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Christopher Hill (Royal Navy officer)

Rear-Admiral Christopher Hill (c.1716 – 11 July 1778) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Commander-in-Chief, River Medway and the Nore. Having joined the Royal Navy in 1731, Hill served off Ireland, Portugal, and in the Mediterranean Sea before being promoted to commander in 1746. After several commands he was then promoted to post-captain in 1747. While commanding HMS Dover he captured the French East Indiaman Pondichéry during the Seven Years' War. Hill was on half pay between 1760 and 1769, then being given command of HMS Augusta and serving as Commander-in-Chief, River Medway and the Nore for the following year. His last command was HMS Barfleur towards the end of the year. A well-regarded officer, Hill was promoted to rear-admiral in January 1778 but was killed in a fall from his horse six months later.

Christopher Hill
Bornc.1716
Died11 July 1778
AllegianceKingdom of Great Britain
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1731–1778
RankRear-admiral
Commands heldHMS Princess Royal
HMS Baltimore
HMS Bridgewater
HMS Lyme
HMS Saltash
HMS Dover
HMS St Florentine
HMS Augusta
HMS Barfleur
Nore Command
Battles/wars

Naval career edit

Initial service edit

Christopher Hill was born in around 1716. Nothing else is recorded of his personal life or family.[1] He joined the Royal Navy on 17 October 1731, becoming a volunteer-per-order on the 80-gun ship of the line HMS Norfolk which was serving as a guard ship.[1][2] He moved to the 44-gun frigate HMS Gosport as an able seaman on 3 February the following year, but returned to his position as a volunteer-per-order on Norfolk on 22 October after Gosport was paid off in June.[1][3] Hill became an able seaman on Norfolk on 17 December the same year, and moved in that position to the 60-gun ship of the line HMS Exeter on 2 July 1733.[1] Exeter had recently been laid up at Plymouth Dockyard.[4] Hill advanced to become a midshipman ordinary twenty-five days later, joining the 60-gun ship of the line HMS Swallow in the Mediterranean Sea.[1][5]

Hill was promoted to midshipman and sent to join the 8-gun sloop HMS Saltash on 18 March 1734, serving off Ireland.[1][6] He then transferred back to Norfolk on 16 August, joining Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Norris' fleet in the Tagus.[1][7] Norfolk was paid off towards the start of 1736.[7] On 5 August Hill joined the 60-gun ship of the line HMS Canterbury.[1] Initially Canterbury was the guard ship at Plymouth, before in 1738 she sailed to the Mediterranean. Just before the ship sailed home, Hill transferred to instead join the 80-gun ship of the line HMS Somerset on 6 February 1740. In Somerset Hill passed his examination for promotion to the rank of lieutenant on 6 March the same year.[1][8]

Promotion to lieutenant came to Hill only eleven days later when he was appointed third lieutenant of the 54-gun ship of the line HMS Panther, also in the Mediterranean.[1][9] He was promoted to become Panther's second lieutenant on 27 September the following year, but on 29 October was transferred to join the 20-gun frigate HMS Fox, becoming Fox's sole lieutenant.[1] Serving off the Canary Islands, Fox captured the Spanish privateer Nuestra Señora del Humildade on 2 February 1743, and two days later Hill was appointed first lieutenant of the newly commissioned 44-gun frigate HMS Torrington.[1][10][11] In Torrington Hill served as part of a convoy escort to Lisbon and then off Dunkirk, before in June 1744 going to the Leeward Islands.[11] He left the ship on 10 January 1745, and was promoted to commander just over a year later on 29 January 1746.[1]

Command edit

 
HMS Barfleur, Hill's last command

Hill was given command of the 24-gun storeship HMS Princess Royal at the time of his promotion, and commanded her in the Mediterranean until 18 May 1747.[1][12] Two months later he was appointed to command the 14-gun sloop HMS Baltimore, undergoing a refit, which he continued in until being promoted to captain on 5 December.[1][13] Hill was then sent to join the 24-gun frigate HMS Bridgewater, serving in Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Warren's fleet.[1][14] The ship was paid off on 10 February 1749.[1] For some period in 1751 he then took command of the 20-gun frigate HMS Lyme.[15] He did not receive another command until 23 April 1753 when he was given the 14-gun sloop HMS Saltash, for the Irish Sea. He stayed in the ship for two years before joining the 44-gun frigate HMS Dover on 28 October 1755.[1][16][17]

