The Boy Who Became Admiral Cloudesley

“We are in grave danger. Come at once. We?re not defeated yet, but close to disaster. The enemy is fully engaged. Attack from behind. Fight with all you have. Come immediately.”

H e was just a twelve-year-old boy.

No mother. No father.

He lived in a broken-down house.

No family. No one to love him.

The boy had gotten used to wandering. He ate whatever he found. If he came home, he came. If not, no one to ask.

One day, while wandering, he reached the seashore. There, he saw a huge navy ship docked.

At that time, a great war was going on. Many soldiers had died. New ones kept joining, but it was never enough. Every day, they shouted, “We need more men!”

The boy had only come to watch. He stood there, staring at the ship. Something about the ship stirred his heart.

Oh! If only I could live on this ship! It?s so big? there must be endless people on it. One day this town, tomorrow another? It must sail everywhere. If only I could go with it!

As he was lost in such thoughts, he noticed two soldiers aboard the ship looking at him and pointing.

One soldier pointed, the other nodded.

The one who pointed climbed down from the ship and walked toward the boy.

The boy thought of running. But then said to himself, ?Let me stay. Let?s see what he wants.?

The soldier came smiling.

The boy felt better. A smiling man must mean no harm.

The soldier put a hand on his shoulder and asked, ?Hey friend! What are you doing here??

?Nothing,? said the boy. ?Just wandering.?

?At a time like this? There?s a war going on and you?re just wandering?,?Do you want a job??

The boy?s face lit up. He nodded eagerly, ?Yes, yes! But who would give a poor boy like me a job??

?I will,? said the soldier. ?Ours is a navy ship. Our admiral needs a helper. Big men are needed for fighting, so he needs a small boy. Will you come??

?Yes, of course!? said the boy.

?Then go ask your mother and father.?

?I don?t have any,? said the boy. ?No mother, no father. Who do I ask??

?Well then, perfect,? said the soldier. ?Come with me. I?ll take you to the admiral.?

The soldier took the boy to the admiral. The admiral had been looking for a helper like him. He agreed immediately.

The boy?s job was simple ? help the admiral, carry his orders, take care of his room. During battles, the admiral would be gone for days. The boy would stay alone, moving around freely.

This happened many years ago, during a war between the British and the Dutch.

The ship belonged to the British navy.

Sea wars were common back then. This ship was made for such battles. The same day the boy joined, the ship reached the battlefield.

There were only military men on board. The admiral brought a few extra men with him.

The war had now become intense. Cannonballs flew across from ship to ship. Bullets zipped through the air. Men fell and died. It was a terrifying war.

The admiral?s name was Admiral Narborough.

He was old, but strong and full of energy. When enemies heard he was fighting, their courage faded.

But even this brave admiral was worried now. It felt like defeat was coming.

The reason: backup ships had been kept behind, but enemy ships blocked them. The admiral wanted to call for help, but the enemy stood in the way.

The ship the admiral was on had taken heavy damage. One of its two masts had been destroyed. If the second one fell, the whole ship could sink.

Defeat seemed seconds away.

Time was running out. Only if the backup arrived could they win. Someone had to deliver a message.

But there were few men left. Brave ones had died. The rest were injured or busy.

The admiral quickly gathered a few men. He wrote a message in haste:

“We are in grave danger. Come at once. We?re not defeated yet, but close to disaster. The enemy is fully engaged. Attack from behind. Fight with all you have. Come immediately.”

He called the men and said, ?One of you take this letter. Others, remember and deliver the message verbally. I don?t have time to write more.?

Just then, the boy stepped forward. ?Sir, let me deliver it.?

The admiral said, ?You?re too small. This is not your job.?

The boy replied, ?But sir, this isn?t big men’s work. It?s made for someone like me.?

The admiral hesitated.

The boy said, ?Sir, right now, four good men are worth four hundred. Trust God. Save the rest. I will not die. I swear, I won?t.?

The admiral?s heart stirred. There was no other option left. And what the boy said made sense.

The admiral even smiled a little. ?You won?t die, huh??

The boy nodded firmly. ?No, sir. I have no one but God. He will protect me.?

The admiral patted his back, tucked the letter in a leather pouch, and said, ?Then go. Don?t waste a moment.?

The boy ran. He reached the edge of the ship, took a deep breath, whispered a prayer, and jumped into the water.

Cannons boomed. Bullets flew like rain. Blood turned the sea red. Enemies attacked with joy.

The boy swam swiftly. He dove and rose, again and again. He didn?t tire. He didn?t think of fear. He kept checking the pouch and pushed forward.

Evening came.

The boy delivered the message.

The backup army rushed in.

They attacked from behind with full force.

The Dutch were tired from battle. But the new British troops were fresh, fierce, and fearless.

The war flipped.

What looked like defeat turned into a roaring victory.

Admiral Narborough?s joy knew no bounds.

The enemy was destroyed. Few survived. The rest ran.

The boy returned to his ship.

The admiral rushed to him, lifted him up, and hugged him tight ? like his own son. Tears of joy ran down his cheeks.

The soldiers gathered, celebrating the unexpected victory.

Admiral Narborough declared, ?Soldiers, the true hero of today is this boy. Give him your cheers!?

The soldiers clapped thunderously. Even the sky seemed to echo.

The admiral stepped forward, patted the boy?s back and said, ?My blessings to you, child. One day, you will be a great admiral like me.?

And indeed, the admiral?s blessing came true.

That brave little boy later became a great leader ? Admiral CloudesleyShovell.

Even today, he is remembered among Britain?s most courageous admirals.

That?s how a poor, wandering boy reached the highest honor of the navy.