Leake Sir John

Leake, Sir John, English naval commander, was born in 1656. He early entered the navy, and was in 1688 promoted to be commander. He was posted in 1689 into the Dartmouth, in which he most gallantly led the historic relief of Londonderry in face of an army of 30,000 men. He took part in the reduction of Cork, and in the battle of Cape Barfleur. In 1694 Leake went to the Mediterranean, where he assisted in the blockade of Toulon. In 1702 he was made Governor and commander-inchief at Newfoundland. At the end of the same year he attained flag-rank. He continued employed ih responsible command, assisted in the capture of Gibraltar and the battle of Malaga, where he was wounded, and became commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean. He co-operated in the reduction of Barcelona, raised the subsequent French siege of that place, captured Alicante, and restored Majorca, Ivica, and Palma to Spain. In 1708 he was promoted to be Admiral of the Fleet, and, returning to the Mediterranean, captured Sardinia and Minorca. He subsequently joined the Board of Admiralty, refused a peerage, and in 1712, once more in command, captured Dunkirk. He died in 1720.