A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Forster, George Brooke
FORSTER. (Lieutenant, 1812.)
George Brooke Forster entered the Navy, 1 Nov. 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Phoebe 36, Capts. Thos. Baker, Jas. Keith Shephard, and Hon. Thos. Bladen Capel, under whom he served, on the Irish and Mediterranean stations, until May, 1805. With the exception of a few months in 1808-9 he appears to have been next employed, under Sir Sam. Hood, as Midshipman, from Jan. 1806, to Dec. 1812, in the Centaur 74, Hibernia 110, Tigre 74, Owen Glendower 36, and Illustrious 74. While in the Centaur he assisted, 25 Sept. 1806, at the capture, in company with the Mars and Monarch 74’s, of four French frigates from Rochefort, on which occasion Sir Sam. Hood lost his arm. He attended also the expedition to Copenhagen in Aug. and Sept. 1807 – witnessed the ensuing surrender of the island of Madeira – and, in Aug. 1809, was engaged, under Capt. Wm. Henry Webley, in the attack upon Walcheren. Being in the East Indies at the time of his promotion, which took place 27 Dec. 1812, he there joined the Theban 36, Capt. Stephen Thos. Digby, but he soon afterwards returned home with Capt. Alex. Skene in the Illustrious, and on 17 Feb. 1814 was paid off. From May, 1814, until wrecked, 11 Feb. 1817, he further officiated as an Agent for Transports afloat; after which he served for some time as an Inspecting Officer of the Water Guard, and as Commander, in 1826-8, of the Dove and Lapwing Falmouth packets. Since he left the latter vessel he has been on half-pay.
Lieut. Forster at present holds the appointment of Police Magistrate at Van Diemen’s Land. He is married and has issue.