Anna
Very interesting. You would have thought they would have made a bit more of his presence at Trafalgar!!
I have pasted William Holburne's entry from O'Byrne's Biographical Dictionary below. It has been OCR'd so apologies for any "typo's".
It reveals an apparent misunderstanding. i.e. his brother was actually in the army not the navy. Albeit there were a few other Holburnes in the navy - the most eminent being his grandfather.
Quote:
Sir Thomas William Holburne is only surviving son of the late Sir Fras. Holburne, Bart, (whom he succeeded as fifth Baronet 13 Sept. 1820), by Alicia, daughter of Thos. Brayne, Esq., of co. Warwick ; grandson of Fras. Holburne, Esq., Admiral of the White, Rear-Admiral of Great Britain, Governor of Greenwich Hospital, and M.P. for Plymouth ; and cousin of Sir Alex. Holbume, Bart., a Captain in the R.N., who died 22 Jan. 1772.
His elder and only brother, Francis, an officer in the 3rd Foot Guards, died of a wound he received before Bayonne, 14 April, 1814.
This officer entered the Navy, in July, 1805, as First Class Vol., on board the Orion 74, Capts. Edw. Codrington and Sir Archibald Collingwood Dickson, under the former of whom he fought at Trafalgar. In Feb. 1807, after having been for some time employed at the blockade of Toulon, he became Midshipman of the Tonnant 80, bearing the flag of Hon. Michael de Couroy; in which ship we find him, in 1808, accompanying Sir John Duckworth to the West Indies in pursuit of a French squadron from Rochefort ; and, in Jan. 1809, assisting at the embarkation of the army after the battle of Corunna. Until Nov. 1812 he next presents himself to our notice as serving with Rear Admiral De Courcy on the Brazilian station in the FOUDROYANT 80.
He was made Lieutenant, 5 Feb. 1813, into the Stromboli bomb, Capts. John Stoddart and Rich. Croker, with whom he cruized in the Mediterranean until the autumn of 1814 ; and he was lastly, from April to Oct. 1815, employed in the Channel on board the Euphrates 36, Capt. Robt. Preston. Agents — Messrs. Stilwell.