Complex sentence: The crew had been unwilling to let Bover leave the ship, but he promised to return; despite the urging of many of his colleagues he did so, being greeted with three cheers when he came back aboard and requested not to leave again.
Split into simpler sentences: The crew had been unwilling to let Bover leave the ship, but he had promised to return. Despite the urging of many of his colleagues he did so, being greeted with three cheers when he came back aboard and requested not to leave again.