Retrospective 2017: The Dawlish Chronicles Blog Blogging continued actively through the year, with two articles appearing most weeks. This was run in parallel with the writing of the Dawlish Chronicles novels - the latest of which, Britannia's Gamble, was published in October, as well as provision of free short-stories for those who have signed up [...]
The 9th Dawlish Chronicle is now available - details at end of article Discipline, heroism and survival: HMS Alceste, 1817 The aftermath of the wreck of the French frigate Medusa in 1816 is widely regarded as one of the most horrible events in maritime history. Abandoned on an overloaded raft by officers and crew who took [...]
The Great Siege of Gibraltar 1779 - 1783 What was later hailed as The Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779-1783) was one of the great epics of the American War of Independence , even though it took place far from American shores. Gibraltar had been captured by Britain in 1704 and in the intervening years [...]
The loss of HMS Royal George 1782 The disaster that overcame the line-of battle ship HMS Royal George in 1782, while anchored in calm water in sight of shore, was to have as strong an impact on the contemporary public mind as the loss of the RMS Titanic was to have one hundred and thirty years later. The tragedy [...]
HMS Tornado, Torrent and Surprise: Disaster by sea-mine, December 1917 This blog is occasioned by the forthcoming 100th Anniversary on December 23rd of a now largely-forgotten tragedy in which over 250 Royal Navy personnel died within a few hours. German UC-Class minelaying U-boat The First World War at sea saw very few large-scale [...]
HMS Calliope at Apia 1889 Cyclone, Pride, Folly and Brilliant Seamanship In 1889 United States and German naval units were eyeing each other in an armed confrontation which Britain, represented by the screw corvette HMS Calliope, watched as a neutral but cautious observer. A false move by any party could well have triggered a shooting [...]
The Raids of HMS Doris, December 1914 Britain declared war on the Turkish Ottoman Empire on November 5th 1914, the culmination of a complex series of events that resulted in Turkey finally throwing in her lot with Germany and Austro-Hungary. A Turkish attack on Russia brought Britain and France to the aid of her ally, [...]
HMS Quebec vs. Surveillante - 1779 Perhaps the most ferocious frigate action ever? Single ship actions, usually between frigates, are remembered as some of the most dramatic actions of the Age of Fighting Sail. They captured the imagination of the public in their own time, making heroes of captains like Pellew and Cochrane, who [...]
