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William Lechmere Military person

William Lechmere (1752 – 12 December 1815) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.Lechmere joined the navy and saw service during the American War of Independence, having been promoted to lieutenant in 1774, and then to commander in 1782. He was given his own ship, a sloop, and served off the North American coast for the remainder of the war, until paying off the ship in 1785. He spent time ashore during the years of peace, marrying and receiving a promotion to post captain before the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars. He returned to service in 1794 and commanded several ships in British waters. During this time he assisted in the transport of Princess Caroline of Brunswick to Britain. He then spent some time on the Halifax station, but like many of his contemporaries he struggled at times to secure postings, and spent some time without a ship.He was back in command of a ship in 1805, and saw action at the Battle of Cape Finisterre with Sir Robert Calder's fleet, an action that had a significant impact on his life. Although he went on to join the fleet assembling off Cadiz under Lord Nelson, he agreed to return to Britain to support Calder at his court-martial, leaving the fleet a week before the Battle of Trafalgar. His first lieutenant, John Stockham, instead commanded his ship and received a share of the rewards. Lechmere had missed one of the most decisive battles of his career, but he went on to command other ships and receive further promotions, eventually dying at the close of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.