in a number of battles, and was a controversial figure, most remembered for his part in the defeat at the Battle of Toulon, and the subsequent court-martial.-Family and early years:Lestock is...
, who was in turn superseded by the arrival of Vice-Admiral Thomas Mathews
Thomas Mathews
Thomas Mathews was a British officer of the Royal Navy, who rose to the rank of admiral.Mathews joined the navy in 1690 and saw service on a number of ships, including during the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession. He interspersed periods spent commanding ships with time at home...
. Mathews had the task of carrying out diplomatic missions with the Mediterranean states and of securing British interests during the war. The Neapolitans
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
had, in violation of their claims of neutrality, sent troops to support Britain's enemy, Spain, and Mathews was determined to force their withdrawal from the war. In July 1742 Mathews sent Martin, in command of squadron, to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
'to bring the King of the two Sicilies to a just sense of his errors in having attacked in conjunction with the Spaniards the Queen of Hungary's territories in Italy.'
Mission to Naples
Martin arrived at Naples on the afternoon of 19 August, with orders to capture, sink or burn any vessels carrying military stores and supplies he found there and 'to use his utmost to lay the said city in ashes, unless the King of the two Sicilies shall agree forthwith not only to withdraw his troops now acting in conjunction with those of the King of Spain in Italy, but to forbear from giving in future any assistance of what kind soever.' Martin sent his flag captainFlag captain
In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a "captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "First Captain", with the "flag captain" as the ship's...
, Merrick de L'Angle, onshore to present the terms to the King
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
, demanding that an answer be returned within half an hour. The small squadron was considerably more powerful than anything the Neapolitans could muster, and after calling an emergency council, the King and his ministers attempted to make conditions, sending a deputy back to Martin with de L'Angle. Martin instead stated that he was sent ‘as an officer to act, not a minister to treat’, and once more demanded the King comply with the demands. With no way of resisting, the Neapolitans confirmed their neutrality, and promised to withdraw their troops. His objective achieved, Martin weighed anchor at midnight, and sailed to rejoin Mathews at Hyères Bay
Hyères
Hyères , Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France....
.
Actions against the Genoese
Martin's next task involved cruising to protect TuscanyTuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
from Spanish attacks, and in February 1743 he went to the Genoese
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
town of Ajaccio
Ajaccio
Ajaccio , is a commune on the island of Corsica in France. It is the capital and largest city of the region of Corsica and the prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud....
, with orders to destroy some Spanish magazines
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
there. On arrival Martin again threatened to destroy the town with a naval bombardment, unless the inhabitants agreed to demolish the magazines, which they did. Despite this, the Genoese continued to provide assistance to the Spanish, and news reached Mathews early in 1743 that a Spanish ship had collected levies from Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
and sailed them to Italy, anchoring at Ajaccio. Mathews despatched Martin on 13 February in Ipswich, and accompanied by HMS Revenge
HMS Swiftsure (1673)
HMS Swiftsure was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Sir Anthony Deane at Harwich, and launched in 1673. By 1685 she had been reduced to a 66-gun ship.In 1692 she saw action at the Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue....
and to Ajaccio. Martin anchored off the port on 18 February, with his quarry, the San Isidro, anchored inside, hauled in close to the shore batteries. Martin weighed anchor at 4 am the next morning and warped into the harbour, laying Ipswich alongside the Spanish vessel, while Revenge did the same. The ships exchanged a heavy fire until the San Isidro caught fire and blew up at noon. Martin then returned to Mathews at Hyères.
Flag rank
After these successes Martin sailed back to England, arriving there late in 1743, and receiving a promotion to rear-admiral on 7 December. He received a command in the Channel FleetChannel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
in February 1744 under his old commander, Sir John Norris, and was promoted to vice-admiral on 19 June 1744. Martin was appointed second in command of the fleet sent to Lisbon under Sir John Balchen
John Balchen
Admiral Sir John Balchen was an officer of the British Royal Navy with a long and distinguished career during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. In the course of his service at sea, Balchen saw action in numerous battles against the French and Spanish navies across 60 years and three...
, and while there produced a report on the contract hospitals. Martin was highly critical of them, and influenced the later decision to introduce dedicated medical centres solely for naval use. Balchen was lost during the return voyage to England, when his flagship, the 100-gun , disappeared at sea. Martin replaced him as commander of the fleet, a post he held until 1745.
Fleet commands and later life
Martin was based in the DownsThe Downs
The Downs are a roadstead or area of sea in the southern North Sea near the English Channel off the east Kent coast, between the North and the South Foreland in southern England. In 1639 the Battle of the Downs took place here, when the Dutch navy destroyed a Spanish fleet which had sought refuge...
under Admiral Edward Vernon
Edward Vernon
Edward Vernon was an English naval officer. Vernon was born in Westminster, England and went to Westminster School. He joined the Navy in 1700 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1702 and served on several different ships for the next five years...
in December 1745, and then succeeded Vernon in the command. The fleet had been based off the Downs to meet the threat of a French invasion to support a Jacobite rising. One such fleet had already been dispersed the previous year
Planned French Invasion of Britain (1744)
A planned invasion of Great Britain was to be undertaken by France in 1744 shortly after the declaration of war between them as part of the War of the Austrian Succession. A large invasion force was prepared and put to sea from Dunkirk in February 1744, only to be partly wrecked and driven back...
, and with the collapse of the threat Martin returned to his usual station, and commanded the main fleet until his retirement in July 1746 on health grounds. He was promoted to admiral of the blue on 15 July 1747, and retired to Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
where he died on 17 September 1756. He had married Mary Atkins, of Twell, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
on 16 August 1726, but the couple did not have any children.