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366:, both pouring fire into the British. Cumby advised his captain to remove his jacket because it made him a target for French snipers, but Cooke refused and sent Cumby below to direct the gunnery. A few minutes later, hearing the rush of battle above, Cumby ran up the ladders to the deck where he met the mortally wounded Overton who informed Cumby of Cooke's death in hand-to-hand combat with a French boarding party. Cooke's last words had been
438:; but he died in the same year in his office in Pembroke Dock, aged 66, and was buried in the Park Street graveyard at Pembroke Dock. The graveyard has now been turned into a recreational area, however Cumby's grave remains in place. A street near the royal dockyard was named Cumby Terrace in his honour. A commemorative plaque recounts his prominence, as does a similar, larger plaque at his local church
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in promoting the welfare of others procured him the affectionate regard Of all who knew him The loss of one so kind and good Has taught his relations and friends How vain is every consolation But that afforded by
Religion By Christian submission By Christian Hope Born XXth March MDCCLXXI Died XXVIIth September MDCCCXXXVII
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Here lie The Mortal
Remains of Captain William Pryce Cumby, R.N., C.B. Of H.M. Yacht Royal Sovereign And Captain Superintendent of Pembroke Dock Yard An Officer Whose zeal and professional services At Trafalgar and St. Domingo Deserved and received the approbation Of his Country His active kindness
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Realising that he was now in command of the ship, Cumby then withdrew his men from the poop deck and into the waist of the ship, where the threat from enemy grenades was not as high. He then ordered the guns trained on the French boarding parties, which they annihilated. This enabled Cumby to board
251:, the then Lieutenant Cumby ably took command, leading a charge that cleared his decks of boarders. He then captured the enemy ship from which the attack had come. He later served in the Caribbean and on convoy duties in the Atlantic. At the time of his death, he was Superintendent of
291:, 15 February the following year and made lieutenant in the general promotions that followed the outbreak of war in 1794. He had little chance for distinction during the next eleven years, but maintained a solid reputation for good service and efficiency.
275:, she died, aged 24 on 3 April, when William was a few weeks old. In 1801 he married Ann Metcalfe who bore him 7 children before her death in 1815, including the Reverend Anthony Cumby(1803-1881) whose daughter Elizabeth married Alexander Ewing(1830-1895)
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division on 21 October 1805 in the opening stages of the battle of
Trafalgar, Cooke made the unusual move of taking Cumby and the ship's master Edward Overton into his confidence about the ship's orders and
396:. The operation was so successful that the city surrendered in short order, and Cumby was highly praised by his opponents for his gentlemanly behaviour following the surrender.
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to protect the whale fishery, and in 1813 was on convoy duty in the
Atlantic. From 1814 to 1815 he was in the Channel.
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confidential instructions; in case something should happen to him, the ship would still have able, informed direction.
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from 1807 to 1809. His service in the
Caribbean culminated in his command of the squadron that blockaded the city of
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Cumby had no further service, nevertheless, his reputation for solid service led to further rewards: command of the
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Cumby spent more years at sea, but none rivalled the period 1805–1809. From 1811 until 1815 he commanded
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on 20 March 1771. He was the second son of
Lieutenant David Pryce Cumby, a commander in the
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Cumby first served on 20 May 1784, as servant to the lieutenant commanding the cutter,
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was highlighted when he was thrust into the limelight following his service at the
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Proclaimed a hero after the battle, Cumby was rewarded with promotion to
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494:, Colin White and the 1805 Club, Chatham Publishing, London, 2005,
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243:. Despite mounting casualties, heavy bombardment and the death of
271:, and his first wife Eleanor. The daughter of William Jepson of
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The Billy
Ruffian: The Bellerophon and the Downfall of Napoleon
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National
Maritime Museum : Captain William Pryce-Cumby
234:. During the battle the French almost took his vessel, the
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A County Durham man at
Trafalgar: Cumby of the Bellerophon
218:(20 March 1771 – 27 September 1837) was an officer in the
450:, where he was born. The Inscription on his tomb reads
334:("Billy Ruffian" to her crew). Her commander, Captain
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rapidly found herself sandwiched between the Spanish
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Pryce Cumby served as an officer aboard the frigate
325:. In 1804 he was appointed first lieutenant of the
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306:between 1795 and 1798. He was then appointed
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591:"Pryce-Cumby, William, Captain, 1771–1837"
507:, Durham Co Local History Society, 1997,
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717:People from Heighington, County Durham
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368:Tell Lieutenant Cumby never to strike!
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657:Animation of the Battle of Trafalgar
310:to Vice-Admiral Alexander Graeme at
702:Companions of the Order of the Bath
692:Military personnel from Dover, Kent
422:, and appointed a Companion of the
222:whose excellent service during the
199:Superintendent of Pembroke Dockyard
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629:. 27 September 1831. p. 1969.
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470:. London: Chatham Publishing.
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466:Tracy, Nicholas (2006).
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662:William Pryce Cumby bio
558:Robert Surtees (2015).
521:(Bloomsbury USA, 2003)
492:The Trafalgar Captains
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564:Parish of Heighington
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340:Admiral Collingwood's
106:Years of service
566:. British History on
224:French Revolutionary
722:Royal Navy captains
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232:Battle of Trafalgar
207:William Pryce Cumby
175:Battle of Trafalgar
22:William Pryce Cumby
626:The London Gazette
432:Coronation Honours
517:David Cordingly,
436:Pembroke Dockyard
424:Order of the Bath
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603:. Retrieved
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57:(1837-09-27)
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687:1837 deaths
682:1771 births
621:"No. 18854"
548:Tracy p.103
444:Heighington
414:Royal yacht
394:San Domingo
352:Bellerophon
331:Bellerophon
289:Able seaman
273:Heighington
249:Bellerophon
240:Bellerophon
133:Bellerophon
109:c.1779–1815
41:Heighington
676:Categories
533:References
428:William IV
385:Polyphemus
336:John Cooke
327:third rate
269:Royal Navy
259:Early life
245:John Cooke
220:Royal Navy
139:Polyphemus
100:Royal Navy
76:Allegiance
34:1771-03-20
595:nmm.ac.uk
417:HMY
323:North Sea
47:, England
570:25 March
402:Hyperion
312:the Nore
205:Captain
145:Hyperion
124:Commands
94:Service/
62:Pembroke
357:Monarca
321:in the
297:Astraea
118:Captain
605:3 July
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448:Durham
303:Thalia
279:Career
186:Awards
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373:Aigle
363:Aigle
319:Swift
316:sloop
265:Dover
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128:Swift
70:Wales
607:2010
572:2016
523:ISBN
509:ISBN
496:ISBN
472:ISBN
371:the
285:Kite
226:and
114:Rank
52:Died
28:Born
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215:RN
211:CB
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