Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

Robert Man (1721–1783) was a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

officer. He commanded the third-rate HMS ''Lancaster'' at the siege of Louisbourg in June 1758 during the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

. He went on to become commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands Station, then Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet and finally First Naval Lord.

Naval career

Robert Man was born in 1721 and baptised at St Mary's, Chatham on 2 July of that year. He is listed in three ships commanded by his father, Captain Robert Man (1675-1745), these being a mixture of the usual fiction and fact. His passing certificate is dated 12 March 1739. Man officially joined the

on 17 September 1740. Promoted to

post-captain Post-captain or post captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy. The term "post-captain" was descriptive only; it was never used as a title in the form "Post-Captain John Smith". The term served to dis ...

on 22 June 1745, he took command of the fifth-rate HMS ''Launceston'' in June 1745, the fifth-rate HMS ''Lynn'' in June 1746 and the fourth-rate HMS ''Anson'' in February 1755. He went on to command the third-rate HMS ''Prince Frederick'' in 1758 and the third-rate HMS ''Lancaster'' later that year. He commanded ''Lancaster'' at the siege of Louisbourg in June 1758 during the

. He then transferred to the command of the third-rate HMS ''Cornwall'' in 1760. Whilst in command of Cornwall, he took on board the orphaned son of his cousin, another Captain Robert Man (1720-1762), and did much to promote his career. The boy, later Admiral Robert Man (1745-1813), was described by Nelson as 'a good man in every sense of the word'. Man became commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands Station in 1769 and established a naval hospital at

Antigua Antigua ( ; ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the local population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the most populous island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua ...

. Promoted to

rear admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

on 18 October 1770, Man went on to be commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean Fleet in 1774 and, having been promoted to

vice admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

on 31 March 1775, he joined the Board of Admiralty as First Naval LordRodger, p. 69 in the North ministry in April 1779. He retired from the Admiralty Board in September 1780 and, having been promoted to full

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

on 26 September 1780, died in 1783.

References

Sources

* , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Man, Robert Royal Navy admirals 1783 deaths Lords of the Admiralty 1721 births