John Leake

John Leake (Rotherhithe, July 4th 1656 - Greenwich, August 21st 1720) was one of the most famous admirals of its time.

Wire junior by Richard Leake, main artillerist, he married the girl of a captain, Christiane Hill. As a captain it was announced during many naval engagements, inter alia when, the July 28th 1689, it ordered the convoy which forced the stopping of Strong Culmore, which made it possible to raise the seat of Londonderry.

During the War of the league of Augsburg, it took share with the Bataille of Bantry Bay (1689), with the Bataille of the course Béveziers (1690) and with the Bataille of Hougue (1692).

Shortly after the declaration of the War of succession of Spain, Leake was named captain of the Exeter and left Plymouth for Newfoundland with eight ships the July 22nd 1702 to attack the French ports and ships. It captured or destroyed 51 ships during this forwarding, of which 16 were brought back to England, 6 were sent to Lisbon, 5 had come to Midsummer's Day from Newfoundland, one was left to hold the port, and the last returned to France with the crews which had been captured. The 22 remaining ships were flarings. It also destroyed all the French villages of Newfoundland.

On its return in England, Leake was promoted Rear-admiral and was seen proposing annoblissement, which it declined. In next March, it was promoted Vice-amiral. In 1704 it was dispatched in the Mediterranean and took share with the catch of Gibraltar under the orders of the admiral George Rooke. The next month, it contributed to push back a French counter-attack, as a commander of the avant-garde of the Prince George with the Bataille of Málaga.

The March 21st 1705, it pushed back a second attack on Gibraltar, and was victorious baron de Pointis with the Bataille of Cabrita not. After this blow of glare, the marshal Rene de Froulay de Tessé gave up the seat.

In 1706 the French tried to take again Barcelona, which had been removed in September 1705 by Clowdisley Shovell and Charles Mordaunt. Although Shovell had returned to England, John Leake, who did not lay out any more that of a squadron in the Mediterranean, set sail towards Barcelona what is enough to cause the fold of the fleet which bombarded the port: the seat was raised by the French the May 12th. With the return, it bombarded Carthagène and Alicante, and seized these two cities.

It was promoted admiral in 1707 and obtained the rendering of the Sardinia the August 15th 1708. September 29th it conveyed the task force of James Stanhope, stationed in Barcelona, until Minorque, thus taking part in the catch of Port Mahon. This English base was the pivot of the later English strategy in the Mediterranean.

It was named First Lord of Admiralty in 1710. To the advent of George Ier, it fell in disgrace and withdrew public life.

John Leake died in 1720 and was buried in the church of Stepney. One described it like a “virtuous, human and chivalrous man, and one of the Lord High Admirals of his time”.

References

Publications off the Navy Records Society 1893 - 2006 (Volumes 52 & 53, The Life off Sir John Leake, Flights. I & II, ED. Geoffrey Callender)

External bonds

Biography drawn from the '' Dictionary off Canadian Biography Online ''
the raid of Newfoundland
bombardment of Alicante

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