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William Cayley (1742 – 17 March 1801) was a British naval captain who lost his life when HMS Invincible foundered off the coast of Norfolk.

Family and Early Life

William Cayley was the fourth son of Sir George Cayley (1707-1791), the fourth of the Cayley baronets. He was christened at St Michael le Belfrey, York on 5 May 1742.^[1]

Naval career

William Cayley was commissioned a lieutenant in 1762. In 1781 he was appointed commander and captain of HMS Harpy The following year he was appointed captain of HMS Edgar and saw action against a Franco-Spanish fleet in the indecisive Battle of Cape Spartel.

In 1794 he was captain of the newly commissioned HMS Unicorn. The following year he commissioned HMS Juste, a captured French ship, and commanded her for two months. He then took command of HMS Invincible. Over the next few years he escorted convoys and engaged in various battles with the French. In May 1796 he captured Alexandre off Madeira, and freed the Portuguese ship Signior Montcalm, which Alexandre had previously captured.^[2] The Royal Navy subsequently took her into service as HMS Alexander. In December that year he was involved in an attack on the French fleet off Dominica.^[3] In 1797 he was present when Trinidad was surrendered to the British. In 1799 he was in the British fleet that received the surrender of Suriname.

Death

In March 1801 his ship HMS Invincible was sailing from Yarmouth to join in an attack on the Danish fleet with some 650 personnel aboard. In heavy wind she struck Hammond's Knoll. She broke free, but became stuck on another sandbank. After some hours she drifted off the sandbank but broke up. Over 400 men died, including William Cayley. In the subsequent court martial, William Cayley was exonerated, and blame was placed on the harbour pilot, who was one of those who died, and the ship's master.^[4]

Sources

References

^ Parish register entry
^ Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette 26 May 1796
^ A Narrative of my Professional Adventures (1790-1839), by Sir William Henry Dillon, vol. 1, pub. Navy Records Society 1953
^ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Invincible_(1765)

[1] Parish register entry

[2] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette 26 May 1796

[3] A Narrative of my Professional Adventures (1790-1839), by Sir William Henry Dillon, vol. 1, pub. Navy Records Society 1953

[4] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Invincible_(1765)

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[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{refimprove|date=February 2017}}
-'''William Cayley''' (1742 – 17 March 1801) was a British naval captain who lost his life when [[HMS Invincible (1765)|HMS ''Invincible'']] foundered off the coast of Norfolk.
+'''William Cayley''' (1742 – 17 March 1801) was a British naval [[post captain|captain]] who lost his life when {{HMS| Invincible|1765|6}} foundered off the coast of Norfolk.
 == Family and Early Life ==
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Naval career ==
-William Cayley was commissioned lieutenant in 1762. In 1781 he was appointed commander and captain of HMS ''Harpy''. The following year he was appointed captain of {{HMS|Edgar|1779|6}} and saw action against a Franco-Spanish fleet in the indecisive [[Battle of Cape Spartel]].
+William Cayley was commissioned a lieutenant in 1762. In 1781 he was appointed commander and captain of {{HMS|Harpy|1777|6}} The following year he was appointed captain of {{HMS|Edgar|1779|6}} and saw action against a Franco-Spanish fleet in the indecisive [[Battle of Cape Spartel]].
-In 1794 he was captain of the newly commissioned {{HMS|Unicorn|1794|6}} The following year he took command for a few months of the ''Juste'', a captured French ship, before being given command of HMS ''Invincible''. Over the next few years he escorted convoys and engaged in various battles with the French. In May 1796 he captured ''Alexandre'' off Madeira, and freed the Portuguese ship ''Signior Montcalm'', which ''Alexandre'' had previously captured.<ref>''Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette'' 26 May 1796</ref> The Royal Navy subsequently took her into service as {{HMS|Alexander|1796|6}}. In December that year he was involved in an attack on the French fleet off [[Dominica]].<ref>''A Narrative of my Professional Adventures (1790-1839)'', by Sir William Henry Dillon, vol. 1, pub. Navy Records Society 1953</ref> In 1797 he was present when [[Trinidad]] was surrendered to the British. In 1799 he was in the British fleet that received the surrender of [[Suriname]].
+In 1794 he was captain of the newly commissioned {{HMS|Unicorn|1794|6}}. The following year he commissioned [[French ship Deux Frères|HMS ''Juste'']], a captured French ship, and commanded her for two months. He then took command of HMS ''Invincible''. Over the next few years he escorted convoys and engaged in various battles with the French. In May 1796 he captured ''Alexandre'' off Madeira, and freed the Portuguese ship ''Signior Montcalm'', which ''Alexandre'' had previously captured.<ref>''Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette'' 26 May 1796</ref> The Royal Navy subsequently took her into service as {{HMS|Alexander|1796|6}}. In December that year he was involved in an attack on the French fleet off [[Dominica]].<ref>''A Narrative of my Professional Adventures (1790-1839)'', by Sir William Henry Dillon, vol. 1, pub. Navy Records Society 1953</ref> In 1797 he was present when [[Trinidad]] was surrendered to the British. In 1799 he was in the British fleet that received the surrender of [[Suriname]].
 == Death ==