With the Seven Years' War ongoing, in Dover Hill captured the French East Indiaman Pondichéry on 23 December 1756 after an engagement of two hours. The French vessel lost her second captain and eleven men killed, with eighteen wounded, while the British sustained no casualties. Pondichéry had been sailing from Canton when Dover intercepted her,[18] bringing her initially into Cork[19] before taking the prize to the Nore.[20] Hill left Dover on 23 April the following year, and was appointed to the 60-gun ship of the line HMS St Florentine on 11 September 1759. Serving in Admiral Edward Boscawen's fleet and then in 1760 Admiral Sir Edward Hawke's, Hill continued in St Florentine until 15 December, and then went on an extended period of half pay.[1][21]

This period of unemployment ended on 26 October 1769 when Hill was given command of the 64-gun ship of the line HMS Augusta, the guard ship at Sheerness.[1][22] On 9 January the following year Hill was appointed a commodore to serve as Commander-in-Chief, River Medway and The Nore. Initially serving as such in Augusta, on 23 October he moved into the 90-gun ship of the line HMS Barfleur. He continued at the Nore until around 7 December when he relinquished his position and command of Barfleur.[22] Despite having seen little action in his naval career Hill was a well-regarded officer, primarily because of his good personal conduct. He was promoted to rear-admiral on 23 January 1778. Initially a rear-admiral of the blue, he was advanced to rear-admiral of the white on 29 January. Hill died six months later on 4 July when he fell from his horse while riding from London to Croydon.[23][15][24]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Harrison (2019), p. 256.
  2. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 115.
  3. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 420.
  4. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 305.
  5. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 318.
  6. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 745.
  7. ^ a b Winfield (2007), p. 116.
  8. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 315.
  9. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 370.
  10. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 628.
  11. ^ a b Winfield (2007), p. 439.
  12. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 897.
  13. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 751.
  14. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 639.
  15. ^ a b Charnock (2011), p. 47.
  16. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 168.
  17. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 765.
  18. ^ Schomberg (1802), p. 29.
  19. ^ Welsh (1757), p. 95.
  20. ^ Martin (1759), p. 576.
  21. ^ Winfield (2007), p. 348.
  22. ^ a b Kimber & Kimber (1770).
  23. ^ Schomberg (1802), p. 243.
  24. ^ Syrett & DiNardo (1994), p. 219.

Sources edit

  • Charnock, John (2011) [1798]. Biographia Navalis. Vol. 6. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-02636-9.
  • Harrison, Cy (2019). Royal Navy Officers of the Seven Years War. Warwick, England: Helion. ISBN 978-1-912866-68-7.
  • Kimber, Isaac; Kimber, Edward (1770). The London Magazine, Or, Gentleman's Monthly Intelligencer. Vol. 39.
  • Martin, Benjamin (1759). Miscellaneous Correspondence, Containing a Variety of Subjects, Relative to Natural and Civil History, Geography, Mathematics, Poetry, Memoirs of Monthly Occurrences, Catalogues of New Books, &c. Vol. 2. W. Owen.
  • Schomberg, Isaac (1802). Naval Chronology, Or an Historical Summary of Naval and Maritime Events from the Time of the Romans, to the Treaty of Peace 1802: With an Appendix. Vol. 5. London.
  • Syrett, David; DiNardo, R. L. (1994). The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660–1815. Aldershot: Scolar Press. ISBN 1-85928-122-2.
  • Welsh, Andrew (1757). The Magazine of Magazines: Compiled from Original Pieces, with Extracts from the Most Celebrated Books, and Periodical Compositions, Published in Europe... The Whole Forming a Complete Literary and Historical Account of that Period. Vol. 13.
  • Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78346-925-3.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, The Nore
1770
Succeeded by

