Naval Service Details

Midshipman ??-??-??

Lieutenant

Captain 25th July 1697

Rear-Admiral of the Blue

Rear-Admiral of the White

Rear-Admiral of the Red

Vice-Admiral of the White

Vice-Admiral of the Red 1735

Admiral of the White

Other Details

Actions & Battles

Notes

There is a memorial in Westminster Abbey, the inscription of which reads

To the Memory of Sir John Balchen (sic) Knt, Admiral of the White Squadron of his Majesty's fleet, who in the year 1744, being sent our Commander in Chief of the combined fleets of England and Holland to cruise on the enemy, was, on his return home in his Majesty's Ship the Victory, lost in the channel by a violent storm. From which sad circumstance of his death, we may learn that neither the greatest skill, judgement or experience, join'd to the most firm unshaken resolution, can resist the fury of the winds and waves, and we are taught from the passages of his life which were fill'd with great and gallant actions, but ever accompanied with adverse gales of fortune, that the brave, the worthy, and the good man, meets not always his reward in this world. Fifty eight years of faithful and painful services he had pass'd, when being just retired to the Government of Greenwich Hospital to wear out the remainder of his days, he was once more, and for the last time call'd out by his King and Country, whose interest he ever preferred to his own, and his unwearied zeal for their service ended only in his death, which weighty misfortune to his afflicted family became heightened by many aggravating circumstances concerning it. Yet amongst their grief, had they the mournful consolation to find his Gracious and Royal Master, mixing his concern with the general lamentations of the publick, for the calamitous fate of so zealous, so valiant, so able a Commander, and as a lasting memorial of the sincere love and esteem born by his widow to a most affectionate and worthy husband, this honorary monument was erected by her.

He was born February ye 2nd 1669, married Susannah, the daughter of Col. Aprice of Washingly in the County of Huntingdon, died October ye 7th 1744, leaving one son and one daughter, the former of whom George Balchen, survived him but a short time, for being sent to the West Indies in 1745, Commander of his Majesty's ship the Pembroke, he died in Barbadoes in December the same year, having walked in the steps and imitated the virtues and bravery of his good but unfortunate father.

Sources