William Green brings a career of field engineering to Gibraltar — Patreon 26: The Great Seige of Gibraltar 1779-1783 at 57:21

Notes

William Green's career shows how the fortress drew on military education, field service, and surveying. He entered the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich as a cadet gunner in 1737, served as an engineer in Flanders, was wounded and captured at the Battle of Val, and surveyed the Austrian Netherlands after the army withdrew. Later work took him through Portsmouth, Landguard Fort, Luxembourg, Newfoundland, and Halifax, where he trained soldiers in military engineering. He then joined the Quebec campaign, including Montmorency and the Plains of Abraham, before becoming Gibraltar's senior engineer in 1761. His repeated reports, support from General Skinner, and confirmation as chief engineer in 1770 connected that field experience to the fortifications that faced the Great Siege. After the siege he joined fortification committees for Plymouth and Portsmouth, became president of the Defence Committee in 1788, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1790.

Source

Video

Patreon 26: The Great Seige of Gibraltar 1779-1783

Date

17 Jun 2021

Time

57:21-1:02:31

Kind

Notable Point

Transcript passages

57:21-58:25William Green trained at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich, served as an engineer in Flanders, was wounded and captured at the Battle of Val, and later surveyed the Austrian Netherlands.
58:29-59:49Green's work at Landguard Fort, Luxembourg, Newfoundland, Halifax, Quebec, Montmorency, and the Plains of Abraham builds the practical career behind his Gibraltar appointment.
1:00:09-1:00:53Green's repeated Gibraltar reports and General Skinner's support led to his confirmation as chief engineer in November 1770.
1:02:03-1:02:31Green's later fortification committee work, Defence Committee presidency, promotions, and election to the Royal Society complete the career overview.