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Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Maurice Suckling (4 May 1726 – 14 July 1778) was a British
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
officer of the eighteenth century, most notable for starting the naval career of his nephew
Horatio Nelson Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought abo ...
and for serving as
Comptroller of the Navy The post of Controller of the Navy (abbreviated as CofN) was originally created in 1859 when the Surveyor of the Navy's title changed to Controller of the Navy. In 1869 the controller's office was abolished and its duties were assumed by that of ...
from 1775 until his death. Suckling joined the Royal Navy in 1739 and saw service in the
English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
and
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
during the
War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's W ...
. With the support of relatives including Prime Minister
Sir Robert Walpole Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, (26 August 1676 – 18 March 1745; known between 1725 and 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole) was a British statesman and Whig politician who, as First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Leader ...
, Suckling was promoted quickly and received his first command in 1754. At the start of the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754†...
in 1756 he was promoted to captain and given a command on the
Jamaica Station Jamaica station is a major train station of the Long Island Rail Road located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. With weekday ridership exceeding 200,000 passengers, it is the largest transit hub on Long Island, the fourth-busiest rail station ...
. There he played a major part in the
Battle of Cap-Français The Battle of Cap-Français was a naval engagement during the Seven Years' War fought between French and British forces outside the harbour of Cap-Français, Saint-Domingue (present-day Cap-Haïtien, Haiti) on 21 October 1757. The British fo ...
in 1757 and fought an inconclusive skirmish against the French ship ''Palmier'' in 1758 before returning to Britain in 1760. Suckling was employed in the aftermath of the
Capture of Belle ÃŽle The Capture of Belle ÃŽle was a British amphibious expedition to capture the French island of Belle ÃŽle off the Brittany coast in 1761, during the Seven Years' War. After an initial British attack was repulsed, a second attempt under General St ...
in 1761 destroying French fortifications on the
Île-d'Aix Île-d'Aix () is a commune and an island in the Charente-Maritime department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Poitou-Charentes), off the west coast of France. It occupies the territory of the small Isle of Aix (''île d'Aix''), in the ...
, and went on
half pay Half-pay (h.p.) was a term used in the British Army and Royal Navy of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries to refer to the pay or allowance an officer received when in retirement or not in actual service. Past usage United Kingdom In the Eng ...
at the end of the war in 1763. He was given his next command during the
Falklands Crisis of 1770 The Falklands Crisis of 1770 was a diplomatic standoff between Great Britain and Spain over possession of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. These events were nearly the cause of a war between Britain and Spain – backed by Franc ...
, and brought his nephew Nelson with him. Despite misgivings over Nelson's suitability for the navy, Suckling supported him and saw him translated into several more active ships in order to further his naval education when Suckling himself moved to command a
guard ship A guard ship is a warship assigned as a stationary guard in a port or harbour, as opposed to a coastal patrol boat, which serves its protective role at sea. Royal Navy In the Royal Navy of the eighteenth century, peacetime guard ships were usual ...
. Suckling left his ship in 1773 and was initially rebuffed in his attempts to gain fresh employment with the navy because of the ongoing peace, but in 1775
First Lord of the Admiralty The First Lord of the Admiralty, or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, was the political head of the English and later British Royal Navy. He was the government's senior adviser on all naval affairs, responsible for the di ...
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, PC, FRS (13 November 1718 – 30 April 1792) was a British statesman who succeeded his grandfather Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich as the Earl of Sandwich in 1729, at the age of ten. During his life ...
appointed him Comptroller of the Navy. Suckling was competent in his new role and oversaw the Royal Navy's mobilisation when the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
began. In 1776 he was also elected
Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...
. Suckling was able to use his powerful position to again assist Nelson, forming part of the board that passed him for promotion to
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in 1777. Suckling continued throughout the period to assiduously attend meetings of the
Navy Board The Navy Board (formerly known as the Council of the Marine or Council of the Marine Causes) was the commission responsible for the day-to-day civil administration of the Royal Navy between 1546 and 1832. The board was headquartered within the ...
, but was increasingly hampered by a long-term illness that caused him considerable pain. He died unexpectedly on 14 July 1778.


