Last Stand of the Revenge - Against the Odds

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  • Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
  • Today we learn about the last stand of the oldest of the Royal Navy's ships named 'Revenge'.
    Want to support the channel? - / drachinifel
    Want to talk about ships? / discord
    Music - / ncmepicmusic

Комментарии • 725

  • @Drachinifel
    @Drachinifel  5 лет назад +81

    Pinned post for Q&A :)

    • @dehavillandvampire
      @dehavillandvampire 5 лет назад +7

      Who would win the naval war in the Spanish Civil War assuming full willingness to fight on behalf of the various sailors committees that were formed in the aftermath of the July rising, lack of outside intervention and a slightly more aggressive Republican admiralty. Could the Republic win it? Or would the more modern cruisers and better officer class of the Nationalists enable them to pull ahead?

    • @artificernathaniel3287
      @artificernathaniel3287 5 лет назад +8

      When was the transition from galleon to ship of the line or man of war? Was the change from carrack to galleon to ship of the line more of a name change and change in tactics, or did it represent a change in technology and engineering like we saw in the 1800s and 1900s with the transition from ironclad to early battleships to dreadnoughts to fast battleships?
      Was it a slow change over time where various types of ships would still serve together (carracks and galleons or galleons and shipsoftheline) and the border between true carracks and true galleons is fuzzy with plenty of intermediate ship designs presented, or is it a fast change like we saw with dreadnought, where it was a more sudden shift that could be attributed to a few notable individuals pushing it out into the world, where its unveiling obsoleted those before it?

    • @joshthomas-moore2656
      @joshthomas-moore2656 5 лет назад +4

      How much authority does an admiral have over their flagship as i have read a couple of captains over ruling their admirals orders like the Bismark captain so is it a case that the captain is responsible for the fleet while the captain is responsible for the ship so if a group of battleships are ordered to move in a battle but the captain of the flagship feels his ship can't do it he can over rule the admiral

    • @UnintentionalSubmarine
      @UnintentionalSubmarine 5 лет назад +4

      In the intro at 0:21, which ship is it, what are the circumstances and what is all the debris, and why is there so much debris?

    • @joshthomas-moore2656
      @joshthomas-moore2656 5 лет назад

      @thel vadamee thank you for the information

  • @Internetspaceships
    @Internetspaceships 5 лет назад +1195

    Those crafty Spaniards.. They sent wave after wave of their ships in front of the Revenges cannons until they ran out of munitions. Clearly the work of a tactical mastermind.

    • @T.S.Birkby
      @T.S.Birkby 5 лет назад +208

      That commander must have read Zapp Brannigan’s Big Book of War

    • @bigblue6917
      @bigblue6917 5 лет назад +51

      @@T.S.Birkby A fellow Futurama fan. I knew there was something I liked about you.👍

    • @babomb2146
      @babomb2146 5 лет назад +47

      We have found the people who inspired the russians

    • @MendTheWorld
      @MendTheWorld 5 лет назад +38

      Internetspaceships Actually, this is the same tactic that 20 against 1 use in their efforts to subdue the hero in martial arts movies, attacking in waves of 1, 2, or 3 at a time, allowing each successive wave to be defeated. If all 20 were to attack at once, where would be the sport of battle?

    • @phillip_iv_planetking6354
      @phillip_iv_planetking6354 5 лет назад +34

      The British did the same to Glorioso and that ship was all alone and carrying treasure from the new world.....

  • @jamesbunn751
    @jamesbunn751 5 лет назад +717

    Story time with Uncle Drach sounds like a hell of good regular feature. Please sir can we have a lot more.

    • @bobbobson5595
      @bobbobson5595 5 лет назад +5

      Yeah, it makes for really good filler.

    • @jamesbunn751
      @jamesbunn751 5 лет назад +9

      @@bobbobson5595 - filler or featured works for me - never heard the details of that Revenge in action told so well

    • @mattblom3990
      @mattblom3990 5 лет назад +5

      Good filler when he needs to drop something if he's sick or busy. If I was him I'd record a few in advance for a rainy day ;)

    • @T3hderk87
      @T3hderk87 5 лет назад +6

      A lot better than story time with uncle jingles lol.

