Adm. John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton

John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton (1663 – 27 February 1697) was an English admiral.

Biography

He was the second son of John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, and succeeded to the title on 6 March 1681, by the death of his elder brother Charles, a captain in the navy.

On 14 December 1688 he was nominated rear-admiral of the fleet, under the command of Lord Dartmouth. In the following summer he was vice-admiral of the red squadron under Admiral Herbert, and fought with him in the Battle of Bantry Bay (11 May 1689). On the death of Sir John Ashby, 12 July 1693, he was appointed admiral of the Blue in the fleet under the joint admirals Killigrew, Delavall, and Shovell.

On 8 June 1694, Lord Berkeley was detached by Admiral Russell in command of a large division intended to cover the Attack on Brest by the land forces under General Talmash. Several concurring accounts had warned the French of the object of this expedition, and when the attempt was made in Camaret Bay, it was repulsed with very severe loss.

After his return from this expedition, Berkeley continued in command of the fleet, and a few days later, was again sent out to bombard Dieppe and Le Havre. On 27 August Lord Berkeley resigned the command to Sir Clowdisley Shovell, and went to London for the winter.

The next summer, 1695, Berkeley renewed the attacks on the French coast, and on 4 July, joined by a Dutch squadron under Admiral Philips van Almonde, he appeared in front of St. Malo and shelled the city during almost two days under the immediate command of Captain John Benbow. In August, Berkeley attacked Dunkirk and Calais, without success.

The next year, he sailed into the Bay of Biscay and the isle Groix and the smaller islands, Houet and Hoedic, were ravaged, and St. Martin's (isle of Ré) was bombarded. Such achievements could not lead to any result and to make things worst, one night there was an intrusion into the fleet by the French privateer René Duguay-Trouin, who overpowered one of the frigates in full view of Admiral Berkeley. By the end of July the fleet returned to Spithead, and no further operations during that summer being intended, Berkeley went on leave, still preserving the command. However, he never resumed it, being attacked by a pleurisy, of which he died 27 February 1697.

He had married Jane, daughter of Sir John Temple of East Sheen in Surrey, by whom he had but one daughter, who died in infancy.

• From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Berkeley,_3rd_Baron_Berkeley_of_S...
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Profilbillede: Kilde: thePeerage.com: John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton by Godfrey Kneller 2.

Kilde: the Peerage.com:

  Admiral John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton was born after 1663.1 He was the son of John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton and Christiana Riccard.1 He married Jane Martha Temple, daughter of Sir John Temple and Jane Yarner, on 8 March 1691/92.1 He died on 27 February 1696/97, from pleurisy, without male issue.1 He was buried on 5 March 1696/97 at Twickenham, London, England.1

    Admiral John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, on 3 August 1677.1 He succeeded to the title of 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton, Cornwall [E., 1658] on 6 March 1681/82.1 He gained the rank of Lieutenant on 14 April 1685 in the service of the Royal Navy.1 He gained the rank of Captain on 9 July 1686.1 He gained the rank of Rear-Admiral on 14 December 1688.1 He fought in the action off Bantry Bay on 1 May 1689.1 On 3 March 1691/92 he fought a duel with a Colonel Granvill.1 He was Colonel of the 4th Horse in 1692/93.1 He was Colonel of the 2nd Regiment of Marines in 1692/93.1 He gained the rank of Admiral of the Blue on 12 July 1693.1 He held the office of Groom of the Stole, to Prince George of Denmark.1 He held the office of 1st Gentleman of the Bedchamber, to Prince George of Denmark.1 He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.3

Insat på geni den 08-04.2011 af Jette Husum Rosborg

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