Lord Collingwood was born in
Newcastle upon Tyne, the son of a merchant. He attended the
Royal Grammar School and joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer at the age of 12. From there he continued his nautical education under his cousin
Captain Richard Brathwaite. After serving in the
British Naval Brigade at the
Battle of Bunker Hill, Collingwood was commissioned in 1775 as a
lieutenant. His first command was
HMS Badger, after succeeding Horatio Nelson, and his first major command was
HMS Sampson. During the Battle of Trafalgar Collingwood assumed command of the British fleet after the death of Lord Nelson, transferring to
HMS Euryalus. Collingwood then led the fleet and completed the battle plans that he and Nelson had created together. In 1805 Collingwood was appointed to the
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet. After requesting to be relieved of his command the government stated that it urgently required an admiral of his calibre to lead against the dangers of the French and her allies, and that his country could therefore not dispense of him. However, in 1809, his health declined and he was granted leave. In 1810 Collingwood died of cancer on board as he sailed for England. He was laid to rest beside Lord Nelson in
St Paul's Cathedral. During his career he had served in the
American Revolutionary War, the
French Revolutionary Wars and the
Napoleonic Wars, and had been awarded three
Naval Gold Medals, making him one of only three people to share the distinction of earning a total of three. ==The monument==