Frank Strutt

Biography
Captains full name: Frank Strutt

Rank Held in the squadron: Master

Career: Acting Midshipman, Royal Navy

Age of joining the Navy: 23

Current Age: 53

Reason for joining the RN: Witnessed the results of the Battle of Beachy Head first hand and felt compelled to enlist.

Personality and traits: Loyal and hard-working and, although now a somewhat reluctant officer, has enjoyed life at sea and the challenges that go with it.

Captain's Quote: "Sometimes you can beat the odds with a careful choice of where to fight."

Aims and goals: To live long enough to see the Frogs put back in their own pond once and for all.

Childhood
Strutt was born on his grandfather's narrowboat moored in the estuary at Shoreham, Sussex on the 19th day of November, 1666. His father was a local carpenter, and his grandfather a retired Leading Seaman. He spent most of his childhood on land, roaming the wilds of the South Downs, but occasionally went out with his uncle fishing the Channel.

Pre-Naval career
His first job was as a hand in the local yard, scraping barnacles and doing the odd repaint. While there he learned a fair bit of the boat building trade, and certainly enough to help keep the local fishing fleet well maintained. In his late teens his father sent him away to Portsmouth to work on the ships. Of course, he was an unknown in Pompey and had to start right at the bottom, and he spent a number of years feeling trapped in his new life.

Navy years
When England entered into the the Grand Alliance, this period initially saw increased responsibilities for Strutt at the port due to demand. However, he'd been mulling over thoughts of his late grandfather's life during the slow times and decided that, while there was conflict, it was his place to enlist in the Royal Navy, which he did late in the summer of 1690. Being a largely uneducated and unprivileged man he entered into service as a rating until events in the West Indies three decades on set him on a new course.

Record of Achievement

 * October 22nd 1720 - Promotion to Master


 * October 4th 1720 - Enlisted in the St. George Squadron

Command
September 1720 - Present: HMS Vesper, 'La Belle' Light Corvette

Currently undergoing sea trials: HMS Erato, 'Postillionen' Frigate