Battle of Dogger Bank (1781) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Dogger Bank
Part of the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War
The Battle of Dogger Bank, Thomas Luny
Date 5 August 1781 (1781-08-05) Location Dogger Bank, North Sea 54°43′26″N 2°46′08″E / 54.724°N 2.769°E / 54.724; 2.769 Result Indecisive
Belligerents
Great Britain	Dutch Republic
Commanders and leaders
Hyde Parker	Johan Zoutman
Strength
7 ships of the line 5 frigates 1 cutter	7 ships of the line 6 frigates
Casualties and losses
104 killed 339 wounded	142 killed 403 wounded 1 ship of the line sunk

The Battle of Dogger Bank was a naval battle that happened on August 5, 1781. It took place in the North Sea during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War. This war was also connected to the American Revolutionary War.

It was a tough fight between a British fleet led by Vice Admiral Sir Hyde Parker and a Dutch fleet led by Vice Admiral Johan Zoutman. Both fleets were protecting groups of merchant ships, called convoys.

Why the Battle Happened

In December 1780, Great Britain declared war on the Dutch Republic. This brought the Dutch into the American Revolutionary War. For several years, the Dutch had been helping the Americans. They sent supplies from France to support the American war effort. This was the main reason Britain declared war.

Starting a war with the Dutch meant that Britain's trade in the Baltic Sea was in danger. This area was important for getting wood to build navy ships. So, the British needed to protect their ships in the North Sea more carefully. To do this, the British started blocking Dutch ports. They wanted to stop ships from going in or out. They also began protecting their merchant ships with armed navy vessels.

The Dutch government was having many problems at this time. Because of this, they couldn't really fight back against the British. Their important trade business started to suffer a lot. Finally, they decided they had to send out a large group of merchant ships.

On August 1, 1781, Admiral Johan Zoutman led about 70 merchant ships from the Texel area. Seven large warships, called ships of the line, and several smaller frigates protected them. Admiral Sir Hyde Parker was with a group of ships coming from the Baltic Sea. At 4:00 AM on August 5, he saw the Dutch fleet.

Parker quickly sent his own merchant ships towards the English coast. He then ordered his warships to chase the Dutch fleet instead of getting ready for a battle. Zoutman's warships were mixed in with his merchant ships. He quickly signaled his ships to form a line between Parker and the Dutch merchant convoy.

Parker's ships were not in the best shape. The Royal Navy was very busy with the war. Many ships were old or hadn't been properly fixed. Some ships even had fewer guns than usual. The crews also hadn't had much time to practice battle moves. However, two of Parker's ships, the Berwick and his main ship Fortitude, were newer and in good condition. The Dutch crews were also not very experienced. They hadn't fought much because of the British blockade.

The Battle Begins

Rear Admiral Johan Zoutman, the Dutch commander.

The sea was calm, and a light wind blew from the north-east. Zoutman moved his ships into a battle line, sailing southeast. He waited for Parker, who had the advantage of the wind (called the weather gage). The British fleet came closer. They were a bit messy at first because some ships were in poor condition. They formed a battle line as ordered at 6:10 AM. Two ships were told to switch places, which caused a mistake. This left the Dolphin facing a much larger Dutch ship and the Bienfaisant without an opponent.

Parker raised his battle flag just before 8:00 AM, signaling for a close fight. The British fleet moved even closer. Surprisingly, the Dutch ships did not fire until the two fleets were very close, about half a musket shot apart. Then, Zoutman also raised his flag and opened fire. His ships fired a full side of guns (a broadside) at Parker's ship, the Fortitude.

The close battle lasted for three hours and 40 minutes. Around mid-morning, the Dutch merchant ships moved away from the fighting. They headed back to Texel. At 11:35 AM, Parker signaled his ships to get back into formation. His fleet moved away from the fight and tried to reform their line of battle. At this point, both fleets started to pull away from each other and sailed for home.

The Dutch ship Holland sank after the battle.

Both sides had many casualties, meaning killed and wounded sailors. The British reported 104 killed and 339 wounded. The Dutch reported 142 killed and 403 wounded. Some reports suggested the Dutch casualties might have been much higher. The Dutch ship Holland was badly damaged and slowly sank after the battle. A British ship, the Belle Poule, found the Holland. The Dutch flag was still flying, and it was captured and given to Parker as a prize.

What Happened Next

Both sides said they won the battle. It was a draw in terms of who won the fight itself, because no ships were lost during the battle. Also, both groups of merchant ships escaped. However, in terms of the bigger picture, it was a British victory. The Dutch fleet went back to Texel and did not leave port again for the rest of the war. Also, Dutch merchant trade continued to suffer. British ships, called privateers, kept capturing their merchant ships. One Dutch convoy did make it to the Baltic Sea, but it sailed under the Swedish flag and had a Swedish warship protecting it.

When Admiral Parker returned, he felt he hadn't been given good enough ships for his job. He met King George III and told him: "I wish Your Majesty better ships and younger officers. As for myself, I am now too old for the service." He then quit his command.

In the Dutch Republic, however, the battle was celebrated as a great victory. The last big battle the Dutch fleet had fought was in 1704. Now, the Dutch fleet had fought well against the British. The Dutch commanders were praised a lot, and people in the Dutch Republic were very excited. They ignored the fact that the battle hadn't really changed the overall situation of the war.

Ships in the Battle

British Ships

• Berwick, 74 guns
• Dolphin, 44 guns
• Buffalo, 60 guns
• Fortitude, 74 guns (Admiral Parker's main ship)
• Princess Amelia, 80 guns
• Preston, 50 guns
• Bienfaisant, 64 guns

Dutch Ships

• Erfprins, 54 guns
• Admiraal Generaal, 74 guns
• Argo, Frigate, 44 guns
• Batavier, 54 guns
• Admiraal de Ruijter, 68 guns (Admiral Zoutman's main ship)
• Admiraal Piet Hein, 54 guns
• Holland, 68 guns (sank after the battle)