    • @richardcutts196
      @richardcutts196 5 лет назад +3

      Yes, I like a good story. www.dailymotion.com/video/x2r9b45

  • @squirepraggerstope3591
    @squirepraggerstope3591 3 года назад +97

    I recall decades ago, at school, the class I was in had a rather antique poem about the action drummed into us, of which all I can now remember are a few lines on Grenville's extreme reluctance to surrender and his preferred alternative
    "Sink me the ship, Master Gunner.
    Sink her. Split her in twain!
    Fall into the hands of God,
    Not into the hands of Spain"
    The education of small boys in many English schools in those days was still VERY traditional

    • @steventoby3768
      @steventoby3768 Год назад +15

      I believe that's Tennyson's "The Revenge." Hearing Drach's account made me quite surprised how accurate Tennyson's version was -- very little "poetic license." Maybe none was needed! It's easy to see that this story would appeal to the author of "the Charge of the Light Brigade." I discovered it on my own -- by my time in the US that poem was not taught in school, it was considered politically incorrect. It begins:
      "At Flores in the Azores Sir Richard Grenville lay
      And a pinnace, like a fluttered bird, came flying from far away..." (From memory, the book fell apart 20 years ago)

  • @Quincy_Morris
    @Quincy_Morris 3 года назад +180

    Normal person when shot in the head: “guess I’ll die now
    Grenville when shot in the head: “man literally too angry to die.”

    • @Neithan02
      @Neithan02 Год назад +1

      A musket ball is far slower and so on, than a modern bullet

    • @michalsoukup1021
      @michalsoukup1021 Год назад +2

      but much HEAVIER

    • @Neithan02
      @Neithan02 Год назад

      @@michalsoukup1021 and does not fragment and I dunno about you, but do yourself a favor and go back to basic physics lessons, what is force?

    • @Stroke999
      @Stroke999 Год назад +5

      Probably a pistol, a full sized musket ball would shatter the skull. His change in behaviour could be seen as damage to the frontal cortex, which is survivable in most cases. As musket balls tend to flatten on impact it would be more of a energy transfer rather than a penetrating shot. The brain is good at absorbing kinetic energy since it is soft and squishy.

    • @m.streicher8286
      @m.streicher8286 11 месяцев назад +1

      ​@@Neithan02are you arguing that a musket ball wouldn't cause damage comparable a modern bullet?
      If you are, please don't respond to me.

  • @TheReaper569
    @TheReaper569 5 лет назад +372

    "gets shot in the head"
    " Gets pissed off

    • @PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars
      @PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars 5 лет назад +22

      To be honest, I think anyone would be a little annoyed if that happened! ;-)

    • @aceous99
      @aceous99 5 лет назад +8

      what a demon

    • @weldonwin
      @weldonwin 4 года назад +30

      Local Navy Captain, Literally Too Angry To Die...

    • @ThatSlowTypingGuy
      @ThatSlowTypingGuy 4 года назад +16

      Rage is a hell of an anesthetic.

    • @gangfire5932
      @gangfire5932 4 года назад +21

      "Don't shoot him in the head, you'll just make him angry!"

  • @Maddog3060
    @Maddog3060 5 лет назад +171

    HMS Revenge lived up to her name; taking out enemy ships even after she surrendered.

  • @Wolfeson28
    @Wolfeson28 5 лет назад +161

    That storm: the revenge of the Revenge.

    • @sirmartinfrobisher
      @sirmartinfrobisher 4 года назад +5

      Wolfeson28: BUT, “he who runs away, lives to fight another day!”

  • @johnpatterson8697
    @johnpatterson8697 2 года назад +42

    "Unfortunately, even for a man such as Grenville, sheer force of anger could not countermand an arquebus to the head"
    This sound like something out of Warhamer40k

  • @peterblood50
    @peterblood50 4 года назад +82

    Lookout: "There are 50 enemy ships surrounding us Captain!" Grenville: "Zounds! We have them exactly where we want them!"

