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Robert Merrick Fowler

Vice-Admiral Robert Merrick Fowler (1778 – 25 May 1860) was an officer of the Royal Navy notable for his service as the second-in-command to Matthew Flinders on HMS Investigator from 1801 to 1803 and for his involvement in Battle of Pulo Aura in 1804.


Robert Merrick Fowler
Born1778
Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England
Died25 May 1860
Whitchurch-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service1793–1846
RankVice-Admiral
Commands heldHMS Porpoise
Sea Fencibles in Ireland
HMS Crocus
HMS Charybdis
HMS Nyaden
HMS Conqueror
Battles/wars

Career edit

 
Wreck of the Porpoise, William Westall, 1803, National Library of Australia

Fowler, born 1778 at Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England joined the Royal Navy in May 1793 as a volunteer. He served as midshipman on Royal William and was promoted to lieutenant in February 1800.[1]

He was posted to HMS Xenophon (later Investigator) as first lieutenant and second-in-command to Flinders during the years 1801–03. He was subsequently appointed to command HMS Porpoise which was wrecked off what is now Queensland on the homeward voyage during August 1803. Fowler was exonerated for the responsibility for the shipwreck at court-martial in 1804.[2][3]

In 1804, Fowler and other survivors of the Porpoise joined a British fleet in Canton commanded by Captain Nathaniel Dance heading for the United Kingdom. Fowler distinguished himself at the Battle of Pulo Aura in February 1804 where a numerically superior French squadron under the command of Admiral Linois was repelled near Pulau Aur in what is now Malaysia. As an acknowledgement of his contribution, Fowler received a sword from Lloyd's Patriotic Fund.[4]

Fowler was promoted to commander in 1806 and was on active service in home waters and West Indies Station during the years 1805–11. He promoted to post-captain in 1811. Fowler was promoted to rear-admiral in 1846[5][6] and vice-admiral on the Retired List in 1858.[7]

Fowler retired to Walliscote House at Whitchurch-on-Thames in Oxfordshire and died in 1860. He was remembered by Flinders in 1802 in the naming of the following geographical places in South Australia: Fowlers Bay and Point Fowler.[8]

 
Battle of Pulo Aura - A small group of large ships on the left engages a line of ships on the right, which is protecting several smaller ships. Clouds of smoke hang over the fight as the ships fire their cannons.

Notes edit

  1. ^ Brown (2000), p.489
  2. ^ Flinders (1966) [1814], p. 154
  3. ^ Brown (2000), p.489
  4. ^ Brown (2000), p.489
  5. ^ Brown (2000), p.489
  6. ^ "Naval Promotions". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 February 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  7. ^ "No. 22140". The London Gazette. 19 May 1858. p. 2454.
  8. ^ Brown, Anthony (2007). "The Tangled Fortunes of War: The story of Robert Fowler and Pierre Bernard Milius". Australian Heritage. pp. 34–40. Retrieved 15 February 2014.

See also edit

  • O'Byrne, William Richard (1849). "Fowler, Robert Merrick" . A Naval Biographical Dictionary . John Murray – via Wikisource.

References edit

  • Brown, Anthony J. (Anthony Jarrold) (2000), Ill-starred captains : Flinders and Baudin, Crawford House Pub, ISBN 978-1-86333-192-0
  • Flinders, Matthew (1966) [1814]. A Voyage to Terra Australis : undertaken for the purpose of completing the discovery of that vast country, and prosecuted in the years 1801, 1802, and 1803 in His Majesty's ship the Investigator, and subsequently in the armed vessel Porpoise and Cumberland Schooner; with an account of the shipwreck of the Porpoise, arrival of the Cumberland at Mauritius, and imprisonment of the commander during six years and a half in that island. (Facsimile ed.). Adelaide; Facsimile reprint of: London : G. and W. Nicol, 1814 ed. In two volumes, with an Atlas (3 volumes): Libraries Board of South Australia. Retrieved 15 February 2014.

