Wednesday 19 June 2013

1812 Remembered - British, American and Canadian sailors have paid homage to men killed in one of the most famous – and bloodiest – battles waged the last time London and Washington went to war against each other.   On the 1st June 1813, the Frigate SHANNON and the American Frigate USS CHESAPEAKE clashed off Boston (Massachusetts) in a short and bloody encounter.    Bostonians were convinced of success, but Captain Philip Bowes Vere Brooks RN, in command of the SHANNON delivered a lesson in naval gunnery and training - for every shot fired by the USS CHESAPEAKE into SHANNON, the British Frigate responded with two into the American warship.     

In all, 228 men were killed or wounded in the brief battle, making it the bloodiest single ship encounter of the entire war and after just 15 minutes of battle the USS CHESAPEAKE struck the ship’s battle flag which was lowered and the Blue Ensign of the Royal Navy hoisted by the SHANNON’s Boarding Team, even though the mortally wounded Commander of the American warship urged his men: “Don’t give up the ship” – a motto which lives on in today’s American Navy.      Both ships subsequently made for Halifax (Canada) some 300 miles away, where the casualties of battle were treated and the dead laid to rest in what is now known as the Old Burial Ground.     In all 38 sailors, marines, landsmen and immigrants lost their lives on the SHANNON, whilst on the American warship some 60 American sailors and marines were killed.    Two hundred years later the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, (Brigadier-General John Grant) unveiled a commemorative plaque and laid a wreath on the joint grave of the SHANNON’s Midshipman John Samwell and Boatswain William Steven.    Representing the Royal Navy at the memorial proceedings was Lieutenant-Commander Mike Jones-Thompson, an Air Warfare Officer who is one of five on exchange with the Canadians in Halifax.

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