    • @NathanDudani
      @NathanDudani 3 года назад +1

      Lmao

    • @seanbigay1042
      @seanbigay1042 5 месяцев назад

      That sounds really familiar ... "They have us surrounded -- the poor bastards!"

  • @jamespfp
    @jamespfp 5 лет назад +199

    24:00 -- "... the crewmen of the Revenge ... waited for the Inevitable...." -- Can't help noticing that the English naming scheme for their ships makes me chuckle at the double entendre of HMS Inevitable finally arriving. Who was ever really in command of the Inevitable, amirite?? #LULZ

    • @jamespfp
      @jamespfp 5 лет назад +13

      @Jimmy De'Souza This is what made me laugh, knowing that the concept fits the naming scheme but is entirely inappropriate. Every time the Inevitable arrived, No Help Came.

    • @jamespfp
      @jamespfp 5 лет назад +10

      @Jimmy De'Souza Furthermore -- if I were to take the concept "Inevitable" and invert it, I don't get the "Evitable", I get the Indefatigable.

    • @Feiora
      @Feiora 5 лет назад +6

      @@jamespfp And THAT is a RN name if I remember correctly...

    • @jamespfp
      @jamespfp 5 лет назад +8

      @@Feiora Indefatigable? Indubitably!
      I was thinking about writing HMS Inevitable Fan Fiction, all the same. Like the time HMS Inevitable showed up at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

    • @polygondwanaland8390
      @polygondwanaland8390 4 года назад +5

      @@jamespfp Indubitably? No, I don't know of any ships by that name

  • @windborne8795
    @windborne8795 5 лет назад +223

    5 minutes more or less?! LOL!!! I think I speak for everyone here; We love these long-assed posts!

    • @bigblue6917
      @bigblue6917 5 лет назад +3

      Just think of everything passed five minutes as a bonus.

    • @UnintentionalSubmarine
      @UnintentionalSubmarine 5 лет назад +1

      A Drachinifel 5 minutes.

    • @bremnersghost948
      @bremnersghost948 5 лет назад +1

      5 Minutes more than the next 2 largest navies :)

    • @jamesharding3459
      @jamesharding3459 5 лет назад +2

      It's five British minutes, which is equal to an indeterminate number of Swiss minutes.

  • @misterjag
    @misterjag 5 лет назад +50

    In 1587, when John White, governor of the Roanoke Colony, returned to England for supplies, he sought the assistance of Richard Grenville. Grenville was preparing a relief expedition when Queen Elizabeth I decided that every available ship was required to meet the Spanish Armada. When White was finally able to return to Roanoke in 1590, the colonists had disappeared without a trace. The mystery of what became of the Lost Colony of Roanoke has never been solved.

  • @Jharug87
    @Jharug87 5 лет назад +131

    I want a movie of this.... NOW. I feel like this story could be told fairly historically accurate and still be awesome

    • @Walter-wo5sz
      @Walter-wo5sz 5 лет назад +17

      Hollywood only does comic book movies now.

    • @Jharug87
      @Jharug87 5 лет назад +8

      @@Walter-wo5sz and picking the bad stories at that... i will always hate the civil war bs

    • @jeremyferris2844
      @jeremyferris2844 5 лет назад +6

      With grenville as comic relief, from "lets sail right through them" to "now that youve stopped my plan to blow us up pray for me"

    • @arpitakodagu9854
      @arpitakodagu9854 5 лет назад +7

      Knowing Hollywood, they'd probably set it later and pretend it was an American ship. No thanks!

    • @JohnP538
      @JohnP538 5 лет назад +6

      @@arpitakodagu9854 No, it would be a British ship but they would cast Brad Pitt as Grenville.

  • @brucev6642
    @brucev6642 4 года назад +41

    "The Revenge was in a bit of a difficult spot", LOL, classic British understatement.

    • @johnpatterson8697
      @johnpatterson8697 2 года назад +3

      American Radio operator: "This is American Allied command. Report, What is your situation? Over."
      British Field commander: "We're not in the most comfortable position. Over." (Translation: We are taking heavy casualties and need immediate support)
      American Radio operator: * Hangs up, assuming they have everything under control. *

  • @Napalmratte
    @Napalmratte 5 лет назад +135

    Well I am a man that is interested in WW I and WW II ships/battles/stories
    Listening to this is like ....
    Hmmmm, history has more to offer
    What a story, I want more

    • @billbolton
      @billbolton 5 лет назад +17

      I agree, the technology of iron and steel is interesting, but the stories carved in wood are entertaining.