Early life

Maurice Suckling was born on 4 May 1726 in the rectory house in Barsham,
Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
. His father was the Reverend Maurice Suckling and his mother Anne Turner. Suckling's maternal grandfather was Sir Charles Turner, 1st Baronet, while his great-uncle was
Sir Robert Walpole Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, (26 August 1676 – 18 March 1745; known between 1725 and 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole) was a British statesman and Whig politician who, as First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Leader ...
. Suckling lived in Barsham until the age of four when his father died. His mother then, along with his sister
Catherine Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and other variations are feminine names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria. In the early Christ ...
and brother William, moved the family to live at
Beccles Beccles ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Suffolk.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 and A12 roads, north-east of London as the crow fli ...
in the same county. Nothing is recorded of Suckling's childhood past this point apart from that he continued to live in Beccles. Suckling's immediate family, as a single parent household, was not especially rich, and he did not receive a university education. These factors limited his career prospects, with the former meaning he could not join the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
and the latter stopping him from following his father into the clergy. Suckling did however have the support of considerable patronage from the powerful Walpoles, and because of this he was able to find a place within the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
. At the age of thirteen, on 25 November 1739, Suckling was appointed an
ordinary seaman __NOTOC__ An ordinary seaman (OS) is a member of the deck department of a ship. The position is an apprenticeship to become an able seaman, and has been for centuries. In modern times, an OS is required to work on a ship for a specific amount o ...
on board the 50-gun
fourth-rate In 1603 all English warships with a compliment of fewer than 160 men were known as 'small ships'. In 1625/26 to establish pay rates for officers a six tier naval ship rating system was introduced.Winfield 2009 These small ships were divided i ...
HMS ''Newcastle'' at
Sheerness Dockyard Sheerness Dockyard also known as the Sheerness Station was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the Sheerness peninsula, at the mouth of the River Medway in Kent. It was opened in the 1660s and closed in 1960. Location In the Age of Sail, the R ...
. While some records suppose that he was supported in his joining of the navy by
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
George Townshend George Townshend may refer to: *George Townshend (Royal Navy officer) (1715–1769), British naval commander *George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend (1724–1807), British field marshal, his nephew *George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend (1753â ...
, another maternal relative, historian John Sugden says this was the doing of Walpole. Suckling's first patron within the navy was Captain Thomas Fox, the commanding officer of ''Newcastle''.


