Francis William Drake

Vice-Admiral of the Red Francis William Drake (22 August 1724 – 5 December 1787) was a Royal Navy officer, politician and colonial administrator who served in the War of the Austrian Succession, Seven Years' War and American War of Independence.

Family and early life Not much is known of Francis William's early life. He was born in Buckland Monachorum, Devon in 1724 and was baptized on 22 August that year. He was the third son, and the second surviving son, of Anne Heathcote and Sir Francis Henry Drake. This line of Drakes descended from the brother of Elizabethan naval hero Sir Francis Drake. Francis William is often confused with his younger brother, Francis Samuel, also a naval officer whose death occurred around the same time. He flew his flag at first aboard the 60-gun between July and November 1779, and then aboard HMS Dromedary from November 1779 until 1781. He was promoted to Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 26 September 1780 and was given command of a squadron of the Channel Fleet under Vice-admiral George Darby. He was buried 15 December 1787 at Hursley, Hampshire.