    • @bremnersghost948
      @bremnersghost948 5 лет назад +12

      Check out the Legend that was Admiral Thomas Cochrane, My favourite of the lesser known Naval Legends

    • @bklys1054
      @bklys1054 5 лет назад +5

      Check out the hms terror

  • @MagnusVictor2015
    @MagnusVictor2015 5 лет назад +60

    Somewhere out there, the spirits of the crew of HMS Revenge are sharing drinks with the crews of the USN's famous 'Taffy 3.' I'm pretty certain that "Dammit boys, they're getting away!" would not have seemed at all out-of-place to the British sailors there.

    • @VersusARCH
      @VersusARCH 3 года назад +6

      Or the italian Spica-class torpedo boat Lupo.

    • @vikkimcdonough6153
      @vikkimcdonough6153 Год назад +1

      And HMS _Glowworm,_ and HMS _Jervis Bay,_ and SS _Stephen Hopkins..._

  • @andrewdurand6569
    @andrewdurand6569 4 года назад +86

    Moonshine sounds like the flagship of the Confederate Navy.

    • @user-gu7yo5yn9g
      @user-gu7yo5yn9g 4 года назад +8

      the name gives off more privateer vibes a flagship would've been named after a town state or important person

    • @cheshire4856
      @cheshire4856 3 года назад +2

      On very few occasions, have I been so offended, by something I 98% agree with.

  • @davidknowles2491
    @davidknowles2491 5 лет назад +188

    Seems Revenge at least WAS expecting the Spanish Inquisition!

    • @Deridus
      @Deridus 5 лет назад +13

      No... Nobody expec... damnit.

    • @hughgordon6435
      @hughgordon6435 4 года назад +11

      The inquisition had to forewarn of a visit so nobody was not expecting them

  • @Jack29151
    @Jack29151 4 года назад +22

    the revenge was one hell of a ship. the spaniards threw their entire fleet at it and still couldn't sink her, she was scuttled.

  • @ihategooglealot3741
    @ihategooglealot3741 4 года назад +84

    Fifteen spanish ships (in addition to the captured Revenge) appear to have been lost in that storm! A total of seventeen ships sunk for the loss of a single vessel - "Another such victory and..."

  • @tonygibson6806
    @tonygibson6806 5 лет назад +65

    Fantastic my house at school was Grenville, the other houses being Raliegh, Drake and Frobisher as the school was given its original charter by Elizabeth I. This is a story I know well, this was well told.

    • @joeerickson516
      @joeerickson516 Год назад +1

      "Like pirates?" "Arrgh!" 🏴‍☠️ ☠️ 🦜

  • @NicWalker627
    @NicWalker627 4 года назад +13

    Let me just say, I love love love love the fact the title say's a "Five Minute Guide" but every episode is 40 min to an hour long. It is delightful to sit down to one of these episodes, eat dinner, and enjoy the history.

  • @DavidVT23
    @DavidVT23 Год назад +3

    "They have us surrounded again, the poor bastards" - Creighton Abrams and, apparently, HMS Revenge.

  • @chrismaverick9828
    @chrismaverick9828 3 года назад +13

    I love the humor you lend to these stories. I mean, some of these circumstances....You can only marvel at the cajones of people who earn the respect of the enemy through sheer fighting tenacity. You have to laugh a little at the absurdity. You describe the visuals well and we can enjoy a show.

  • @johnhargreaves3620
    @johnhargreaves3620 5 лет назад +34

    Thank you Uncle Drach for the ripping yarn.
    Regards

  • @CanuckWolfman
    @CanuckWolfman 5 лет назад +59

    *Hearts of Oak Intensifies*

    • @farmerned6
      @farmerned6 5 лет назад +13

      Wooden Ships - Iron Men

    • @Deridus
      @Deridus 5 лет назад +6

      Aaaand balls of steel.

