▁November ▁ 1 6 8 5 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Dutch ▁military ▁engineer . ▁By ▁some ▁he ▁is ▁considered ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁figure ▁in ▁ 1 7 th - century ▁English ▁military ▁engineering . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁De ▁G om me ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ter ne u zen , ▁Ze eland ▁as ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Maria ▁H uy bre chts ▁and ▁Pi eter ▁de ▁G om me , ▁who ▁in ▁ 1 6 3 1 ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁supplies ▁at ▁the ▁Dutch ▁for tr esses ▁of ▁L illo ▁ ▁and ▁L ief kens ho ek ▁on ▁either ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Sch eld t ▁near ▁Ant werp . ▁In ▁his ▁youth ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁campaign s ▁of ▁Frederick ▁Henry , ▁prince ▁of ▁Orange , ▁for ▁example ▁in ▁the ▁G enne p ▁campaign ▁of ▁ 1 6 4 1 . ▁He ▁afterwards ▁accompanied ▁Prince ▁Ru pert ▁to ▁England , ▁and ▁was ▁kn ight ed ▁by ▁Charles ▁I . ▁He ▁served ▁with ▁consp ic uous ▁ability ▁in ▁the ▁royal ist ▁army ▁as ▁engineer ▁and ▁quarter master - general ▁from ▁June ▁ 1 6 4 2 ▁to ▁May ▁ 1 6 4 6 , ▁leaving ▁England ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 6 4 6 ▁defe ats ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁English ▁Civil ▁War . ▁His ▁plan ▁of ▁the ▁fort ifications ▁and ▁castle ▁of ▁Liverpool , ▁dated ▁ 1 6 4 4 , ▁is ▁preserved ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Museum . ▁ ▁Return ▁to ▁Netherlands ▁In ▁ 1 6 4 6 , ▁G om me ▁returned ▁to