robert, merrick, fowler, vice, admiral, 1778, 1860, officer, royal, navy, notable, service, second, command, matthew, flinders, investigator, from, 1801, 1803, involvement, battle, pulo, aura, 1804, vice, admiralborn1778horncastle, lincolnshire, englanddied25,. Vice Admiral Robert Merrick Fowler 1778 25 May 1860 was an officer of the Royal Navy notable for his service as the second in command to Matthew Flinders on HMS Investigator from 1801 to 1803 and for his involvement in Battle of Pulo Aura in 1804 Vice AdmiralRobert Merrick FowlerBorn1778Horncastle Lincolnshire EnglandDied25 May 1860Whitchurch on Thames OxfordshireAllegianceUnited KingdomService wbr branchRoyal NavyYears of service1793 1846RankVice AdmiralCommands heldHMS PorpoiseSea Fencibles in IrelandHMS CrocusHMS CharybdisHMS NyadenHMS ConquerorBattles warsFrench Revolutionary War Napoleonic Wars Battle of Pulo Aura Battle of Cape Finisterre Walcheren Expedition Contents 1 Career 2 Notes 3 See also 4 ReferencesCareer edit nbsp Wreck of the Porpoise William Westall 1803 National Library of Australia Fowler born 1778 at Horncastle Lincolnshire England joined the Royal Navy in May 1793 as a volunteer He served as midshipman on Royal William and was promoted to lieutenant in February 1800 1 He was posted to HMS Xenophon later Investigator as first lieutenant and second in command to Flinders during the years 1801 03 He was subsequently appointed to command HMS Porpoise which was wrecked off what is now Queensland on the homeward voyage during August 1803 Fowler was exonerated for the responsibility for the shipwreck at court martial in 1804 2 3 In 1804 Fowler and other survivors of the Porpoise joined a British fleet in Canton commanded by Captain Nathaniel Dance heading for the United Kingdom Fowler distinguished himself at the Battle of Pulo Aura in February 1804 where a numerically superior French squadron under the command of Admiral Linois was repelled near Pulau Aur in what is now Malaysia As an acknowledgement of his contribution Fowler received a sword from Lloyd s Patriotic Fund 4 Fowler was promoted to commander in 1806 and was on active service in home waters and West Indies Station during the years 1805 11 He promoted to post captain in 1811 Fowler was promoted to rear admiral in 1846 5 6 and vice admiral on the Retired List in 1858 7 Fowler retired to Walliscote House at Whitchurch on Thames in Oxfordshire and died in 1860 He was remembered by Flinders in 1802 in the naming of the following geographical places in South Australia Fowlers Bay and Point Fowler 8 nbsp Battle of Pulo Aura A small group of large ships on the left engages a line of ships on the right which is protecting several smaller ships Clouds of smoke hang over the fight as the ships fire their cannons Notes edit Brown 2000 p 489 Flinders 1966 1814 p 154 Brown 2000 p 489 Brown 2000 p 489 Brown 2000 p 489 Naval Promotions The Sydney Morning Herald 16 February 1847 p 2 Retrieved 15 February 2014 No 22140 The London Gazette 19 May 1858 p 2454 Brown Anthony 2007 The Tangled Fortunes of War The story of Robert Fowler and Pierre Bernard Milius Australian Heritage pp 34 40 Retrieved 15 February 2014 See also editO Byrne William Richard 1849 Fowler Robert Merrick A Naval Biographical Dictionary John Murray via Wikisource References editBrown Anthony J Anthony Jarrold 2000 Ill starred captains Flinders and Baudin Crawford House Pub ISBN 978 1 86333 192 0 Flinders Matthew 1966 1814 A Voyage to Terra Australis undertaken for the purpose of completing the discovery of that vast country and prosecuted in the years 1801 1802 and 1803 in His Majesty s ship the Investigator and subsequently in the armed vessel Porpoise and Cumberland Schooner with an account of the shipwreck of the Porpoise arrival of the Cumberland at Mauritius and imprisonment of the commander during six years and a half in that island Facsimile ed Adelaide Facsimile reprint of London G and W Nicol 1814 ed In two volumes with an Atlas 3 volumes Libraries Board of South Australia Retrieved 15 February 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Merrick Fowler amp oldid 1210740492, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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