Career


Early career

In ''Newcastle'' Suckling saw service in the
Western Approaches The Western Approaches is an approximately rectangular area of the Atlantic Ocean lying immediately to the west of Ireland and parts of Great Britain. Its north and south boundaries are defined by the corresponding extremities of Britain. The c ...
, the
English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
, and off
Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...
and
Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
, advancing to
able seaman An able seaman (AB) is a seaman and member of the deck department of a merchant ship with more than two years' experience at sea and considered "well acquainted with his duty". An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination ...
on 7 April 1741 before being promoted to
midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...
on 7 September. In 1742 ''Newcastle'' was sent to serve in the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
; while at
Port Mahon A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
in March the following year Fox was given command of the 80-gun
ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colu ...
HMS ''Chichester'' and, continuing to support Suckling's career, he took the midshipman with him on 16 June. While in the Mediterranean Suckling met the future Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Parker, at the time another junior officer, and formed a friendship that would endure throughout their respective careers. Having continued with Fox in ''Chichester'', on 8 March 1745 Suckling took his examination for promotion to the rank of
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
at Port Mahon. He was at this stage not actually eligible to take the examination, by the rules needing to be a year older and to have another seven months of sea service. Fox was one of the four captains sitting to examine Suckling, and likely because of this the deficiencies in Suckling's report were ignored and he passed. Suckling was immediately promoted and appointed to serve as fourth lieutenant of the 70-gun ship of the line HMS ''Burford''. While sailing off Villefranche on 7 February 1746 he was transferred to the 80-gun ship of the line HMS ''Russell'' also as fourth lieutenant. On 9 June the following year he moved again, joining the 80-gun ship of the line HMS ''Boyne'' at the order of her
flag officer A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command. The term is used differently in different countries: *In many countr ...
,
Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarded ...
John Byng Admiral John Byng (baptised 29 October 1704 – 14 March 1757) was a British Royal Navy officer who was court-martialled and executed by firing squad. After joining the navy at the age of thirteen, he participated at the Battle of Cape Passa ...
. Having initially served again as fourth lieutenant, Suckling was promoted to become ''Boyne''s third on 9 January 1748 and her second on 16 August. With the end of the
War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's W ...
Suckling returned home in ''Boyne'', arriving at
Spithead Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds except those from the southeast. It receives its name from the Spit, a sandbank stretching south from the Hampshire ...
on 14 October. He was then on 1 November translated from ''Boyne'' into the 50-gun fourth-rate HMS ''Gloucester'' as that ship's
first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...
, which naval historian
David Syrett David Syrett (January 8, 1939 in White Plains, New York – October 18, 2004 in Leonia, New Jersey) was Distinguished Professor of History at Queens College, City University of New York in Flushing, New York, and a widely respected researcher and ...
suggests was another appointment brought about by Suckling's patrons. The captain of ''Gloucester'' was his relative Townshend. Suckling's position in ''Gloucester'' meant that he avoided the unemployment that came to many naval officers when the Royal Navy began to
decommission Decommissioning is a general term for a formal process to remove something from an active status, and may refer to: Infrastructure * Decommissioned offshore * Decommissioned highway * Greenfield status of former industrial sites * Nuclear decommi ...
warships in response to the end of the war. ''Gloucester'' sailed to join the West Indies Station on 15 May 1749, and Suckling spent the next three years of his career based in the ship at
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
. ''Gloucester'' finally returned on 16 January 1753, at which time Suckling was appointed second lieutenant of the 70-gun ship of the line HMS ''Somerset'', which was the
guard ship A guard ship is a warship assigned as a stationary guard in a port or harbour, as opposed to a coastal patrol boat, which serves its protective role at sea. Royal Navy In the Royal Navy of the eighteenth century, peacetime guard ships were usual ...
at
Chatham Dockyard Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th century, ...
. He was promoted to become ''Somerset''s first lieutenant on 19 April, before on 2 January 1754 being discharged from the ship. One day later he was promoted to
commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...
.


First commands

At the same time as his promotion Suckling was given command of the 14-gun
sloop A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular sa ...
HMS ''Baltimore''. The ship was at the time serving on the
North America Station The North America and West Indies Station was a formation or command of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy stationed in North American waters from 1745 to 1956. The North American Station was separate from the Jamaica Station until 1830 when the t ...
, and Suckling took passage out in a merchant ship to join his new command. He did so at
Charleston Charleston most commonly refers to: * Charleston, South Carolina * Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital * Charleston (dance) Charleston may also refer to: Places Australia * Charleston, South Australia Canada * Charleston, Newfoundlan ...
,
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
, on 20 May. In ''Baltimore'' Suckling spent most of his time patrolling the coast of the
Carolinas The Carolinas are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina, considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east. Combining Nort ...
, with occasional diversions taking him as far north as
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. On 11 September 1755 Suckling was with his ship at Halifax,
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
, when Vice-Admiral
Edward Boscawen Admiral of the Blue Edward Boscawen, PC (19 August 171110 January 1761) was a British admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament for the borough of Truro, Cornwall, England. He is known principally for his various naval commands during ...
translated him into command of the 64-gun ship of the line HMS ''Lys'', which had only recently been captured from the French as a precursor to the beginning of the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754†...
. ''Lys'' was only armed
en flute En or EN may refer to: Businesses * Bouygues (stock symbol EN) * Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway (reporting mark EN, but now known as Southern Railway of Vancouver Island) * Euronews, a news television and internet channel Language and writing * ...
, and Suckling was ordered to sail her back to Britain. Having left Halifax on 19 October with the rest of Boscawen's ships, ''Lys'' was separated from them in a storm but succeeded in reaching the Downs on 23 November. Suckling's command of ''Lys'', being a ship of the line and officially the command of a post captain, combined with his patronage and the beginning of the Seven Years' War almost guaranteed his promotion. This occurred on 2 December. Suckling had taken longer than some of his contemporaries, such as Augustus Keppel and
Richard Howe Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe, (8 March 1726 – 5 August 1799) was a British naval officer. After serving throughout the War of the Austrian Succession, he gained a reputation for his role in amphibious operations aga ...
, to reach the rank, but having done so he could expect to be eventually promoted to
flag rank A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command. The term is used differently in different countries: *In many countries ...
by seniority if he lived long enough.


