William Young

Admiral Sir William Young GCB (16 August 1751 – 25 October 1821) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He should not be confused with his namesake and near contemporary Admiral William Young.

Young was born into a naval family, with his father, James Young, and his half-brother, James Young also serving in the navy and rising to flag rank. William Young served on a variety of ships and rose to his own commands during the American War of Independence. Using his connections to continue in service during the years of peace, he was almost immediately given command of a ship on the outbreak of the wars with the France and served initially in the Mediterranean during the siege of Toulon, at the reduction of Corsica, and at the battles of Genoa and Hyères Islands. Promoted to flag rank soon after these events, he returned to England and joined the Board of Admiralty.

He rose through the ranks during his time in office, serving in his official capacity during the Spithead and Nore mutinies, as commander at Plymouth, and as senior officer during the court martial of Lord Gambier after the Battle of the Basque Roads. He returned to an active command at sea in 1811 with responsibility for blockading the Dutch coast until the end of the war. He received further promotions, and reached the rank of Admiral of the Red, with the position of Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom before his death in 1821.

Family and early life Young was born on 16 August 1751, the eldest of five children of James Young, himself a distinguished naval officer who rose to the rank of admiral, and his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth died sometime before 1762, and his father married Sophia Vasmer, having at least two children. The eldest son by his second marriage, James, also embarked on a naval career and became a rear-admiral of the blue. William Young entered the navy in April 1761, joining the 50-gun under Captain Mark Milbanke as captain's servant. He moved to take over the 32-gun on 15 April 1782, and remained with her until the end of the war. Capturing the tower was necessary to secure the bay, but it proved highly resistant to bombardment, and despite only being armed with one 24-pounder gun, inflicted heavy damage on the British ships. After two hours of bombardment Fortitude had been nearly set on fire by hot shot, and was forced to retreat with six men killed and fifty-six wounded. He was present with the fleet at the Battle of Genoa on 14 March 1795 and the Battle of Hyères Islands on 13 July 1795 under Vice-Admiral Sir William Hotham. He had been advanced to the rank of rear admiral of the white on 1 June 1795, and returned to England in autumn that year escorting a convoy.

Gambier's court martial Young was later appointed the senior admiral at the board of the court martial held against Gambier in July 1809, to investigate Gambier's actions at the Battle of the Basque Roads. Gambier's principle critic was Lord Cochrane, who went on to accuse Young of undue bias in Gambier's favour, but Cochrane had already clashed with Young over the matter of prize money, and had accused Young of inefficiency in outfitting ships during his time at Plymouth when Cochrane was MP for Westminster. His task was to blockade the Dutch fleet, and he hoisted his flag aboard the 83-gun on his arrival at the Downs on 26 April. He was made Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom on 18 July 1819 after the death of Sir William Cornwallis, but by now was troubled by his failing health, and spent November 1818 at Bath. He died, aged 70, at his house in Queen Anne Street, North London, on 25 October 1821 after a short illness. Sir William Hotham instead declared that his manners 'tho' rather formal and cold, were those of a perfect gentleman, while he had the most punctilious sense of integrity'.

b. The tower eventually fell to land-based forces under Sir John Moore after two days of heavy fighting. The effectiveness of the tower, when properly supplied and defended, impressed the British, who copied the design for what they would call Martello towers.

c. The victories commemorated were Lord Howe's at the Glorious First of June, Sir John Jervis's at St Vincent, and Adam Duncan's at Camperdown.