christopher, hill, royal, navy, officer, rear, admiral, christopher, hill, 1716, july, 1778, royal, navy, officer, served, commander, chief, river, medway, nore, having, joined, royal, navy, 1731, hill, served, ireland, portugal, mediterranean, before, being, . Rear Admiral Christopher Hill c 1716 11 July 1778 was a Royal Navy officer who served as Commander in Chief River Medway and the Nore Having joined the Royal Navy in 1731 Hill served off Ireland Portugal and in the Mediterranean Sea before being promoted to commander in 1746 After several commands he was then promoted to post captain in 1747 While commanding HMS Dover he captured the French East Indiaman Pondichery during the Seven Years War Hill was on half pay between 1760 and 1769 then being given command of HMS Augusta and serving as Commander in Chief River Medway and the Nore for the following year His last command was HMS Barfleur towards the end of the year A well regarded officer Hill was promoted to rear admiral in January 1778 but was killed in a fall from his horse six months later Christopher HillBornc 1716Died11 July 1778AllegianceKingdom of Great BritainService wbr branchRoyal NavyYears of service1731 1778RankRear admiralCommands heldHMS Princess RoyalHMS BaltimoreHMS BridgewaterHMS LymeHMS SaltashHMS DoverHMS St FlorentineHMS AugustaHMS BarfleurNore CommandBattles warsSeven Years War Contents 1 Naval career 1 1 Initial service 1 2 Command 2 References 3 SourcesNaval career editInitial service edit Christopher Hill was born in around 1716 Nothing else is recorded of his personal life or family 1 He joined the Royal Navy on 17 October 1731 becoming a volunteer per order on the 80 gun ship of the line HMS Norfolk which was serving as a guard ship 1 2 He moved to the 44 gun frigate HMS Gosport as an able seaman on 3 February the following year but returned to his position as a volunteer per order on Norfolk on 22 October after Gosport was paid off in June 1 3 Hill became an able seaman on Norfolk on 17 December the same year and moved in that position to the 60 gun ship of the line HMS Exeter on 2 July 1733 1 Exeter had recently been laid up at Plymouth Dockyard 4 Hill advanced to become a midshipman ordinary twenty five days later joining the 60 gun ship of the line HMS Swallow in the Mediterranean Sea 1 5 Hill was promoted to midshipman and sent to join the 8 gun sloop HMS Saltash on 18 March 1734 serving off Ireland 1 6 He then transferred back to Norfolk on 16 August joining Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Norris fleet in the Tagus 1 7 Norfolk was paid off towards the start of 1736 7 On 5 August Hill joined the 60 gun ship of the line HMS Canterbury 1 Initially Canterbury was the guard ship at Plymouth before in 1738 she sailed to the Mediterranean Just before the ship sailed home Hill transferred to instead join the 80 gun ship of the line HMS Somerset on 6 February 1740 In Somerset Hill passed his examination for promotion to the rank of lieutenant on 6 March the same year 1 8 Promotion to lieutenant came to Hill only eleven days later when he was appointed third lieutenant of the 54 gun ship of the line HMS Panther also in the Mediterranean 1 9 He was promoted to become Panther s second lieutenant on 27 September the following year but on 29 October was transferred to join the 20 gun frigate HMS Fox becoming Fox s sole lieutenant 1 Serving off the Canary Islands Fox captured the Spanish privateer Nuestra Senora del Humildade on 2 February 1743 and two days later Hill was appointed first lieutenant of the newly commissioned 44 gun frigate HMS Torrington 1 10 11 In Torrington Hill served as part of a convoy escort to Lisbon and then off Dunkirk before in June 1744 going to the Leeward Islands 11 He left the ship on 10 January 1745 and was promoted to commander just over a year later on 29 January 1746 1 Command edit nbsp HMS Barfleur Hill s last command Hill was given command of the 24 gun storeship HMS Princess Royal at the time of his promotion and commanded her in the Mediterranean until 18 May 1747 1 12 Two months later he was appointed to command the 14 gun sloop HMS Baltimore undergoing a refit which he continued in until being promoted to captain on 5 December 1 13 Hill was then