 On 31 July upon the suggestion of Prince George and under his command, 1,800 Dutch and English Marines were landed near Gibraltar, took the fortress along with Sir George Rooke, Admiral of the Fleet (1702-1704) and defended it successfully against a Spanish-French siege, holding off repeated attacks.Following the arrival of Allied reinforcements and supplies, enabling Prince George to take the offensive, the siege was abandoned in April 1705.He left Gibraltar and took command of the conquest of Barcelona and was killed on 13 September, storming the citadel of Montjuich.