The British Royal Navy has never lost a battle?

[DrDeth]

@AK84

This is an American board right?

The RN was famously defeated at theBattle of Chesapeake Bay 224 years ago tommorrow. The French victory led directly to the British capitulation at Yorktown. Have you guys seriously not heard of that?

Otherwise who knows? The US might have been beginning this weak to celebrate Elizabeth II becoming the longest regaining monarch.
Other defeats include Force Z, Cornonel and variousrogerings at the hands of the Dutch in the 17th centuries.

Yep, the Battle of Coronel was a complete and total defeat of the RN. Unambiguously. Totally. It was also a “battle” and not a single-ship engagement.

[dougie_monty]

@carnivorousplant

It is rumored that Jones said, “Now I’ve got the son of a bitch!”, but that obviously does not go down well in Middle School History.

Rumors don’t either.

[silenus]

@Boyo_Jim

They were not carrier-based.

I was hoping you would have missed that. :o

[Jackmannii]

U-9 sank three British cruisers in the North Sea, September 22, 1914. Not exactly a “battle” (since the British didn’t fire a shot), but having an entire cruiser force wiped out qualifies as a defeat.

Jutland on the other hand shouldn’t be regarded as a defeat for the British, since the Germans failed to make a significant dent in British naval superiority, did not affect the British blockade and had to flee for their lives back to port.

Overall, the British naval record is excellent enough that it doesn’t need hyperbole.

[ElvisL1ves]

@Jackmannii

U-9 sank three British cruisers in the North Sea, September 22, 1914. Not exactly a “battle” (since the British didn’t fire a shot), but having an entire cruiser force wiped out qualifies as a defeat.

So does the sinking of HMS Royal Oak in Scapa Flow by U-47.

[Trinopus]

Another plea for an explanation of the 220 cupcake.

[carnivorousplant]

@dougie_monty

Rumors don’t either.

It sounds better than, “We owe this victory to the English Public School system.”

[ElvisL1ves]

or “It was won on the playing fields of Eton.”

[eburacum45]

Of all the battles the British Navy lost, this one is the least bellicose;
The Battle of May Island
No other combatants were involved, so we only had ourselves to blame.

[TSBG]

This is all nitpicky, but then this is the SD:

Apparently the Royal Navy dates itself to 1660, though it was of course the English rather than the British Royal Navy until 1707. And De Ruyter died before the founding of the Royal Navy (of course there was an English navy for him to fight, but it seems the institution of the Royal Navy only came into being in 1660).

[ElvisL1ves]

@eburacum45

Of all the battles the British Navy lost, this one is the least bellicose;
The Battle of May Island
No other combatants were involved, so we only had ourselves to blame.

There was also the 1893 sinking of HMS Victoria - by HMS Camperdown.

[up_the_junction]

This has reminded me of Patrick O’Brian’s introduction to his magnificent series of books when he talks about not needing to exaggerate the characters and deeds of that organsiation at the turn of the 19th century. The earlier days of Nelson’s Band of Brothers, etc. Wonderful stuff.

[Baron_Greenback]

@up_the_junction

This has reminded me of Patrick O’Brian’s introduction to his magnificent series of books when he talks about not needing to exaggerate the characters and deeds of that organsiation at the turn of the 19th century. The earlier days of Nelson’s Band of Brothers, etc. Wonderful stuff.

Quite a lot of Jack’s exploits match those of the real Thomas Cochrane.

[carnivorousplant]

Admiral Lord Cochrane did many things like Jack, including fighting the navy in the Chilean revolution.
My Step-Daughter is in Chile, and many things are named after him. I believe that I have mentioned finding the “Admiral Lord Cochrane Pipefitter” shop in Santiago.

[Johanna]

@Trinopus

Another plea for an explanation of the 220 cupcake.

I looked it up. It was simple enough to subtract 220 from the present year. Action of 7 October 1795

a French squadron led by Rear-Admiral Joseph de Richery captured a large British convoy of thirty-one merchant vessels. The British convoy, escorted by three ships of line and several frigates under Commodore Thomas Taylor, sailed from Gibraltar and were intercepted on 7 October by a French squadron, one of the two who managed that year to evade the British blockade of Toulon. During the action the French ships captured a British 74-gun ship of line and all but one merchantmen.

[dougie_monty]

@ElvisL1ves

or “It was won on the playing fields of Eton.”

That was the Battle of Waterloo, Smartie.

[Elendil_s_Heir]

Over the summer, as it happens, I re-read Nicholas Monsarrat’s The Cruel Sea, a great novel about British corvette sailors during the WWII Battle of the Atlantic. Highly recommended.

[carnivorousplant]

@dougie_monty

That was the Battle of Waterloo, Smartie.

So was, “We owe this victory to the English Public School System.”
We are comparing Victorious British Military Phrases.
:rolleyes:

[Your_Great_Darsh_Face]

@dougie_monty

Jones: I have not yet begun to fight!
Sailor: Well, don’t you think it’s about time you did? The bloomin’ ship’s about had it!

Ah, Zappers That History Forgot. A comedy classic.

Nathan Hale: “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”
Redcoat (kicking barrel from under Hale): “We’re not complaining! Every little helps!”

[Ludovic]

@AK84

This is an American board right?

The RN was famously defeated at theBattle of Chesapeake Bay 224 years ago tommorrow. The French victory led directly to the British capitulation at Yorktown. Have you guys seriously not heard of that?

Yes, it is an American board, and being so, this question was posted either in the early morning or the middle of the night American time. And no one had mentioned the Battle of the Chesapeake for a whole hour, can you believe that?