Admiral Sir John Holmes (1640? – 28 May 1683) was an English naval leader, younger brother of the more famous Admiral Robert Holmes. Holmes served in his brother's expedition to West Africa in 1663-1664. At the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665, and until June the following year, he commanded the Paul. He also fought in the St James's Day Battle, as captain of the 48-gun Bristol. He was then promoted to command of a second-rate, HMS Triumph, of 64 guns. In 1670-1 he was in Vice Admiral Sir Edward Spragge's expedition against the corsairs of Algiers. He commanded the Gloucester (62 guns) in the attack on the Dutch Smyrna fleet in 1672, which opened the Third Anglo-Dutch War, capturing one of the Dutch ships though it sank almost immediately because of damage inflicted in the fight. He was knighte