HMS Staunch (1804)

Staunch was commissioned in September 1804 under Lieutenant Benjamin Street and was attached to the Channel Fleet.[1] On 30 August 1806, Staunch sailed for the Cape of Good Hope, with orders to assist in the invasions of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Staunch's crew landed and participated in the attack on Montevideo, suffering losses in the battle (one killed and four wounded).[3]

On 1 June, the Spanish privateer schooner Mosca de Buenos Aires, of four guns and 60 men, under the command of Juan Bautista Azopardo, outran Staunch and the brig Protector as they chased her upriver. Later, two boats from the British warships attempted to seize Mosca de Buenos Aires in shallow waters. They failed, although they did manage to capture an enemy sloop.[4] On 28 June, Staunch captured another sloop and destroyed two other vessels of a convoy going to the south shore for troops.[5] When the British invasion failed, Staunch retired to the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1810, Staunch was attached to Commodore Josias Rowley's squadron on Île Bourbon and from there was part of the blockading force under Samuel Pym that was almost totally destroyed at the Battle of Grand Port (20–27 August 1810) over possession of the harbour of Grand Port on Isle de France (now Mauritius). Staunch had been sent back to Rowley for reinforcements and so was not with the squadron at its destruction.

Earlier, Staunch participated in the 10–17 August expeditions to capture the Île de la Passe. On 28 August Staunch, Boadicea, and Otter shared in the capture of Garronne.[6] On 4 September the same three vessels shared in the capture of Ranger.[7][lower-alpha 1]

Staunch was later part of Rowley's squadron at the action of 13 September 1810 and helped drive off a French squadron under Pierre Bouvet at the action of 18 September 1810. In this action Staunch assisted in the recapture of Ceylon and the capture of Vénus.[9]

Nearly four decades later the Admiralty recognized Staunch's role in the battle by the clasp "Staunch 18 Sept. 1810" attached to the Naval General Service Medal, awarded upon application to all of her crew still living in 1847.[10]

In November 1810, command passed to Lieutenant Hector Craig (acting), Street having removed to the government ship Emma as captain (acting). Craig then commanded Staunch in support of the successful Invasion of Isle de France (29 November to 3 December).[1][lower-alpha 2]

On 5 January 1811 Sir Francis Drake, Nisus, Iphigenia, and Hesper, participated in the capture of the French schooner Mouche. Staunch apparently was also entitled to share in the prize money.[13]

In June 1811, while sailing off Madagascar, Staunch disappeared. She is believed to have foundered with the loss of her entire crew of 76.[14][15]

• Gosset, William Patrick (1986). The lost ships of the Royal Navy, 1793-1900. Mansell. ISBN 0-7201-1816-6.
• Hepper, David J. (1994). British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650-1859. Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot. ISBN 0-948864-30-3.
• Hughes, Ben (2013). The British Invasion of the River Plate, 1806–1807: How the Redcoats were Humbled and a Nation was Born. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-2992-3.
• Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.

• Phillips, Michael: Ships of the Old Navy