    • @kleinjahr
      @kleinjahr 4 года назад +2

      ruclips.net/video/4NXFCDgyanA/видео.html
      Ready Aye Ready

    • @stevenweaver3386
      @stevenweaver3386 2 года назад

      🎶⚓"Our friends do not see us, and wish us to stay, Our foes they can see us and wish us away...steady, boys, steady"🎶🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

  • @Draftsman17
    @Draftsman17 4 года назад +25

    Sabaton needs to make a song about this, would be epic.

    • @abatesnz
      @abatesnz 3 года назад +1

      @Sabaton
      ruclips.net/user/Sabaton

    • @abatesnz
      @abatesnz 3 года назад +1

      Meh, didn't work.

  • @ianwilkinson5069
    @ianwilkinson5069 2 года назад +12

    Watching for the third time since this video came out, and its still one of my favorites. Love the age of sail.

  • @Hudson-1947
    @Hudson-1947 5 лет назад +24

    There sat Sir Richard Grenville once
    and in smoke and flame he passed
    Though we where on to fifty three
    We gave them blast for blast

  • @jacobmoss6830
    @jacobmoss6830 5 лет назад +138

    HMS Revenge VS 50 Spanish ships. Its a fair fight.

    • @Wolfeson28
      @Wolfeson28 5 лет назад +22

      "So get some more Spaniards, and then it'll be a fair fight."

    • @USSAnimeNCC-
      @USSAnimeNCC- 5 лет назад +6

      Revenge smash

    • @mickcoomer9714
      @mickcoomer9714 5 лет назад +24

      Be fair to the Spanish. Revenge only had half a crew.

    • @model-man7802
      @model-man7802 5 лет назад +6

      Yeah,the odds were even I'd say.

    • @phillip_iv_planetking6354
      @phillip_iv_planetking6354 5 лет назад +9

      Look up the Spanish Glorioso carrying treasure and defeated wave after weave and delivered it's treasure.

  • @dancingwiththedarkness3352
    @dancingwiththedarkness3352 4 года назад +13

    Considering the cost to the Spanish, the Revenge was very well named!

  • @barrydysert2974
    @barrydysert2974 3 года назад +9

    This story goes so far beyond epic i am in awe. 🙏

  • @xvdd1
    @xvdd1 5 лет назад +19

    Someone "Sir it would be impossible to run up against 50 enemy ships"
    Sir Grenville "Hold my rum"

  • @virusguy5611
    @virusguy5611 5 лет назад +8

    You are awesome for being so dedicated to your work and not releasing badly researched content.

  • @prisonerofthehighway1059
    @prisonerofthehighway1059 5 лет назад +50

    You’d think the Revenge would’ve sunk from the combined weight of 200+ pairs of giant brass balls lol.

  • @fredmaxwell9619
    @fredmaxwell9619 4 года назад +6

    With Ships and Sailors as those that manned the HMS Revenge no wonder the Royal Navy was the most powerful navy and second to none.

  • @southerneruk
    @southerneruk 4 года назад +8

    Even low the man was bit slow to get under way, He did a lot of damage to the enemy to make them think twice next time they tackled an english ship, sunk 2 in the battle damage a number of others so they sank on the way home. thats good going

  • @adamdubin1276
    @adamdubin1276 5 лет назад +43

    Gallantry and Audacity... the old standbys of the Royal Navy. Could a navy ask for a better reputation/tradition?

    • @weldonwin
      @weldonwin 4 года назад +11

      To quote Drach's own video on Operation Cerberus "The British were certainly not strangers to the insane and suicidal and somehow making it work"

    • @alan-sk7ky
      @alan-sk7ky 4 года назад

      Never a truer word spoken Admiral Melchett, underpants on their heads too?

    • @myparceltape1169
      @myparceltape1169 3 года назад +1

      Grenville probably understood that all his ships could not get away unless the Spanish fleet was distracted.
      He would have been caught or killed anyway.

    • @myparceltape1169
      @myparceltape1169 3 года назад

      @@alan-sk7ky I have a photo of just such an event, with me at the head of the table in a Spanish restaurant.

