Early Career
This section covers the career of Aubrey before the Aubrey-Maturin series, for more information on that period, see the individual books.
Like many officers in the British fleet, Aubrey spent much of his life raised on the sea, joining the navy very early in his life. While a midshipman aboard the HMS Resolution commanded by a friend of General Aubrey's, Captain Douglas, Jack was turned before the mast for hiding a girl aboard the ship. He spent six months as a common seaman before being rerated as a midshipman. This was when Lord Keith was still Captain Elphinstone, therefore pre-1797.
Aubrey also spent some time as 5th Lieutenant aboard HMS Hannibal (in service 1786–1801), under Captain John Newman. There, after insulting the first Lieutenant, he was put in front of a board, with Lord Keith upon it, which reprimanded him for his "petulance," which led to Aubrey spending eight months ashore with half pay.
While second lieutenant aboard HMS Foudroyant (1798), Aubrey was the leader of the prize crew for the Généreux when she was captured by Nelson's fleet in 1800.
Read more about this topic: Jack Aubrey
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