Battle off Dover 1217

Britain's First Big Naval Battle

This Naval History continues on from: "Medieval Sea-Fight"

The fierce naval encounter off Dover in August 1217, will furnish a good illustration of several devices (already mentioned previously) in action.

This Battle is really of the highest importance because it was the First Big Naval Battle to be fought by the Old Navy on the open sea.

Since that Conquest, and the clear cut victory of the English over the French there followed six hundred years' of sea-rivalry which ended with the downfall of Napoleon.

Prince Louis of France, with the assistance of a collection of the lowest order of British nobility rebels, had already invaded England and occupied strategic points.

But, based as he was in France, he had to obtain most of his supplies and all of his reinforcements from across the Channel.

It was a fleet formed for this purpose, led by that sinister figure, Eustace the Monk, which formed the French force in the battle.

Medieval Sea-Fight

Cinque Ports' Ships

Its adversaries were all, or mostly, South Port's Ships, and they were led into the main action by, Hubert de Burgh, a great man whom some claim as the first Englishman to appreciate the value of sea-power.

He was then holding Dover Castle for the infant King, Henry III, and later administered the State because the Monarch was a minor; he proved to be a stout and true Regent of England.

There is much obscurity and some conflict of evidence, both to the numbers of ships and the strength of the man-power as well as many of the details about the fight.

The French claimed that the English turned and fled when they approached England; this was before de Burgh, arrived on the scene coming from Dover. However, it is possible that part of the English fleet did at one moment retreat.

The Sun at the Battle of Hastings

But then so did Duke William on the much better-known occasion at Hastings, a century and a half before. He knew how to lure the enemy forward.

Judging by the behavior of the English by the time the battle had ended, we should be well-advised to believe that this is exactly what they were doing here.

The tactical lay-out of the battle indicates that such a move was justified. The French fleet, leaving Calais, was running north, or a little west of it, in order to round the North Foreland and enter the Thames-Estuary. The wind was in the south-east.

The English, coming out from Dover, and Sandwich, would have been directly in the path of the enemy that was bearing down on them. It was still morning, the sun would be directly behind the French and full in the eyes of the English.

The advantages gained of being able to "come out of the sun" at one's enemy has so often been demonstrated, and stressed, in the later days of Spitfires and Messerschmitts. What some men are apt to forget is; that it has always existed in war.

The archer's aim, was liable to be almost fatally deflected if he were called upon to fire into the eye of the sun, especially if it was low in the sky. With sun and wind against them, it may well be that the English withdrew to gain some time.

When we see them again they are making for Calais, ignoring the enemy, and now reinforced by de Burgh's squadron and more importanly by de Burgh himself. Eustace interpreted their action wrongly thinking that the English were going to attack Calais.

This clash was England's first Encounter with France

There came a time when the English had got near enough to the French shore to be on the windward side of the enemy, when they turned they had the sun behind them. They then attacked the French who were waiting for them, and then a fierce and violent battle raged.

As the Englishmen bore down on the French ships, they discharged not only volleys of arrows from cross-bows and long-bows, but also fragile pots of quicklime powder. The effects were most striking also used was the triboli, with or without the soft-soap we can not be sure.

Ship grappled ship in the series of encounters, men armed with axes were ordered to cut through the main-stays of the rigging ropes of their opponents' ships, so that the sails would fall upon the half-blinded defenders at the crucial moment of bording and entry.

In the confusion the English men-at-arms, swarming on board, made short work of the enemy as they struggled beneath the fallen rigging, others, they shoved straight over the side. The whole affair was short but very sharp.

There had been two encounters where all but fifteen of the enemy's ships were captured. The fight was significantly decisive. Prince Louis immediately retired, and peace was made within a month, but it did not last very long.

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Merits and Attributions

It is possible, that we might have attributed to de Burgh, or some unkown person on the English side, a greater degree of tactical ability than they really possessed. Yet, when allowance is made for this, there remains evidence of a real tactical sense by somebody.

Certainly the merits of the English weapons of the day seem to be exploited to the full. But there was not then, or for a long time to come, any sort of fleet tactics; the ships were much to uncontrollable to allow regular formations.

The battle was composed of a number of single-ship encounters, due to the efforts of the ship's companies concerned. Unless the wind changed between the first and second encounters of the fleets.

It looks as though the English must have at some time or other have worked hard, in order to approach close to the French coast. This would constitute a very early example of tacking, but this cannot be regaded as a proven fact.

The continuation of this Naval History will be: "King's Knights 1350"

Battle off Dover Kings Knights 1350

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