John Ashby (Royal Navy officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Ashby
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|---|---|
| Born | 1646 Italy |
| Died | 12 June 1693 (aged 46–47) Portsmouth |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of England |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | - 1693 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Advice HMS Rainbow HMS Pearl HMS Lion HMS Rose HMS Dunkirk HMS Constant Warwick HMS Mary Rose HMS Montague HMS Henrietta HMS Mordaunt HMS Defiance |
| Battles/wars |
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Sir John Ashby (1646 – 12 June 1693) was a skilled officer in the Royal Navy. He rose through the ranks to become an Admiral. John was the fourth son of Robert and Alice Ashby. His aunt was the sister of Sir Thomas Allin, another famous naval figure. John grew up in Suffolk, England, where his father was a businessman.
Contents
John Ashby joined the navy and quickly moved up. In November 1665, he became a lieutenant on HMS Adventure. He then served on HMS Princess in 1668. Later that year, he got his first command of a small ship called the ketch HMS Deptford.
First Commands and Battles
In June 1669, Ashby was given command of HMS Advice. He then commanded HMS Rainbow from 1670 to 1672. In January 1672, he took command of HMS Pearl. While on Pearl, he fought in his first major battle at Schooneveld.
He fought at Schooneveld again, this time commanding HMS Lion. He was part of Prince Rupert's group of ships. His third big battle was the Battle of Texel on 11 August 1673, where he again commanded HMS Lion.
Serving in America and England
From 1674 to 1679, Ashby commanded four more ships in American waters. He was involved in several events during the Virginian Revolution. From 1681 to 1684, he commanded HMS Mary Rose. This ship helped protect trade routes to the Levant (the eastern Mediterranean).
In May 1685, Ashby became the governor of Sandgate Castle. He also commanded HMS Montague during the rebellion led by the Duke of Monmouth. After this, he commanded the guardship HMS Henrietta. He then commanded HMS Mordaunt when William of Orange threatened to invade England.
Ashby was convinced to support William of Orange. He agreed to command HMS Defiance for William. This was because he believed it was important to fight against the rule of the current king, James II. After William III became king, he knighted Ashby on his own ship on 16 May 1689. Soon after, Ashby was made rear admiral of the Red Squadron. The new king also gave Ashby a special diamond watch.
Becoming an Admiral
In the Battle of Beachy Head, Ashby served as vice-admiral of the red. His flag was flown on HMS Berwick. Queen Mary praised his actions during this battle. After Beachy Head, he was named a joint admiral of the fleet. He shared this role with Sir Richard Haddock and Henry Killigrew.
At the battles of Battle of Barfleur and La Hogue, Ashby commanded HMS Victory. He held the rank of Admiral of the Blue. After the Battle of Barfleur, he was asked by the House of Commons of England to explain why the French fleet had not been completely destroyed. He was cleared of any wrongdoing after Admiral Edward Russell supported him.
From 1690 until his death three years later, Ashby worked on the Navy Board. He was the Controller of Storekeepers Accounts. Sir John Ashby passed away on 12 June 1693 in Portsmouth. He was buried in Lowestoft. In his will, he left most of his belongings to his brother. The rest went to his cousins and naval friends.
