The Battle of Solebay, which took place on
28th May 1672, marked the opening of the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1672-4),
. An Anglo-French fleet under the command of James, Duke of York
(Lord High Admiral and later James II) in PRINCE, with the Earl of Sandwich
in ROYAL JAMES, and Vice-Admiral Comte d'Estrees in ST. PHILIPPE commanding
the French division fought the Dutch fleet, under Michel de Ruyter,
Lieutenant Admiral of Holland and Admiral of the Fleet.
The Dutch fleet lay at anchor of Malcheren
Island waiting for and opportunity to strike at the Allied fleets and thereby
open the North Sea for Dutch shipping. It was the Duke of York's plan to
place the Allied fleets off the Dogger Bank, so that he could cut off the
Dutch fleet from its home ports if it moved. However, the British
ships were ill found and short of men because of the reluctance of Parliament
to provide the necessary funds. Before the fleet could take up position,
it was necessary for it to replenish and re-equip, and the combined fleets
therefore sailed for Sole Bay. Here they received several thousands
seamen and soldiers sent up from London, as well as a number of Gentlemen
Volunteers anxious to have a share in any glory. One of the army
detachments was a company of the First Guards (now the Grenadier Guards),
including Ensign Churchill, later Duke of Marlborough.
The ships lay in the open roadstead of Sole
Bay for three days, busy with the task of taking onboard men, provisions,
and ammunition. This was to provide de Ruyter with the opportunity
for which he had been waiting. On the morning of 27th May, with an
easterly wind favouring a Dutch attack, the Earl of Sandwich complained
of the risk and asked to put to sea. His warnings were not welcomed,
and despite his experience and record were attributed to over-caution.
However, as a gesture by the Duke of York some scouts were sent out from
the squadrons.
As the next day dawned, one of the scouts (a
French frigate), returned to give the alarm that the entire Dutch fleet
was hot on her heels. There was immediate confusion - the flagship
was still careened and it took some time to refloat her. By the time
this had been achieved, and the 90 or so ships had put to sea, the Dutch
fleet were already in sight on the horizon. It was originally planned
that the French Squadron (the White) would take the van, but in the confusion
they found themselves place in the rear. At this point, the French
carried out an extraordinary manoeuvre which has still not been explained.
Instead of following the British fleet north, they took the opposite tack
and headed off South. No satisfactory information has been given
for this, and it was never clear whether this was deliberate or a mistake.
Whatever the reason, the French apparently took very little part in
De Ruyter, with 70 ships, now had a superiority
of two to one over the Duke of York's division in the first part of the
battle, and the fighting was intense. The Duke of York's flagship
was the obvious target, and was hard pressed. She was struck by fire
from several Dutchmen, attacked by fireships, and her decks swept by musket
fire. By afternoon she was so badly damaged in the hull and rigging
that she could no longer function as a flagship, and the Duke was forced
to transfer his flag to ST.MICHAEL. When she also succumbed to severe
damage, he and his staff were rowed through the thick of the action to
LONDON.
Meanwhile, the Earl of Sandwich in ROYAL JAMES
had problems of his own. The ship was
The battle finally ended at sunset, where the
possible return of the French division and the failing light caused the
Dutch to withdraw. Losses on the Allied side had been heavy, with
many ships damaged and the ROYAL JAMES lost. However, the Dutch also
suffered damage and loss - two Dutch vessels became prizes, another was
sunk, and a fourth blew up. It had been a particularly bloody battle,
and bodies were washed ashore for some time afterward. In some respects,
though, the battle was inconclusive, and both sides claimed victory.
The Anglo-French fleet held the sea and had captured prizes, but the Dutch
claimed that they had succeeded in their main objective of preventing the
fleet from crossing the North Sea to support the French in the Netherlands.
The badge of HMS
SOLEBAY incorporates the White Rose of York to commemorate the Duke
of York's role in the battle.
the rest of the action.
brought to a standstill when it snagged a
small Dutch vessel under its bowsprit, and was promptly the target of fire-ships.
The Earl showed remarkable aplomb, pacing the quarterdeck with his personal
officers, until the flames drove them over the side and into the sea, where
he drowned. His body was recovered several days later. The
ROYAL JAMES sank following an explosion.
>