Seven Years' War

Alongside his promotion Suckling was given command of the 60-gun ship of the line HMS ''Dreadnought'', which was the
flag ship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the ...
of Townshend who was now a rear-admiral. Ordered to Jamaica, ''Dreadnought'' formed part of an eleven-warship escort to a convoy that left Spithead on 31 January 1756. ''Dreadnought'' arrived at
Port Royal Port Royal is a village located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest city in the Caribbean, functioning as the centre of shipping and co ...
on 18 April; Townshend would go on to leave the
Jamaica Station Jamaica station is a major train station of the Long Island Rail Road located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. With weekday ridership exceeding 200,000 passengers, it is the largest transit hub on Long Island, the fourth-busiest rail station ...
but Suckling and ''Dreadnought'' continued on. The ship spent most of her service in harbour at Port Royal as the area was a backwater in the Seven Years' War. Suckling was able, however, to occasionally take his ship on patrols around the coast of
Santo Domingo , total_type = Total , population_density_km2 = auto , timezone = AST (UTC −4) , area_code_type = Area codes , area_code = 809, 829, 849 , postal_code_type = Postal codes , postal_code = 10100–10699 (Distrito Nacional) , websi ...
. On 21 October 1757 ''Dreadnought'' was undertaking such an operation alongside two other 60-gun ships of the line, expecting to intercept a French convoy leaving Cape Français. ''Dreadnought'' first spotted sails at 7am, and at mid-day the British found that the French squadron sent to escort the convoy had come out to engage them. It was an unexpectedly powerful squadron, consisting of seven warships, including four ships of the line. The senior British officer, Captain Arthur Forrest, met with his captains. When he suggested that the French were looking for a battle, Suckling replied "I think it would be a pity to disappoint them". The three ships formed
line of battle The line of battle is a tactic in naval warfare in which a fleet of ships forms a line end to end. The first example of its use as a tactic is disputed—it has been variously claimed for dates ranging from 1502 to 1652. Line-of-battle tacti ...
with ''Dreadnought'' taking the
vanguard The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. History The vanguard derives fr ...
. Suckling began the battle at 3:20pm by engaging the French flag ship, the 74-gun ship of the line ''Intrépide''. ''Dreadnought'' destroyed so many of ''Intrépide''s
spars The United States Coast Guard (USCG) Women's Reserve, also known as the SPARS (SPARS was the acronym for "Semper Paratus—Always Ready"), was the women's branch of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. It was established by the United States ...
that the French ship was unable to stop herself from falling afoul of the ship following behind her, the 50-gun fourth-rate ''Greenwich''. This put the French squadron into confusion as their ships began to get caught up in one another. The British took advantage of this, attacking them with little return fire. The action continued for around two and a half hours. At this point the French
commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore'' * Air commodore, a ...
,
Guy François Coëtnempren de Kersaint Guy François Coëtnempren de Kersaint (7 June 1703 in Plounéventer – 20 November 1759 in Battle of Quiberon Bay) was a French Navy officer. He served in the Seven Years' War. Biography Kersaint joined the Navy as a Garde-Marine in Febru ...
, called for one of his
frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...
s to tow ''Intrépide'' out of the battle. The French squadron, having received heavy casualties, retreated back into Cape Français. Forrest's ships, their
rigging Rigging comprises the system of ropes, cables and chains, which support a sailing ship or sail boat's masts—''standing rigging'', including shrouds and stays—and which adjust the position of the vessel's sails and spars to which they are ...
and masts heavily damaged, were unable to chase them. This ended the
Battle of Cap-Français The Battle of Cap-Français was a naval engagement during the Seven Years' War fought between French and British forces outside the harbour of Cap-Français, Saint-Domingue (present-day Cap-Haïtien, Haiti) on 21 October 1757. The British fo ...
, the only full-scale battle of Suckling's career. Naval historian
William Laird Clowes Sir William Laird Clowes (1 February 1856 – 14 August 1905) was a British journalist and historian whose principal work was ''The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to 1900'', a text that is still in print. He also wrote numerous ...
says of the battle that "few pluckier or more creditable actions have ever been fought". The British lost twenty-four men killed and eighty-five wounded in the skirmish, of which ten and thirty respectively were from Suckling's command. Unable to re-engage the French, the ships returned to Port Royal to undergo repairs. After this ''Dreadnought'' returned to her regular duties at Jamaica. On 1 September 1758 ''Dreadnought'' was patrolling alongside the 50-gun fourth-rate HMS ''Assistance'' when they received intelligence that the French 74-gun ship of the line ''Palmier'' was off
