HMS Repulse (1780)

HMS Repulse was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 November 1780 at East Cowes, on the Isle of Wight.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Repulse.

Repulse
History
Royal Navy EnsignGreat Britain
NameHMS Repulse
Ordered5 February 1777
BuilderFabian, East Cowes
Laid down12 January 1778
Launched28 November 1780
FateWrecked, 10 March 1800
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeIntrepid-class ship of the line
Tons burthen1387 bm
Length159 ft 6 in (48.62 m) (gundeck)
Beam44 ft 4 in (13.51 m)
Depth of hold19 ft (5.8 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 64 guns:
  • Gundeck: 26 × 24 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 26 × 18 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 10 × 4 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 9 pdrs

She saw action on 12 April 1782 at the Battle of the Saintes under command of Captain Thomas Dumaresq. Her crew were described as "fine Guernsey lads".[2]

Mutiny at The Nore

At the mutiny at The Nore in 1797, Repulse made a 'miraculous' escape from the mutineers reaching shore despite receiving 'as was calculated two hundred shot'. Its First Lieutenant, Lieutenant T. Frances Douglas, was presented with a commemorative sword inscribed: ‘PRESENTED by the Committee of Merchants &c OF LONDON to LIEUT.T FRANCIS DOUGLAS for his Spirited and active conduct on board His Majesty’s Ship the REPULSE. Ja.s Alms Esq.r Commander during the MUTINY at the NORE in 1797. Marine Society Office, May 1o 1798 } Hugh Inglis Esq.r Chairman’[3][4]

Loss

On 10 March 1800, having been driven off course by heavy weather, Repulse struck a submerged rock and began taking on water. The crew eventually abandoned the ship somewhere in the vicinity of the Cap Sizun, on the Pointe de Penharn from where the majority of the survivors were taken away as prisoners of war. The first lieutenant took a number of men in Repulse's large cutter, and headed for England instead, arriving at Guernsey on 16 March.[5]

Citations
  1. Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p181.
  2. Famous Fighters of the Fleet, Edward Fraser, 1904, p.128
  3. Sword (LEUT T. Francis Douglas; maker: James Morisset), Victoria and Albert Museum, accessed 15 August 2011
  4. Commander Francis Douglas, douglashistory.co.uk, accessed 15 August 2011
  5. Ships of the Old Navy, Repulse.

References
  • Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
  • Michael Phillips. Repulse (64) (1780). Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 10 August 2007.
  • JONIN Bruno (1985) "Un grand naufrage à la pointe de Bretagne: le Repulse" Ed. JAEH 1985

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