  • @birddog7492
    @birddog7492 4 года назад +1

    Those Guy's were some Bad ass sailors. What a crew.

  • @vespelian5274
    @vespelian5274 5 лет назад +11

    A mad fight but the stuff of legend. The template for future victories.

  • @johnjephcote7636
    @johnjephcote7636 4 года назад +3

    Oh goodee! I exclaimed to myself while painting...McKee is a superb writer. In 1962 I read his account of the loss of the Royal Charter 1859 in -'The Golden Wreck' and can still quote from it. In the late seventies I discovered his account of the Spanish Armada: just as enthralling in style.

  • @kieranpalmer9045
    @kieranpalmer9045 3 года назад +3

    Fkn incredible, to be a fly on the wall of that biritsh ship beating back dozen after dozen of those Spanish ships. What a piece of history!!!!

  • @robertf3479
    @robertf3479 5 лет назад +5

    I have the book 'Against the odds' and highly recommend it. Excellent choice sir.

  • @barrydysert2974
    @barrydysert2974 3 года назад +1

    It's Storytime with Uncle Drach?!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaay!:-) 👍🖖

  • @Aslaug75
    @Aslaug75 5 лет назад +11

    Since you're dealing with this age of naval history as well, may I suggest doing a video on the battle of Køge Bay, from the Scanian War between Denmark and Sweden? It was a decisive battle where a larger Swedish force under Admiral Horn was all crushed by a smaller Danish fleet under Admiral Juel. Furthermore, some reports say that the Danish admiral, Niels Juel, ordered his ships to break through the Swedish line, shooting down the length of the ships with concentrated broadsides, over a century before Nelson used the same tactics at Trafalgar. That, however, I have been unable to fully confirm ... but perhaps your research could dig something up? Just a suggestion, anyway ... but considering that this wasn't a minor skirmish but a full blown battle with around eighty ships involved, I would think it might be of interest.

  • @Phoenix-ej2sh
    @Phoenix-ej2sh 5 лет назад +3

    Best 5 minutes I ever spent. More, please.

  • @TheJuan72
    @TheJuan72 5 лет назад +3

    The noise of those cannons may have waken up the gods. Thx nice work.

  • @jamesa.7604
    @jamesa.7604 5 лет назад +5

    Great Story, Uncle Drach! Love how you told it and I hope you will grace us with more of them. Very Well Done!

  • @virusguy5611
    @virusguy5611 5 лет назад +40

    Wait. So. the St. Phillipe was so large it was basically what happens if a "yo mama' so fat she paralyses everything around her" was actually true?

    • @klobiforpresident2254
      @klobiforpresident2254 5 лет назад +17

      *everything downwind, but yes. Yo ship so fat that smaller ships can't catch any wind.

    • @Feiora
      @Feiora 5 лет назад +5

      should have pulled a fan out of nowhere and used that to propel them...

    • @myparceltape1169
      @myparceltape1169 3 года назад +3

      Tactic used when racing yachts.
      Also, try to get them to sail into the wind shadow of a mountain.

  • @glennsimpson7659
    @glennsimpson7659 5 лет назад +6

    This action was the subject of a poem that was later set to music by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. Available on Chandos label, in ‘Songs of the Fleet’. Worth a listen!

  • @mikeowen657
    @mikeowen657 5 лет назад +8

    I read Walter Raleigh's account of his cousin's fight some years ago, and have often thought how fine it'd be to find its remains.

  • @Sp0tthed0gt
    @Sp0tthed0gt 4 года назад +4

    Revenge for San Juan de Ushuia. An English disaster from which Greville as well as Drake escaped.
    This wasn't business, it was personal!

  • @Gorilla_Jones
    @Gorilla_Jones 5 лет назад +9

    That has got to be the best name for any vessel in the history of the universe.

    • @cr4zyj4ck
      @cr4zyj4ck 5 лет назад +3

      I'd say, that even in defeat, it got it's Revenge.

    • @WalkaCrookedLine
      @WalkaCrookedLine 5 лет назад +3

      Personally, my favorite warship name will always be the Spanish ship "Cacafuego" ... which literally translates as "Shits Fire".

