A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Bradley, William
BRADLEY. (Lieut., 1810. f-p., 12; h-p., 37.)
William Bradley entered the Navy, 2 March, 1798, on board the Mars, of 82 guns and 634 men, Capt. Alex. Hood, and, on 21 April following, was present at the capture of the French ship L’Hercule, of 78 guns and 680 men, after a Tremendous yard-arm-and-yard-arm conflict of more than an hour’s continuance, during which the British sustained a loss of 30 killed and 60 wounded, and the enemy of nearly 300 killed and wounded. He remained in the Maks, under Rear-Admirals Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley and Edw. Thornbrough, until April, 1802; became next, in June, 1803, Midshipman of the Grampus 50, Capt. R. Caulfield, in which ship he proceeded with convoy to the East Indies; served on that station, under Lord Geo. Stuart and various other Captains, in the Arrogant and Dover, until March, 1808; and, after an attachment of a few months in the early part of 1809 to the Royal William and Ville de Paris, bearing the flags at Spithead and in the Mediterranean of Vice-Admirals Courtenay and Lord Collingwood, was appointed, on 14 June in that year, Acting-Lieutenant of the Cumberland 74, Capt. Hon. Philip Wodehouse. On the night of 31 Oct. following we find him employed in the boats of the latter ship with those of a squadron at the capture and destruction, in the Bay of Rosas – despite a fierce opposition from the crews and a galling fire from the batteries, inflictive on the British of a loss of 15 men killed and 55 wounded – of the armed store-ship Lamproie, of 16 guns and 116 men, with three other armed and seven merchant vessels.[1] He soon afterwards removed to the Hibernia 120, Capt. Neve; was confirmed a Lieutenant 12 July, 1810; and, after nearly a year of half-pay, joined, 1 Aug. 1811, the Eagle 74, in which he assisted at the capture, on 27 Nov., of La Corceyre French frigate, of 38 guns and 170 men. He invalided 13 May, 1812, and has not since been employed.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1907.