Battle of Dogger Bank (1696)

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Battle of Dogger Bank
Part of the Nine Years' War
Treffen tussen een vloot onder Jan Bart en een Hollandse vloot, 1696 Le 18 Juin 1696, Jean-Bart commandant une Esacdre de 7 Fregates rencontre la Flote Hollandoise venant de la Baltique (titel op obj, BI-B-FM-069-18 (cropped).jpg
1806 print of the battle by Yves-Marie Le Gouaz
Date17 June 1696
Location 54°43′26″N2°46′08″E / 54.724°N 2.769°E / 54.724; 2.769
Result French victory
Belligerents
Royal Standard of the King of France.svg  France Prinsenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the Kingdom of France (1814-1830).svg Jean Bart Prinsenvlag.svg Rutger Bucking 
Strength
7 frigates
1 fireship
2 longboats
2 privateers
5 frigates
112 merchant ships
Casualties and losses
31 killed and wounded Unknown killed and wounded
1,200 captured
4 frigates destroyed
1 frigate captured
25 merchant ships destroyed

The Battle of Dogger Bank was a naval battle fought on 17 June 1696 as part of the War of the Grand Alliance. It was a victory for a French force of seven ships over a Dutch force of five ships and the convoy it was escorting.

Contents

Battle

French privateer Jean Bart found a Dutch convoy of 112 merchant ships, escorted by five Dutch ships near Dogger Bank.

The French had more warships and more cannons than the Dutch. Furthermore, the French crews were very experienced and led by an exceptional commander, so the outcome of the battle was very predictable. However, the French had to hurry because a large English squadron, under Admiral John Benbow, was aware of the French presence and was looking for them.

The battle started on 19:00, when Bart on the Maure attacked the Dutch flagship, the Raadhuis-van-Haarlem. the Dutch fought valiantly for three hours until their captain was killed. Then they surrendered and so did the 4 other ships, one after another.

Bart captured and burned 25 merchant ships until Benbow's squadron of 18 ships approached. The French squadron fled towards Denmark. They remained there until July and then slipped through the allied lines into Dunkirk with 1200 prisoners, on 27 September.

Ships involved

France

Netherlands

Bibliography