Dutch Invasion

Last Opposed Battle On English Soil

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The Last opposed attempted invasion of England. The Last opposed battle on English soil and the First Land Battle of the Royal Marines, where professional soldiers fough professional soldiers; was at the Landguard Fort, Felixstowe, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

During the Second Anglo-Dutch War, from 9th to 14th June 1667, the old calendar, now re-calculated to 2nd July with the Gregorian calendar that is used today.

The Dutch made many successful raids on Medway Dockyards, where English fighting ships-of-the-line were laid up from the naval bases of Chatham, Sheerness and Upnor Castle.

Michiel de Ruyter, the Dutch Vice-Admiral who had the largest fleet in the Channel at that time; which was also well manned. In their first raid at Chatham they captured the ships, "Unity" and the "Royal George", and they burnt a dozen others using fire-ships, which they had towed over from Holland for the job.

Later the Dutch displayed the ship's English Coat-of-Arms with a lion and a unicorn, proving they did capture the "Royal George".

Marines In Asia

The British Were Alarmed

England was in the middle of a Second Dutch War; but most of her fleet were laid up in various ports because of the expense of maintaing a large naval force at sea. People living close to the southern ports became worried and frightened.

The people of Felixstowe and Harwich, on the opposite sides of the estuary, were in an equal state of alarm. The Dutch fleet were out in the waters of the North Sea, all knew that anything could happen, and they would be powerless to prevent it.

The Landguard Fort had been ready to defend Harwich harbour from 1625. Although it was not fully-manned for such an event; because it was least expected.

However at the time of the invasion there were 400 very experienced musketeers who were taking a rest from having fought against the Dutch for the past two years. The Fort itself comprised of forty cannons with approximately one-hundred men and officers for guns crews; including the Fort commander and his staff.

At The Fort

"Colonel, I have two companies here, George Cartwright's and my company, as you know," said Captain Darell. "Six officers, 400 men and 40 cannons are hardly enough to prevent de Ruyter from breaking through to Harwich, especially if he has land troops with him. What support can I count on from the militia?"

"They'll put up a fight," said the Colonel.

"But what use will they be to us? The Duke of Suffolk's no commander, and none of the rest know the first thing about tactics," answered Darell.

"Maybe you are right," replied his senior, "but you should manage, your troops are experienced veterans to a man; and more than a match for any Dutchman."

Vice-Admiral Michiel de Ruyter

Decided it was time to attack. Weighing up anchor at dawm, the Dutch fleet sailed North, as far as Aldeburgh, where they turned and came about, passing Orfordness at 7 o'clock in the morning. At 11 o'clock they arrived off Felixstowe.

Colonel Thomas Dolman, the English commander of the Dutch land forces. (We have to remember, that many of Cromwell's Parlimentarians, such as Colonel Dolman, left England and joined the Dutch army and navy).

At this same period in time Landguard Point, it is believed might have been part of early Essex, because births and deaths were registered at Colchester, Essex.

The Dutch Invasion 1667

English ships formed a defensive line anchored bow to stern right across Harwich harbour, with their gun-ports open and their cannons facing the on-coming enemy.

Some of the Dutch landed on the beach at Harwich, so they could row across to the rear of Landguard Point. The main force under the command of Colonel Dolman, mainly Dutch Marines and naval ratings arrived collectively on the sand and shingle by the cliffs at Cottage Point (now know as Cobbolds Point) to the North of the Fort.

A group of Dutch Marines climbed up the cliff and defeated the Suffolk Militia. The rest with some ladders, set off towards the Landguard Fort. Armed with long pikes and muskets, they slowly and with great difficulty dragged their small cannons across the shingle.

When orded to they formed up into their various formations on the beach ready and awaiting the command to attack.

Captain Darell at Landguard Fort

A hail of shot hit the northern wall soon after 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Screams from the attackers getting louder as the enemy neared the Fort. The noise of Dutch grenades exploding was deafening against the ears.

One landed on the catwalk wounding three men. All eyes were upon Darell. The Dutch ladders were put up unbelievably quickly. As the first Dutch Marines moved towards the thick stone walls, Darell's whistle gave the long awaited signal to open fire.

Little was said on either side. This was war between professionals. Orders were few. Every man knew his job. The shooting was concentrated at the men firing the cannons, when not faced directly with the enemy.

Marksmen choosing their targets wisely, crouching, aiming, firing, and quickly, moving to and fro from one gun port to another. As each man fired he handed the weapon to a man behind him, receiving a charged musket in return.

The grenadiers strode along the catwalk listening for the thud of a new ladder going up against the wall. As each Dutch head came over the parapet, the grenadier had to duck pass the downward curve of a cutlas and hurl his grenade to the foot of the ladder.

"Spie"

Through the blockade one English ship "Spie", (a galliot hoy, with a crew of about 25, with 1 or 2 cannons (3" bore), fired grape-shot at the Dutch soldiers on the shore near the Fort.

The shingle on the beach, sprayed by the shot acted like shrapnel causing damage killing and wounding many of the Dutch soldiers.

Heavy Fighting Was Continuous

With a slash of his sword, the tall officer signalled his Dutch troops forward. By doing so Dolman had also signalled his own death, for a marksman had chosen him as his main target.

From the instant Darell whistled and cried out "Fire!" Muskets answered from every position, even from the south where others were seen approaching from the beach facing Harwich.

Every man had armed themselves ready to repel boarders. Like waves, blue coats staggered in their advance, stumbling over fallen comrades.

Captain Nathaniel Darell nealt looking from the cover of the side of a port looked closely at a dead Dutch officer, and soon realised it was Dolman.

He must have leaned too far forward, for a shot smashed into his shoulder. He realised it wasn't fatal, so he continued to lead his men in a dominent defence of the fort. He could see signs of weakness in his enemy they were appealing to him.

The forward march on the Fort was ragged as were the formations that brought the scaling ladders to the front. There was now no cohesion with Dolman dead. With no commander to lead them their appetite for fighting was fading fast.

Darell ordered the firing to cease he could see that he had won the day and the Dutch Marines; what was left were now retuning to the boats that had come to pick them up. It had been a gallant fight, but only to the victor goes the glory.

With one killed and four wounded the Musketeers had cleary beaten the enemy. Perhaps another time, another day, there can be little doubt that the Dutch Marines would have succeeded, but today was the wrong time to attack. Those hand-picked men that made up the Musketeers; were the forefathers of today's Royal Marines.

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After The Excitement Of Action

Influenced by this courageous deed, James, The Duke of York and Albany, left London to go to Harwich on 4th July 1667. On 6th July, he visited Captain Darell and his troops of the Lord High Admiral's Regiment, at Landguard Fort.

The action of the Regiment brought an early end the the Second Anglo-Dutch War. A treaty between England and Holland was signed at Breda in Holland, on 31st July 1667, with the Dutch gaining more than the British from the agreement.

Later on the 3rd October 1668, Charles II arrived at the Landguard Fort, from Ipswich.

On 28th October 1664, Charles II, had raised 1200 "land soldiers for sea service" and placed them under the command of his brother, James (later to be James II).

They were known as the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment or the Lord High Admiral's Regiment (both titles held by James).

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