Aiskew Hollis
Aiskew Paffard Hollis | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1764 |
| Died | 23 June 1844 Southampton,Hampshire |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1774–1844 |
| Rank | Vice-Admiral |
| Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War •Battle of Ushant French Revolutionary Wars •Glorious First of June •Battle of Groix •Second Battle of Algeciras Napoleonic Wars |
Vice-AdmiralAiskew Paffard Hollis(c.1764 – 23 June 1844) was a Royal Navy officer of the early nineteenth century who is best known for his service in theFrench RevolutionaryandNapoleonic Wars.Born in the 1760s, Hollis entered the Navy in 1774 and served during theAmerican Revolutionary War,seeing action at theBattle of Ushantand theFrench Revolutionary Warsin which he was badly wounded at theGlorious First of June.In 1801, as the captain ofHMSThamesHollis was heavily engaged at theSecond Battle of Algecirasand in theNapoleonic Warshe served in a number of commissions and all major theatres.
Life[edit]
Aiskew Paffard Hollis was born in approximately 1764 and joined theRoyal Navyaged just ten in 1774 under the patronage of Captain Parry. Hollis served as amidshipmanin theAmerican War of Independence,first in theWest Indiesand later in theEnglish Channelin a succession of frigates. By 1778 he was serving inHMSValiant,which was engaged in theBattle of Ushantunder AdmiralAugustus Keppel.[1]He was promoted to lieutenant in 1781 and remained in the Navy following the end of the war, serving in a number of ships before, in 1793, joiningHMSQueenat the request of Rear-AdmiralAlan Gardner.InQueen,Hollis served in the Channel Fleet during the early years of the war and was badly wounded in the head by flying splinters at theGlorious First of Junein 1794, during whichQueenwas heavily engaged. He also saw action the following year at theBattle of Groix.[2]
In 1797, after a period of service inHMSRoyal Sovereignand following promotion to commander inHMSChichester,Hollis was sent to theCape of Good Hope.There he was given command of guardshipHMSJupiterand tasked with putting down a mutiny atRobben Islandby the crew ofHMSCrescent.Hollis advanced onCrescentsubdued the crew without conflict and towed the ship back toCape Town,where the ringleaders of the mutiny were tried and convicted.[1]As a reward, Hollis was given command ofHMSTremendouson the station and then the frigateHMSVindictive,in which he escorted anEast India Companyconvoy back to Britain. He was subsequently given command ofHMSThamesin June 1801 and the following month participated in theAlgeciras Campaign,firing on the French ship of the lineFormidableduring theSecond Battle of Algeciras.[2]He subsequently participated in a number of raids on the Spanish coastline before being sent back to Britain with his ship.
Thameswas decommissioned soon afterward and Hollis given command ofHMSMermaid,sailing to the West Indies in 1804, and was anchored atHavanawhen war broke out between Britain and Spain. To avoid his ship being seized, Hollis was forced towarpout of the harbour at night just before the Spanish attacked his ship.Mermaidwas subsequently attached to the North American command, blockading French forces anchored inChesapeake Bayuntil 1807, when the ship was sent back to Britain for urgent repairs.[1]Hollis was transferred toHMSStandardand joined the Baltic Fleet, where he commanded the squadron that captured the Danish fortress atAnholt.He remained in theBaltic Seauntil 1811, when he was transferred toHMSAchillein which he served with the Mediterranean Fleet, especially in theAdriatic Sea.[2]He later served with the Channel Fleet and was on convoy duty off South America when the war ended.
Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars he took command ofHMSRivoliand thenHMSRamillies,serving as acting commander atPortsmouthfor several long periods and in 1820 entertainingKing George IVduring a visit to the dockyard.[1]He did not hold an active commission after 1820, but remained in service and rose to the rank of vice-admiral, retiring to his estate at Highfield,Southamptonand dying there aged 80 in June 1844.[2]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- Burke, Edmund (1844)."Obituary".The Annual Register:249–250.Retrieved 6 April 2012
- Marshall, John(1827)..London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green.