Port au Prince Port-au-Prince ( , ; ht, Pòtoprens ) is the capital and most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 987,311 in 2015 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The metropolitan area is defin ...
. They discovered ''Palmier'' there the following morning, and at 4am ''Dreadnought'' began to attack ''Palmier'' from close range. ''Assistance'', however, was
becalmed Becalmed may refer to: *''En rade'' or ''Becalmed'', an 1887 novel by Joris-Karl Huysmans *"Becalmed", a song from the Brian Eno album ''Another Green World ''Another Green World'' is the third studio album by English musician Brian Eno (cred ...
and unable to help Suckling in the engagement. ''Palmier'' fired into ''Dreadnought''s rigging and, with his ship's movement disabled, Suckling was unable to stop the French ship escaping. When ''Assistance'' finally reached ''Dreadnought'' the two ships chased after ''Palmier'' but were too far behind to re-start the engagement. ''Dreadnought'' had eight men killed and seven wounded in the action. On 17 June 1760 ''Dreadnought'' was ordered back to England as escort to a convoy of sixty-four merchant ships. She arrived in the Downs on 29 August. Suckling subsequently sailed his ship to Chatham, where she was
paid off Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to placing a warship in ...
on 19 November. Suckling did not stay unemployed for long, being appointed to command the 70-gun ship of the line HMS ''Nassau'' on 16 January 1761. Employed in the
Bay of Biscay The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...
, ''Nassau'' mostly saw service implementing
blockade A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force. A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are le ...
s, with there being little serious opposition for the British after the
Battle of Quiberon Bay The Battle of Quiberon Bay (known as ''Bataille des Cardinaux'' in French) was a decisive naval engagement during the Seven Years' War. It was fought on 20 November 1759 between the Royal Navy and the French Navy in Quiberon Bay, off the coast ...
. In June Suckling's ship reinforced the British squadron that had recently captured Belle ÃŽle, and was then detached in a squadron under Captain
Sir Thomas Stanhope Sir Thomas Stanhope (1540 – 3 August 1596) was the son and heir of Sir Michael Stanhope, and a Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire. Family Thomas Stanhope was the eldest son of Sir Michael Stanhope and Anne Rawson (c.1515 – 20 Febru ...
. Stanhope's orders were to engage any French shipping left in the
Basque Roads Basque Roads, sometimes referred to as ''Aix Roads'', is a roadstead (a sheltered bay) on the Biscay shore of the Charente-Maritime département of France, bounded by the Île d'Oléron to the west and the Île de Ré to the north. The port of La ...
, and to destroy fortifications on the
Île-d'Aix Île-d'Aix () is a commune and an island in the Charente-Maritime department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Poitou-Charentes), off the west coast of France. It occupies the territory of the small Isle of Aix (''île d'Aix''), in the ...
. The squadron found no ships to attack but between 21 and 22 June ''Nassau'' and five other ships were sent on to Aix. Despite interference from French prames based in the
Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; oc, Charanta ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, south western France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, an ...
they succeeded in their task with only minor losses. Suckling left ''Nassau'' in February 1762 to recommission the 66-gun ship of the line HMS ''Lancaster'', returning to his former ship on 22 February. Suckling then stayed in ''Nassau'' until the end of the Seven Years' War, paying off his ship at
the Nore The Nore is a long bank of sand and silt running along the south-centre of the final narrowing of the Thames Estuary, England. Its south-west is the very narrow Nore Sand. Just short of the Nore's easternmost point where it fades into the cha ...
in February 1763. Suckling's fortune to find employment at the end of the War of the Austrian Succession did not now repeat itself, and he went ashore on
half pay Half-pay (h.p.) was a term used in the British Army and Royal Navy of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries to refer to the pay or allowance an officer received when in retirement or not in actual service. Past usage United Kingdom In the Eng ...
, probably living at his home in
Woodton Woodton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some 7 km north-west of the Suffolk town of Bungay, and 20 km south-east of Norwich. The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a populatio ...
,
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
. After seven years in such a position Suckling's services were called upon again for the Falklands Crisis in 1770. As the Royal Navy began mobilising in the expectation of war he was given command of the 64-gun ship of the line HMS ''Raisonnable'', which was
fitting out Fitting out, or outfitting, is the process in shipbuilding that follows the float-out/launching of a vessel and precedes sea trials. It is the period when all the remaining construction of the ship is completed and readied for delivery to her o ...
at Chatham, on 17 November.


