Vice Admiral Sir Richard Grindall KCB (1750 – 23 May 1820) was an officer in the British Royal Navy whose distinguished career during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars was highlighted by his presence at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Despite being slow and ungainly, his 98-gun ship was instrumental in the final stages of the battle and especially in the chaotic storm which followed, when many of the British fleet would have been lost but for the efforts of Grindall and other captains of largely undamaged ships. Biography Born in 1750, Grindall joined the on 7 January 1772 as an able seaman on James Cook's second voyage (1772–75). He messed with the midshipmen during the voyage. Grindall had a late initiation to the Royal Navy, only making lieutenant on 29 November 1776, a full eight years after most of his contemporaries had reached that rank. Almost his entire service was spent in ships of the line especially flagships, including , Samuel Hood's flagship in the West Indies on 21 December 1781. In this ship he saw his first action off Martinique and was promoted to post-captain on 13 March 1783. The outbreak of the Revolutionary War saw Grindall in command of the frigate Thalia, but his tenure was uneventful. He was transferred to in 1795 and was engaged with the French Brest fleet in the battle of Groix. The next eight years were slow and uneventful for Grindall, consisting of constant blockade and convoy work and little chance for action or excitement. Following the Peace of Amiens, this seemed likely to continue, as he was given the huge Prince, which had a reputation for "sailing like a haystack". This unfortunately proved to be the case, and the blockade duty continued, joining Nelson off Cadiz in 1805. On 21 October, the combined Franco-Spanish fleet attempted to escape and Grindall lined up in Collingwood's division to attack them. Unfortunately for Grindall's hopes of action, the ship was so slow that she was passed by her whole division, and took over two hours to cover the two or three miles to reach the battle. By the time she arrived most of the enemy fleet was in British hands or had fled, leaving few targets for the Princes massive broadsides. She did fire on the Spanish flagship and the already blazing but was not attacked