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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wills, John (b)

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2010109A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Wills, John (b)William Richard O'Byrne

WILLS. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 9; h-p., 32.)

John Wills (b) entered the Navy 26 Nov. 1806, as Third-cl. Boy, on board the Alphea schooner, Lieut.-Commander John Manton, employed in the Channel and at Newfoundland. In May, 1807, he attained the rating of Midshipman; and in March, 1808, he removed to the Polyphemus 64, Capts. Peter Heywood and Wm. Pryce Cumby, under the latter of whom we find him, in the following year, present at the blockade and surrender of the city of St. Domingo. In Oct. 1810, having returned with convoy to England in the Daedalus 32, Capt. Sam. Hood Inglefield, he was received on board the Caesar 80, Capt. Wm. Granger, stationed off Lisbon, he served afterwards in the Mediterranean, on the north coast of Spain, and at Madeira and Plymouth, in the Druid 32, Capts. Thos. Searle and Fras. Stanfell, Lyra 10, Capts. Robt. Bloye, Campbell, Dillon, and O’Reilly, Levant 20, Capts. Hon. Alex. Jones and Hon. Geo. Douglas, and Tay 20, Capt. Bloye. He assisted in the Druid at the defence of Tarifa; and in the Lyra at the defence of Castro and the siege of St. Sebastian. Since the receipt of his commission, which bears date 7 Sept. 1815, he has been on half-pay.