Patron of Nelson

Suckling's sister Catherine had died on 26 December 1767, leaving behind three sons;
William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
, Maurice, and
Horatio Nelson Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought abo ...
. Suckling and his brother subsequently took an interest in promoting the careers of their nephews, and when Suckling took command of ''Raisonnable'' he brought Horatio with him, appointing him a midshipman. Suckling, who had told tales of his naval exploits to Horatio while on half pay, accepted him at the direct request of Nelson's father
Edmund Edmund is a masculine given name or surname in the English language. The name is derived from the Old English elements ''Ä“ad'', meaning "prosperity" or "riches", and ''mund'', meaning "protector". Persons named Edmund include: People Kings and ...
and did not himself think that it was the right choice, saying: Despite this attitude Suckling was happy to use his influence for Nelson; he wrote him into ''Raisonnable''s books on 1 January 1771 rather than in March or April when Nelson actually joined the ship so that he could have several extra months of seniority. This was Nelson's first sea service although ''Raisonnable'' never left the
Thames Estuary The Thames Estuary is where the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea, in the south-east of Great Britain. Limits An estuary can be defined according to different criteria (e.g. tidal, geographical, navigational or in terms of salini ...
during Suckling's command, which ended with the de-escalation of tensions and the decommissioning of the ship. On 13 May Suckling was instead given command of the 74-gun ship of the line HMS ''Triumph'', continuing to support Nelson by taking him with him to his new ship. ''Triumph'' was employed as a guard ship, and during Suckling's tenure she would spend time at Blackstakes, Sheerness, and Chatham. On 26 June Suckling was also appointed senior officer for his part of the Thames Estuary, and filled most of his time with paperwork regarding topics including naval discipline and the deployment of
marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...
detachments. Aware that the monotony of service on board a guard ship would not provide the practical experience necessary for Nelson's naval career, Suckling organised for a Hibbert, Purrier and Horton ship captain who had served under him in ''Dreadnought'' to take Nelson to the West Indies. Nelson left on 25 July and throughout the trip was kept on the books of ''Triumph'', which ship he re-joined on 17 July 1772. Suckling continued on in ''Triumph'' throughout this, his duties at the time of Nelson's return including hosting on board
First Lord of the Admiralty The First Lord of the Admiralty, or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, was the political head of the English and later British Royal Navy. He was the government's senior adviser on all naval affairs, responsible for the di ...
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, PC, FRS (13 November 1718 – 30 April 1792) was a British statesman who succeeded his grandfather Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich as the Earl of Sandwich in 1729, at the age of ten. During his life ...
. In May 1773 Suckling had Nelson transferred to serve in the 8-gun
bomb vessel A bomb vessel, bomb ship, bomb ketch, or simply bomb was a type of wooden sailing naval ship. Its primary armament was not cannons ( long guns or carronades) – although bomb vessels carried a few cannons for self-defence – but mortars mounte ...
HMS ''Carcass'' for an expedition to the
North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Mag ...
, he having previously operated with ''Carcass'' commander Captain
Skeffington Lutwidge Admiral Skeffington Lutwidge (13 March 1737 – 15/16 August 1814) was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He had a particular connection wi ...
