Sir John McWard

Information
John McWard was an English Naval officer, nobleman, and politician. He is best known as the father of the British Admiral Thomas McWard. He spent 32 years in military service for England, serving campaigns in Northern and Southern Europe and the Caribbean.

Early Life
John McWard was born in Manchester in the small estate of Norland Park. His father was a magistrate of Queen Anne and his mother was the daughter of a banker. He lived a quiet, lavish, and domestic lifestyle. When his parents died in early 1713 of a smallpox epidemic, he inherited his parents fortune, sold Norland Park, and moved to a small estate in Hyde Park. In the spring of 1713, John made the decision achieve his dream to enlist in the Navy. A year later, he was given the rank of a Lieutenant and waited for the opportunity of military action to arrive.

Marriage
In the summer of 1714, John was invited to attend the coronation of King George I. While there, he met the beautiful Lady Elizabeth Stuart, the daughter of one of the King's new magistrates. They married in early December and moved into his Hyde Park estate. For the next four years, John took a job in the House of Commons and lived a quite and peaceful life with his wife.

Great Northern War
In the fall of 1718, England was at war with Russia and John was sent to Sweden to help aid the Swedish Navy. While there, he fought in the Battles of Osel Island and 'The Battle of Grengam. During the Battle of Gregam, A small Swedish naval unit aided by British of the line HMS Goliath,' sailed right into the mighty Russian fleet anchored at Granhamn. A fierce battle took place, the Swedes lost their four frigates after they had run aground. However, the Russian losses became so heavy that the entire fleet quickly decided to withdraw from Åland, leaving 43 sunken ships and 1000 dead Russians behind. After the battle, John stayed in Sweden for the peace between the Swedish and Russian Empire. In August of 1720, John moved back to Hyde Park to be with his wife who was expecting her first child and resumed his post in the House of Commons. In early January of 1721, John's son Thomas was born. Sadly, Elizabeth died hours after his birth leaving John devastated and forced to raise his son on his own.

War of Austrian Succession
In 1739, John sent his son to Oxford University to study law and foreign policy like himself. However, a year later, England was at war with France and John resumed his post in the Navy a newly promoted Captain. In 1744, while fighting at the Battle of Toulon, John and his crew rescued some troops aboard the HMS Vanguard. One of them was his son. Unaware that Thomas had enlisted against his wishes, he was furious but eventually gave in to his sons actions under the condition that he served under him which Thomas accepted. For the next year, John fought alongside his son in Southern Europe and the Caribbean.

Jacobite Rising and Death
In the late summer of 1745, John and his crew were sent back to Manchester to defend their town against the Jacobites while Thomas was enjoying a few months of paid leave. On November 28th, 1745, John and his squadron were patrolling a battery in Alder Creek when an angry group of Jacobites stormed the fortress and brutally slaughtered John and his troops taking cannons and other military supplies along with them. An outraged and distraught Thomas would continue to fight back to avenge the death of his father fighting in the remaining parts of the Jacobite Rising and the War of Austrian Succession.