A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Drane, Thomas
DRANE. (Lieut., 1809. f-p., 12; h-p., 35.)
Thomas Drane, born 20 Sept. 1787, at Exmouth, is son of the late Lieut. Robt. Drane, R.N. (1778). This officer entered the Navy, 20 Aug. 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Captain 74, Capts. Sir Rich. John Strachan and Chas. Boyles; as Midshipman of which vessel he beheld the destruction, 17 Nov. following, of the Réolaise French corvette, of 16 guns, under the batteries of the Morbihan. He subsequently proceeded to the West Indies, and, on his return from that station in the Vengeance 74, Capt. Geo. Duff, rejoined Sir Rich. Strachan, in July, 1802, on board the Donegal 74. After cruizing for some time off Cadiz, where he assisted at the capture, 25 Nov. 1804, of the Spanish frigate Amfitrite, of 44 guns, Mr. Drane successively accompanied the same officer into the Renown 74 and Caesar 80; in the latter of which ships we find him present at the capture of the four French line-of-battle ships escaped from Trafalgar, 4 Nov. 1805. Becoming Acting-Lieutenant of the Caesar, 3 Oct. 1806, Mr. Drane contributed in that capacity, under the flag of the Hon. Robt. Stopford, to the destruction, in 1809, of three French frigates near the batteries of Sable d’Olonne, and also of the shipping in Aix Roads. He then accompanied Rear-Admiral Wm. Albany Otway to the Scheldt, and, after the fall of Flushing, was confirmed in the rank of Lieutenant, by commission dated 22 Aug. 1809. Invaliding in the following Oct., he remained on half-pay until appointed, 28 Jan. 1812, First of the Regulus troop-ship, Capts. John Tailour and Robt. Ramsay. While afterwards on the coast of America, Mr. Drane saw a good deal of active boat-service in the Chesapeake, and was present at the attack on Baltimore. He again invalided 25 Sept. 1814; and has not since been employed.
He was admitted to the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 9 July, 1842.