Donat Henchy O'Brien

Rear-Admiral Donat Henchy O'Brien (March 1785 - 13 May 1857) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Born March 1785 in Ireland. He was the second son of Michael O'Brien on Ennistimon, County Clare. His family claimed descent from an ancient Irish king. Joined the Royal Navy 1796, serving first on board the 64-gun ship Overyssel where he commanded one of the ship's boats. In 1799 he commanded a hoy, ballasted with stone, which was intended to be sunk at the entrance of the harbour at Goeree-Overflakkee to block in three Dutch ships of th eline. A sudden squall sank the hoy and O'Brien and his men were rescued by other vessels. He passed the lieutenants examination in February 1803 and was appointed master's mate of the frigate Hussar. The Hussar was wrecked on the Île de Sein on 8 February 1804 and O'Brien was taken prisoner. Held at Verdun he made attempts to escape from 1807. His first two attempts were thwearted by the weather and hunger but at the third try he reached Trieste with fellow Hussar junior officer Henry Ashworth and another man. There they boarded the British frigate Amphion, after which O'Brien was sent to Malta to jojoin the second-rate ship-of-the line Ocean. Ocean was the flagship of Admiral Collingwood and he promoted O'Brien to lieutenant on 29 March 1809 and appointed him to the third--rate Warrior. He served on Warrior during the 1809 capture of the Ionian Islands. O'brien returned to the Amphion, captained by William Hoste, iN March 1810 and served aboard her in the victory at the 13 March 1811 Battle of Lissa. Hoste brought O'Brien with him to command the newly built 28-gun vessel Bacchante. He was commended for his service on the ship and its boars and in recognition was promoted to commander on 22 January 1813. He published an account of his shipwreck on Hussar and subsequent escape in 1814. He commanded the 20-gun HMS Slaney from 1818-21 on the South American Station. He was promoted to captain on 5 March 1821. He left the Slaney in October 1821 and returned to England. There he married Hannah Walsley on 28 June 1825, they would have seven chuldren. He publicshed a two volume memoir in 1839 that was used, alongsidhe those published by Ashworth and Edward Boys, as the basis for Frederick Marryat's novel Peter Simple. He saw no further service but was promoted to rear-admiral on the reserve list on 8 March 1852. He died at Yew House, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire on 13 May 1857. He had a memorial window in the church at Broxbourne.

Joined navy as an ordinary seaman on 16 December 1796. Served on Overyssel under John Bazely and John Young on the Home Station. Before Hoy took part in the 1799 Helder expedition where he commanded a flat-bottomed boat in the army landings. At hoy was rescued by a boat from HMS Lion. In the absence of the vessel's Lieutenant, Master, Boatswain, and Gunner he commanded a sloop operating off the Flemish banks, Dunkirk and Gravelines. He afterwards returned to the Overyssel from December 1801 he was intermittantly attacked to the 54-gun Berschermer and Hussar as masters mate. HUssar wreck was while returning to England with dispatches from Ferrol. Escaped the citadel at Bitche 14 September 1808 and reached Triest in November. Other man was Maurice Hewson, picked up from shore by a boat from Amphion. On Amphion served in a attack on two enemy vessels in which he was owunded in the rght arm. Went to Malta on HM Brig Spider. Served on Warrior under John William Spranger. Before Lissa on 29 June he commanded the baots of Amphion and Cerberus to cover the landing of sailors and marines at Grao that defeated a French force and captured a large convoy of naval stores bound for Venice. At Lissa was second Lieutenant. After Lissa was sent to Malta in command of the captured frigate la Bellona. 331 August 1812 cut out seven cargo vessels from Lema, carrying ship timber for Venetians, and the French cebec La Tisiphone, and two gun boats. With no loss. 18 September took six boats with 72 men and captured eight enemy vessels and a convoy fo 18 cargo ships between Tremiti and Vasto, the Bacchante having chased them into the coast. November 1812 commanded boats of Bacchante, Eagle and Achille, landed on the beach at Fesano and, despite a garrison of 300 solfiers, took off a large quantity of government oak timber. 6 January 1813 boarded and captured 3 gunboats near Otranto.Left Bacchante April 1813. returned to England as a passenger on Thunder (under Watkin Owen Pell). No command until August 1818 when he was appointed to Slaney. After Thimas Masterman Hardy was posted to the west of South America O'brien was senior officer onthe station as Buenos Aeries was involved with wars with neighbouring provinces. He succeeded in opposing the Buenos Aeries' government intenion of compelling British residetns to serve in its ormy and sacrifice property to the government. Returned from Slaney in the frigate Owen Glendower. January 1800 acting Lieutenant of the 16-gun Atalante