Harry Rex
Henricus "Harry" Rex (1656 AN – ). Ransenari naval officer. Born at Avakair, during the reign of King Ryker Everstone, Rex came of age during the period when Shireroth, the hegemonic power of Benacia rent itself apart during the Kalirion Fracture of 1672 AN. Rex prudently escaped the War in Wintergleam via the timely expedient of emigrating to Ran, where the Imperial Democratic Party had usurped control of the county from the moribund imperial government, along with parts of neighbouring Ynnraile and Lunaris. Wishing for a steady career, and to avoid being embroiled in the confrontations against the Revolutionary Army of Crisco, Rex enlisted with the Navy of Ransenar from the year of its inception in 1673 AN, being taken on as a midshipman aboard the fleet auxiliary vessel RFA Treesian Spirit where he would remain for three years before transferring to the Elwynn-class corvette HRMS Kernwick. He would be aboard the Kernwick during the Second Amokolian War (1678 AN – 1679 AN) where the corvette would be engaged in chasing down Verionist blockade runners seeking to enter the port of Chryse. Although he would pass the examinations which would secure his lieutenancy, he would spend the next few years on half-pay and rotating through shore postings, as post-war financial retrenchments bit deep into the naval service.
As the Second Elwynnese Civil War (1692 AN – 1696 AN broke out, he would be returned to active service aboard the Natopia-class destroyer HRMS Harvey Steffki during the Battle of the Rockwind Passage (4.VIII.1692 AN), earning a citation for his role in onboard repairs as the ship began to list heavily following a torpedo detonation below amidships. His first command, the Seafox-class corvette HRMS Seraphim as part of the Shire Sea Flotilla of Benacia Command, watching against feared Jingdaoese or Calbionese interventions. Rex would leave the Seraphim in 1703 AN to become Executive Officer for Commodore Daniel Malone aboard the Eisboyle-class amphibious assault ship HRMS Centaur until 1708 AN. Rex would subsequently accept the offer of a secondment to the Maritime Armada as part of his career development from 1708 AN to 1711 AN.