. Having returned from this, Suckling then had Nelson join the 24-gun frigate HMS ''Seahorse'' on 27 October. ''Seahorse'' was commanded by another friend and old ''Dreadnought'' shipmate, Captain George Farmer. Suckling left ''Triumph'' on 1 December when his standard three-year appointment came to an end.


Comptroller of the Navy

Suckling returned to half pay; he was still in his prime, a handsome and slim man despite some
gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of a red, tender, hot and swollen joint, caused by deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals. Pain typically comes on rapidly, reaching maximal intensit ...
in his right hand and a thinning hairline. As a senior captain there were limited positions available for him within the navy while it was at peace. In 1775 he unsuccessfully applied to the
Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...
for shore-based appointments in
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
and Jamaica. Employment was also available for naval officers within the civil side of the navy's command, the
Navy Board The Navy Board (formerly known as the Council of the Marine or Council of the Marine Causes) was the commission responsible for the day-to-day civil administration of the Royal Navy between 1546 and 1832. The board was headquartered within the ...
; having spent two years unemployed, on 12 April Suckling was appointed
Comptroller of the Navy The post of Controller of the Navy (abbreviated as CofN) was originally created in 1859 when the Surveyor of the Navy's title changed to Controller of the Navy. In 1869 the controller's office was abolished and its duties were assumed by that of ...
. The Comptroller of the Navy was the head of the Navy Board, responsible for all Royal Navy warship construction and upkeep as well as
troop transport A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable land troops directly on shore, typicall ...
s and dockyards. The position was highly prestigious as well as important and why Suckling, a relatively unknown candidate, was chosen by Sandwich, is not known. The naval experience that Suckling brought was, however, of great value to Sandwich as he went about reforming naval administration, with particular emphasis put on attempts to make Royal Navy shipyards more productive. Suckling proved an adept hand at the head of the Navy Board, initially in peace and then during the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
. Despite his deep commitment to public duty he found it long and arduous work. During his tenure the mobilisation of the navy for war saw the number of ships under his purview expand from 110 in October 1775 to 306 in July 1778. Suckling attended the majority of meetings called by the Navy Board, often six days a week, overseeing both the growth of the navy and the creation of a fleet of 416 troop transports to convey the army across to America. His hard work was done in tandem with that of Rear-Admiral
Sir Hugh Palliser Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, 1st Baronet (26 February 1723 – 19 March 1796) was a Royal Navy officer. As captain of the 58-gun HMS ''Eagle'' he engaged and defeated the French 50-gun ''Duc d'Aquitain'' off Ushant in May 1757 during the Seven ...
, his predecessor as Comptroller of the Navy and the incumbent First Naval Lord. Suckling continued to receive personal advancement during this period, being elected unopposed as
member of parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for the Admiralty-controlled constituency of
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...
on 18 May 1776; he never voted or spoke during his tenure in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
. Suckling was also able to use his position to again assist his nephews, appointing Maurice a clerk in the Naval Office in November 1775 and on 9 April 1777 serving as an examining captain on Horatio's lieutenancy examination. Nelson was, as Suckling had been, underage for the position but this was ignored and he passed, being appointed to serve in the 32-gun frigate HMS ''Lowestoffe''.


