John Benbow

Vice-Admiral of the White John Benbow (10 March 1653 – 4 November 1702) was a Royal Navy officer. He joined the Navy in 1678, seeing action against Barbary pirates before leaving to join the Merchant Navy in which Benbow served until the 1688 Glorious Revolution, whereupon he returned to the Royal Navy and was commissioned. Benbow fought against the French Navy during the Nine Years' War, serving on and later commanding several English warships and taking part in the battles of Beachy Head and Barfleur and La Hogue in 1690 and 1692. He went on to achieve fame during his military accomplishments, which included fighting against Barbary pirates such as the Salé Rovers, besieging Saint-Malo and seeing action in the West Indies against the French during the War of the Spanish Succession. Benbow's fame and success earned him a promotion to the rank of vice-admiral. He subsequently fought at the action of August 1702, in which a number of his captains refused to support him in attacking the French. Benbow instigated the court-martial and subsequent imprisonment or execution of a number of the captains involved, though he did not live to see these results, dying of wounds sustained in battle. These events contributed to his notoriety, and led to several references to him in popular culture.