Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke
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Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke, KB (21 February 1705 – 16 October 1781) was a naval officer of the Royal Navy. He is best remembered for his victory over a French fleet at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759, preventing a French invasion of Britain. A number of Royal Navy warships were named after him, in commemoration of this. He also served as First Lord of the Admiralty for five years between 1766 and 1771.
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[edit] Biography
Born in London, he joined the navy in 1720, but did not see fighting until the Battle of Toulon in 1744. During the War of the Austrian Succession he was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1747 and in the same year captured six ships of a French squadron in the Bay of Biscay in the second battle of Cape Finisterre.
[edit] Seven Years War
In the Seven Years' War, Hawke replaced Admiral John Byng as commander in the Mediterranean in 1756.
He blockaded Rochefort in 1757 and in 1758 he directed the blockade of Brest for six months.
In 1759 Hawke was tasked with stopping a planned French invasion fleet from reaching Britain. His ships continued their close blockade of Brest. When Hawke's force was driven off station by a storm, the French fleet under Hubert de Brienne, Comte de Conflans, took advantage and left port. On 20 November 1759 he followed the French warships and during a gale he won a sufficient victory in the Battle of Quiberon Bay, when combined with Edward Boscawen's victory at Lagos, to remove the French invasion threat.
He then retired from active duty, and given the honorary rank of Vice-Admiral of Great Britain in November 1765. He was made First Lord of the Admiralty in December 1766 and served until January 1771. He was made a baron in 1776.
Towards the end of his life he lived at Swaythling House, near Southampton, although he died in Sunbury-on-Thames. His memorial, depicting the Battle of Quiberon Bay, is in North Stoneham church near Swaythling.
[edit] External links
- Chap. II, Hawke: The Spirit, in Types of Naval Officers, by A. T. Mahan at Project Gutenberg
[edit] See also
Places named after Hawke:
- Cape Hawke, New South Wales
- Hawke Bay, New Zealand
- Hawke's Bay, New Zealand region adjacent to Hawke Bay
- Hawke's Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador
Organisations adopting the Hawke title:
- Hawke Sea Scouts, New Zealand - Martin Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke consented to use of family name, crest and became patron
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Charles Saunders |
First Lord of the Admiralty 1766–1771 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Sandwich |
| Preceded by Henry Osborn |
Vice-Admiral of Great Britain 1765–1781 |
Succeeded by George Brydges Rodney |
| Peerage of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by New Creation |
Baron Hawke 1776–1781 |
Succeeded by Martin Hawke |