Death and legacy

While continuing in work, from around January 1777 a long-term but undiagnosed illness had begun to take a considerable toll on Suckling's health. He would often spend days at a time "in much bodily pain". Naval historian
N. A. M. Rodger Nicholas Andrew Martin Rodger FSA FRHistS FBA (born 12 November 1949) is a historian of the Royal Navy and senior research fellow of All Souls College, Oxford. Life and academia The son of Lieutenant Commander Ian Alexander Rodger, Royal Navy, ...
argues that Suckling was a "less successful choice" than Palliser had been because of this, but that he was still an able man. Having attended his last meeting of the Navy Board on 4 March 1778, he suddenly and unexpectedly died in his apartments at the Navy Office on 14 July, aged fifty-two. He was buried in the
chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. Ove ...
of Barsham Church. Having missed almost every battle that took place during the War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War, Syrett argues that the majority of Suckling's career was "uneventful and perhaps even lacklustre". While he found success as Comptroller of the Navy that, Syrett suggests, might have seen him become "one of the great naval administrators of the Royal Navy", the overwhelming reason for Suckling's enduring fame lies with Horatio Nelson. Suckling is most remembered as the man who was instrumental in beginning and supporting Nelson's naval career as he grew to become a national hero. Even after Suckling's death his relationships with officers such as Parker resulted in preferment for Nelson. Nelson would go on to remember his uncle's conduct at Cape Français, recollecting it prior to fighting the
Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...
exactly forty-eight years later. Sugden emphasises Suckling's importance to Nelson, saying that he had "managed his career, planned every move and cleared away every obstacle". Nelson said after Suckling's death that:


Personal life

Suckling married his cousin Mary Walpole, daughter of
Horatio Walpole, 1st Baron Walpole Horatio Walpole, 1st Baron Walpole "of Wolterton", (8 December 16785 February 1757), English diplomatist, was a younger son of Col. Robert Walpole (1650–1700) of Houghton Hall in Norfolk, and was a younger brother of Robert Walpole, 1st Ear ...
, on 20 June 1764. The marriage further increased Suckling's network of powerful connections, as Mary was the sister-in-law of the daughter of
William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, (26 September 1698 – 5 December 1755) was a British nobleman and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1721 to 1729 when he inherited the Dukedom. Life Cavendish was the son of Will ...
, another powerful family. The couple did not have any children before Mary died in 1766. The death of much of Suckling's family before him left "a worrying void in his life" according to Sugden. With very few close relatives, his will of 1774 left bequests to his brother and some of the Walpole family, but the majority of his wealth was split between Catherine's children. Suckling left his sword, said to have previously been owned by
Galfridus Walpole Galfridus Walpole (1683 â€“ 7 August 1726) was a Royal Navy officer, politician and postmaster general of the Kingdom of Great Britain. He lost his right arm after a naval battle against the French in Vado Bay, Italy, in 1711 and commande ...
, to Nelson.


Notes and citations


Notes


Citations


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Suckling, Maurice Royal Navy officers Royal Navy personnel of the Seven Years' War 1726 births 1778 deaths British MPs 1774–1780 Royal Navy personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession Royal Navy personnel of the American Revolutionary War Members of Parliament for Portsmouth Military personnel from Suffolk