Francis Laforey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Francis Laforey
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| Born | 31 December 1767 Colony of Virginia |
| Died | 17 June 1835 (aged 67) Brighton, Sussex, England |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1780s–1835 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
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| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (1815) |
Admiral Sir Francis Laforey (born 1767, died 1835) was a brave officer in the British Royal Navy. He fought in important wars like the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He commanded many ships, especially smaller, fast ones called frigates, both near Britain and in the West Indies.
But he is most famous for leading a large warship called Spartiate at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. His ship was right in the middle of the fighting and many of his crew were injured. Later, he became a high-ranking admiral and took charge of a group of ships in the Leeward Islands. He retired from the Navy in 1814.
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Francis Laforey was born in 1767 in Virginia. His father, Sir John Laforey, was also a naval officer who later became an admiral. Because of his father's job, Francis was expected to join the Navy from a young age.
The family moved to Antigua in the Caribbean. This meant they avoided the American War of Independence. Francis joined the Navy in the early 1780s when he was a teenager. He quickly rose through the ranks, partly because his father had a lot of influence. By 1791, Laforey was already a commander and had his own small warship, Fairy.
First Commands and Big Wins
When war broke out in 1793, Francis's father saw a chance to capture French islands in the Caribbean. He quickly took over the island of Tobago. Francis was sent to London to deliver the good news. As a reward for bringing such important dispatches, Francis was promoted to Post Captain. This meant he could command a larger warship.
Francis used his new command, the frigate Carysfort, to bravely recapture Castor from the French in 1794. He then had to fight a long legal battle to get his share of the prize money from capturing the French ship. Luckily, he won!
More Successes and Family Ties
The Navy gave Laforey an even bigger frigate, Aimable, in 1795. He used it to take his father back to Antigua. His father was now the military governor of the Leeward Islands. Sir John helped his son's career by putting Francis in charge of the large warship Scipio. He also made Francis second-in-command for successful invasions of Dutch colonies like Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice.
The next year, Francis sailed back to England with his father, who was very ill. During the journey, his father passed away, and Francis inherited his title, becoming a baronet. Soon after, he was given the frigate Hydra. He had great success with this ship for two years off the French coast. Then he returned to the Caribbean for more victories. In 1800, he went back to England to command the warship Powerful. He served with this ship in the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and again in the West Indies until the Peace of Amiens in 1802.
Battle of Trafalgar and Later Career
When war started again, Laforey was given command of Spartiate. This ship was one of those captured by Admiral Nelson at the Battle of the Nile. In 1804, Laforey joined Nelson's fleet in chasing the French fleet across the Atlantic Ocean. They eventually cornered the French fleet off Cadiz, leading to the famous Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805.
Fighting at Trafalgar
During the battle, the Spartiate was stuck at the back of Nelson's group of ships. It took several hours for them to reach the main fight. When Spartiate and its partner ship, Minotaur, finally arrived, they found themselves alone against a group of French and Spanish ships. These included the French ships Formidable, Duguay-Trouin, Scipion, and Mont Blanc, plus the Spanish Neptuno.
However, the Spartiate and Minotaur fired so fiercely that the Formidable turned and fled. The other three French ships followed, leaving the Neptuno to fight alone against the two powerful 74-gun British ships. The Neptuno was soon captured. Laforey's ship had only 23 casualties, which was quite low for such a big battle. He was then able to help other British captains during a big storm that followed the battle.
Retirement and Legacy
After Trafalgar, the Spartiate returned to London for Nelson's funeral. Laforey was given the honor of being a flag bearer, walking behind Nelson's coffin. Unlike many other officers from Trafalgar, Laforey stayed with his ship. He returned to the Mediterranean and took part in several blockades.
In 1810, he was promoted to rear-admiral. In 1811, he took over his father's old job as the naval commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands Station. He returned home in 1814. The next year, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, a very important award. He lived quietly in Brighton until he passed away in 1835 as a full Admiral. He was buried in St Nicholas Churchyard in Brighton. Francis Laforey never married or had children, so his special title ended when he died.
Ships Named After Laforey
Two ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Laforey to honor Admiral Sir Francis Laforey:
- HMS Laforey was a Laforey-class destroyer. She was first named HMS Florizel but was renamed before she was launched in 1913. She was sunk by a mine in 1917.
- HMS Laforey (G99) was an L-class destroyer. She was launched in 1941 and was sunk by a U-boat (a German submarine) in 1944.
