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.


Penrose joined the Royal Navy in 1775.[1] He took part in the Battle of Dogger Bank in 1781[1] and the capture of Martinique in 1793.[1] In 1794 he became Commander in HMS Lynx.[1] He later commanded HMS Cleopatra, HMS Resolution, HMS Sans Pareil and HMS Carnatic.[1]

During 1813 he commanded a small squadron operating off northern Spain and south-western France[1] with his flag in HMS Porcupine.[2] 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.[3] He went on to be become Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in Autumn 1814.[1] He remained in this role until May 1815 when Viscount Exmouth reclaimed his former position again.[1] Penrose then accepted the position of Second-in-Command under Exmouth but was appointed overall Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet again in May 1816.[1] He retired in 1819.[1]

Family

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