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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gooch, George Thomas

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1723452A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Gooch, George ThomasWilliam Richard O'Byrne

GOOCH. (Commander, 1824. f-p., 12; h-p., 25.)

George Thomas Gooch, horn 27 Jan. 1797, at Saxlingham Rectory, co. Norfolk, is third son of the late Venerable John Gooch, Archdeacon of Sudbury, by Barbara, daughter of Ralph Sneyd, Esq., of Keele Hall, co. Stafford, and grand-daughter of Sir Walter Bagot, Bart., father of the first Lord Bagot. One of his brothers, Henry Edward, who served at Waterloo, is a field-officer in the army. He is first-cousin of the present Sir Thos. Sherlock Gooch, Bart.; and is also closely related to Commander Thos. Lewis Gooch, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 29 June, 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Amelia, of 48 guns, Capt. Hon. Fred. Paul Irby, with whom he served on the Channel and African stations, the last few months as Midshipman, until May, 1813. On 7 Feb. in that year he appears to have been wounded, off the Iles de Los, during a desperate conflict of more than three hours and a half with L’Aréthuse French frigate, of 44 guns and 340 men, which terminated in the separation of the combatants, after a loss to the enemy of 105 killed and wounded, and to the British, out of an original force of 300, of 141 men killed and wounded. On next joining the Rippon 74, Capt. Sir Christ. Cole, we find Mr. Gooch assisting at the capture, 21 Oct. 1813, of Le Weser of 44 guns. He afterwards served on the Mediterranean and St. Helena stations, in the Maender 38, Capt. John Bastard, and Conqueror 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Robt. Plampin; and, attaining the rank of Lieutenant 14 July, 1818, was next appointed – 18 Sept. following and 12 Nov. 1819, to the Racoon 26, Capt. Jas. Wallis, and Vigo 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Robt. Lambert, both on the St. Helena station-^and, 17 March, 1823, to the Ranger frigate, as Flag-Lieutenant of Sir Chas. Hamilton at Newfoundland. Since his advancement to his present rank, 8 July, 1824, Commander Gooch has been on half-pay.