A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Eyton, William Wynne

1707868A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Eyton, William WynneWilliam Richard O'Byrne

EYTON. (Lieutenant, 1814. f-p., 15; h-p., 27.)

William Wynne Eyton, born at Wrexham, co. Denbigh, is fourth son of the late Rev. Hope Wynne Eyton, of Leeswood, co. Flint, by Margaret, daughter of Robt. Wynne, Esq., of Tower, in the same shire.

This officer entered the Navy, 10 July, 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Neptune 98, Capt. Thos. Eras. Fremantle, and on 21 Oct. following participated in the battle of Trafalgar. Removing next to the Seahorse of 42 guns and 251 men, Capt. John Stewart, he assisted, on the night of 5 July, 1808, in putting to flight the Turkish frigate Alis Fezan, of 26 guns and 230 men, and in capturing, after a memorably furious engagement, and a loss to the British of 5 killed and 10 wounded, her consort the Badere Zaffer, mounting 52 guns, with a complement of 543 men, of whom 170 were slain and 200 wounded. While in the Seahorse, Mr. Eyton also contributed, as Midshipman, to the reduction of the islands of Gianute and Pianosa. In the course of 1811 he joined in succession the Ville de Paris 110, and Rodney and Milford 74’s, bearing each the flag of Rear-Admiral T. F. Fremantle, under whom, in the Milford, we find him co-operating in the capture of Fiume and Trieste in July and Oct. 1813. Being confirmed in the rank of Lieatenant 29 July, 1814, he was appointed ultimately – 7 Jan. and 5 Oct. 1819, to the Rosario and Redpole sloops, commanded in the Channel by Capts. Wm. Hendry and Wm. Devereux Evance – 15 Sept. 1827, as First-Lieutenant, to the Wolf 18, Capt. Geo. Hayes, in the Mediterranean – and 17 Feb. 1829, 1 May, 1830, and 18 Feb. 1831, in a similar capacity, to the Victory 104, St. Vincent 120, and Asia 84, flag-ships at Portsmouth and off Lisbon of Admirals Sir Robt. Stopford, Sir Thos. Foley, and Wm. Parker. During his attachment to the St. Vincent, Mr. Eyton appears, in Nov. 1830, to have been appointed to the Lightning steamer, for the purpose of conveying Charles X. from Lulworth to Leith. He invalided from the Asia 16 June, 1832; and has not since been employed. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.