Charles Penrose (Royal Navy officer)

Vice Admiral Sir Charles Vinicombe Penrose KCB KCMG (20 June 1759 – 1 January 1830) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet.

Naval career

Penrose joined the Royal Navy in 1775. He took part in the Battle of Dogger Bank in 1781 and the capture of Martinique in 1793. In 1794 he became Commander in HMS Lynx. He later commanded HMS Cleopatra, HMS Resolution, HMS Sans Pareil and HMS Carnatic.

During 1813 he commanded a small squadron operating off northern Spain and south-western France with his flag in HMS Porcupine. He coordinated naval support for the crossing of the Adour River in early 1814 that allowed the Anglo-Portuguese Army to isolate and invest Bayonne. He went on to be become Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in Autumn 1814. He remained in this role until May 1815 when Viscount Exmouth reclaimed his former position again. Penrose then accepted the position of Second-in-Command under Exmouth but was appointed overall Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet again in May 1816. He retired in 1819.

Family

In 1787 he married Elizabeth Trevenen; they had three daughters.