Royal Naval Biography/Luke, George (a)

2340246Royal Naval Biography — Luke, George (a)John Marshall


GEORGE LUKE (a), Esq.
[Commander.]

Was second lieutenant of la Nymphe frigate, commanded by the present Viscount Exmouth, at the capture of la Cleopatre, a French national ship of superior force, off the Start Point, June 18th, 1793, on which occasion he appears to have heen wounded whilst leading a division of the boarders. He afterwards served on board the Impregnable 98, flag ship of Rear-Admiral B. Caldwell; and we have heen told by one of his messmates, now a peer of the realm and a flag-officer, that he frequently amused himself and the inmates of the wardroom, by saying “Here am I, George Luke, the son of an ironmonger, who don’t care a d___n for any of you.” He was promoted to the rank of commander in Nov. 1791; subsequently employed in the Sea Fencible service; and granted the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital, Jan. 15th, 1812.

Commander Luke died in 1824; previous to which one of his daughters was married to Captain Dale, of the 84th regiment; and another to G. C. Tucker, LL.D. of Ashburton, co. Devon.