    • @Colt45hatchback
      @Colt45hatchback 5 лет назад +2

      Perhaps we can eclipse it in the future with more humerous names such as the "hms you're gonna lose now" and the "hms nah bro"

  • @hajoos.8360
    @hajoos.8360 5 лет назад +2

    The main spanish problem was the useless king. The uncle of this admiral in the vid was admiral Álvaro de Bazán, who won the battle of Punta Delgada in 1582 outnumbered by european privateers, the first time in history only using artillery to defeat the enemy, which gave Britain the example how to organize the home-fleet in the future. Staying in Lisbon, when Drake attacked Cadiz in 1587, Álvaro de Bazán was not supported by the spanish king and died early, it is written. He would have been a more difficult task to crash him in the channel in 1588 for the lucky Brits. In Grenville's last battle the Spaniards had still not understand the inventions of their former brillant admiral. Grenville's raid to the Azores was badly organized. They knew that they had to wait for the spanish silver-transports, and did not managed a frequent supply-support from Portsmouth. As Drachinifel mentioned most historians are wrong, judging the 1588 spanish defeat in the channel as the major point of lost spanish sea-superiourity. This assumption is false. The Spaniards lost their domination in 1639 at the battle of the Downs when the dutch admiral Tromp defeated the Spaniards heavily and blockaded the neutral english fleet, which was present in english waters.

  • @gordonhopkins1573
    @gordonhopkins1573 5 лет назад +4

    Hey , Uncle Drach, my uncle Arthur was a "boy" in the RN and was in the battle of Jutland, Dogger Bank and Heligoland Bite. My uncle died later died in 1943 and is buried in England (Devon, I think). Some tropical disease he picked up while at Tobruck, His lighter was named :"Eskimo Nell" of suggestive fame:) In sorting my mum's photos, she died in 2008, came across the original picture postcard you use the the Second Battle cruiser squadron, with my Uncle writing that they have been issued "sennits" and will be back in home port soon, 1920's I think. No postage, or other markings. I quite enjoy your series, cheers and keep up the good work:) Gordon Hopkins SF Bay Area

  • @benjaminbrewer2569
    @benjaminbrewer2569 2 года назад +2

    At flories in the Azores, Sir Richard Grenville lay,
    When a pinnace like a fluttered bird,
    Came flying from far away,
    “Spanish ships of war at sea,
    We have sited 53.”
    Then spake sir Thomas Howard
    “Before God I am no coward
    And I’ve never turned my back upon don nor Devil yet,
    But I’ve 90 men and more who are lying sick ashore.”

  • @1jviezy
    @1jviezy 3 года назад +1

    The gathering of such vast history, in a single location, should alone be enough to decorate you a Nobel prize Sir

  • @animal16365
    @animal16365 5 лет назад +15

    The captain of the revenge has some BIG CAHONAS

  • @model-man7802
    @model-man7802 5 лет назад +17

    Simply put Lord Grenville and the crew of the Revenge were "Bad Asses".Reminds me of the HMS Gloworm.

  • @mangalores-x_x
    @mangalores-x_x 5 лет назад +33

    Hi! I really like this format and the indepth stories, but do you consider covering similar adventures from the French, Spainiards and Dutch if possible (guess it is a sources issue)? Yes, thanks to the Yanks the internet is an anglophile world, but I'd be really interested in some history about the other naval powers some more. Just like the British the Spaniards did not accidently control a vast colonial empire for the first half of the colonial era because they were bad shipwrights and sailors. Just like the British of the 19th century, they were considered the big guy around the block and arguably for a while it were the Dutch, not the English, that provided them the biggest headaches.
    In similar terms small Portugal and the Netherlands punched far above their weights as colonial powers by successfully controlling and competing for naval routes against other European navies.
    I would just be interested in a broader spectrum as imo YT history is very English / American biased in a lot of the stories. There must be similar stories of other plucky heroes.

    • @cr4zyj4ck
      @cr4zyj4ck 5 лет назад +2

      Look at more of the videos on this channel, he primarily focuses on world wars 1 and 2 and covers ships from all sides.

