William Prowse

Rising from humble origins and joining the navy as an able seaman, he had a highly active career, serving under some of the most famous naval commanders of the age of sail, and participating in some of their greatest victories.

His next posting was to the 74-gun HMS Albion, which he joined in November that year, being rated as midshipman and master's mate on 31 August 1778 by Captain George Bowyer.

[1][2] The last few years of peace for Prowse were spent aboard Lord Hood's flagship at Portsmouth, the 90-gun HMS Duke, from August 1791 until January 1793.

[1] Calder and the Theseus sailed to the West Indies and after carrying out several minor engagements with French shore batteries, returned to Britain as a convoy escort in July 1795.

[5] For his services Jervis promoted Prowse to post-captain on 6 March 1797 and appointed him to command the captured Spanish prize Salvador del Mundo.

[7] He finally returned to active service when Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Calder asked for him to be his flag-captain aboard his flagship HMS Prince of Wales.

[5][7] With the Prince of Wales paid off, Prowse was given command of the 36-gun frigate HMS Sirius in August 1802, where he took part in the blockades of the French and Spanish coasts.

Villeneuve had been reported as having arrived in the area and on 22 July Prowse located the allied feet, with the frigate Siréne at the rear, towing a captured merchant.

[8] Prowse closed on the Siréne, intending to cut her off and board her, but Villeneuve ordered his ships to wear in succession and reverse their course to meet Calder's advancing fleet.

[8] Prowse suddenly found himself facing the entire combined fleet, which was fast bearing down on him, led by the Spanish Admiral Federico Gravina aboard the Argonauta.

[8] Shortly afterwards Calder's van came into range of the fleet and a general action ensued, whereby the Sirius was fired on by the España and had two men killed and three wounded.

The signal was repeated down the line, reaching Nelson 48 miles away aboard HMS Victory at 9.30 a.m.[9] The next morning, 20 October 1805, a strange sail was reported off the entrance to the harbour.

[9] The entire combined fleet had finally put to sea by 10 a.m., whereupon a burst of rainy squalls caused the frigates to lose sight of it until midday.

[12] The week after the battle Prowse was sent into Cadiz with a note from Collingwood to the Marquis de Solana, requesting the use of the town's facilities for the Spanish prisoners.

Jean-François Hue's depiction of the Battle of Grenada, one of Prowse's earliest experiences of fleet engagements.
The Battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797 by Robert Cleveley . Prowse narrowly avoided being engaged by several Spanish ships of the line.
The Battle of Trafalgar, as seen from the mizzen starboard shrouds of the Victory , by J. M. W. Turner . While not directly engaged in the fighting, Prowse played an important role both before and after the battle.
Sirius engaged with the French flotilla off the mouth of the River Tiber , in a print by Thomas Whitcombe . The victory was one of Prowse's last engagements.