sent to join the 24 gun frigate HMS Bridgewater serving in Vice Admiral Sir Peter Warren s fleet 1 14 The ship was paid off on 10 February 1749 1 For some period in 1751 he then took command of the 20 gun frigate HMS Lyme 15 He did not receive another command until 23 April 1753 when he was given the 14 gun sloop HMS Saltash for the Irish Sea He stayed in the ship for two years before joining the 44 gun frigate HMS Dover on 28 October 1755 1 16 17 With the Seven Years War ongoing in Dover Hill captured the French East Indiaman Pondichery on 23 December 1756 after an engagement of two hours The French vessel lost her second captain and eleven men killed with eighteen wounded while the British sustained no casualties Pondichery had been sailing from Canton when Dover intercepted her 18 bringing her initially into Cork 19 before taking the prize to the Nore 20 Hill left Dover on 23 April the following year and was appointed to the 60 gun ship of the line HMS St Florentine on 11 September 1759 Serving in Admiral Edward Boscawen s fleet and then in 1760 Admiral Sir Edward Hawke s Hill continued in St Florentine until 15 December and then went on an extended period of half pay 1 21 This period of unemployment ended on 26 October 1769 when Hill was given command of the 64 gun ship of the line HMS Augusta the guard ship at Sheerness 1 22 On 9 January the following year Hill was appointed a commodore to serve as Commander in Chief River Medway and The Nore Initially serving as such in Augusta on 23 October he moved into the 90 gun ship of the line HMS Barfleur He continued at the Nore until around 7 December when he relinquished his position and command of Barfleur 22 Despite having seen little action in his naval career Hill was a well regarded officer primarily because of his good personal conduct He was promoted to rear admiral on 23 January 1778 Initially a rear admiral of the blue he was advanced to rear admiral of the white on 29 January Hill died six months later on 4 July when he fell from his horse while riding from London to Croydon 23 15 24 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Harrison 2019 p 256 Winfield 2007 p 115 Winfield 2007 p 420 Winfield 2007 p 305 Winfield 2007 p 318 Winfield 2007 p 745 a b Winfield 2007 p 116 Winfield 2007 p 315 Winfield 2007 p 370 Winfield 2007 p 628 a b Winfield 2007 p 439 Winfield 2007 p 897 Winfield 2007 p 751 Winfield 2007 p 639 a b Charnock 2011 p 47 Winfield 2007 p 168 Winfield 2007 p 765 Schomberg 1802 p 29 Welsh 1757 p 95 Martin 1759 p 576 Winfield 2007 p 348 a b Kimber amp Kimber 1770 Schomberg 1802 p 243 Syrett amp DiNardo 1994 p 219 Sources editCharnock John 2011 1798 Biographia Navalis Vol 6 Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 1 108 02636 9 Harrison Cy 2019 Royal Navy Officers of the Seven Years War Warwick England Helion ISBN 978 1 912866 68 7 Kimber Isaac Kimber Edward 1770 The London Magazine Or Gentleman s Monthly Intelligencer Vol 39 Martin Benjamin 1759 Miscellaneous Correspondence Containing a Variety of Subjects Relative to Natural and Civil History Geography Mathematics Poetry Memoirs of Monthly Occurrences Catalogues of New Books amp c Vol 2 W Owen Schomberg Isaac 1802 Naval Chronology Or an Historical Summary of Naval and Maritime Events from the Time of the Romans to the Treaty of Peace 1802 With an Appendix Vol 5 London Syrett David DiNardo R L 1994 The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660 1815 Aldershot Scolar Press ISBN 1 85928 122 2 Welsh Andrew 1757 The Magazine of Magazines Compiled from Original Pieces with Extracts from the Most Celebrated Books and Periodical Compositions Published in Europe The Whole Forming a Complete Literary and Historical Account of that Period Vol 13 Winfield Rif 2007 British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714 1792 Design Construction Careers and Fates Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 78346 925 3 Military offices Preceded byWilliam Gordon Commander in Chief The Nore1770 Succeeded bySir Peter Denis Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Christopher Hill Royal Navy officer amp oldid 1221274783, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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