Back to the Indian Ocean.

[Bligh]

It had been 20 months since Captain David McBride had departed Bombay and left the HMS Nottingham behind for a full and well needed refit. He had sailed back to England as the most successful captain in the HEIC’s navy, to click his heels in the anti rooms of the HEIC in London. His waiting eventually bore fruit however. After debating his activities and merits in the HEIC boardroom for many weeks they finally agreed to a course of action, and David was now returning to India as the Commodore of the small but highly respected squadron stationed in the Persian Gulf and Oman as far south as the Malabar Coast. To all intents and purpose this position was as senior in the HEIC navy as that of being a Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy.
Accompanying him, he took his First Officer from the Nottingham, John Wilkinson, Captain Geoffrey Smithers, destined for the command of the newly commissioned HEIC Bombay, and several of his followers, including his cabin steward, Miles McGinty, and Boatswain John Peel, known to his associates as “Old ding dong” because of his penchant for a good old punch up with the enemy.