    • @arpitakodagu9854
      @arpitakodagu9854 5 лет назад +3

      Yes, I agree - more videos on the Dutch/French/Spanish during the Age of Sail would be awesome.

    • @phillip_iv_planetking6354
      @phillip_iv_planetking6354 4 года назад

      Look up the Spanish frigate Glorioso and it's multiple fights all the while trying to deliver treasure.

    • @tommiatkins3443
      @tommiatkins3443 2 года назад

      That's true, and Drach does cover all nations. That said, the age of sail was absolutely dominated by the Royal Navy, so just statistically, most stories of heroic action will involve them. Also the Admiralty keeps records. Few other nations bothered to preserve their history of defeat.

    • @danieljerram7964
      @danieljerram7964 2 года назад

      I'd like to see about baltic sea battles. Or Swedish vs the British some good stories there lol 😂

  • @wideyxyz2271
    @wideyxyz2271 5 лет назад +10

    Tough boys those RN lads. Nowt like a good old brawl at sea...I can imagine Grenville asking the Spaniards if they want to surrender!!

  • @jamesmasonaltair1062
    @jamesmasonaltair1062 4 года назад +1

    The captain of the Revenge was one of those British samurai I used to hear about. It may have been foolish by our western military doctrine, but as Drachinifel pointed out, Revenge destroyed and damaged many ships. This ratio outweighs any criticism of Revenge's samurai captain. Additionally, if many of those ships lost later in the storm were treasure fleet ships, the revenue lost is even more important. That is gold, etc. that couldn't be used to buy Spain new ships.
    Sometimes it is good for a captain to be calm, objective, and measured. However, sometimes a captain being a hard charging BAMF is priceless! After all, as the Brit's SAS says, "Who dares wins."

  • @craigpalmer9196
    @craigpalmer9196 5 лет назад +12

    to the Revenge well done

  • @josephrogers1282
    @josephrogers1282 5 лет назад +6

    At Flores in the Azores Sir Richard Grenville lay.... best English lesson ever

  • @Stringbean219
    @Stringbean219 5 лет назад +4

    Never heard this story before! Thanks for sharing it!

  • @prodigiouspi830
    @prodigiouspi830 4 года назад +4

    Hearing how the Revenge's main guns battered the much larger Spanish vessels of war, did the Spanish not have any substantial main batteries D:

    • @moritamikamikara3879
      @moritamikamikara3879 3 года назад +3

      They did, but their cannons were land cannons, and their crews much less well trained.
      These two factors, mainly the first one lead to the Spanish cannonfire being GLACIALLY slow, which is why the Spanish ships took turns firing salvos, because it was faster than sitting still in one ship and reloading the guns. So yes, they did have main battery guns, but they were markedly inferior.

  • @klobiforpresident2254
    @klobiforpresident2254 5 лет назад +3

    Just chiming in with something unrelated. Thanks to my three day visit to London I have now been at HMS Belfast. I finally understand what Drach says when stating that boiler rooms are big. They are huge. I can't even fathom the size, noise, and heat from battleship grade propulsion.

    • @k1er4n544
      @k1er4n544 5 лет назад

      Belfast is a beautiful ship it seen her fire her guns what a day

    • @k1er4n544
      @k1er4n544 5 лет назад

      Want to see the Texas someday why don't they fix her and allow tours like the Missouri

    • @klobiforpresident2254
      @klobiforpresident2254 5 лет назад +2

      @@k1er4n544
      Because it's a lot of work. Because it's labour intensive work. Because it's difficult work. Because doing it improperly would possibly (Somehow) damage the ship further. Because she has deteriorated to a point where a lot of the important steps cannot be undertaken easily or at all. As a continuation of the former, because its Hull is to a large part rust. Many of the WWI or WWII wrecks are in better condition than the Texas (those that didn't get magazine explosions anyway) because ships rust slowly when fully submerged.

  • @sse_weston4138
    @sse_weston4138 5 лет назад +19

    hey Drachs! This was a very amazing story that, quite honestly, I’ve never heard of before but so glad I heard it here ^_^
    Hope your throat is doing better btw >_

  • @michaelgriffin4315
    @michaelgriffin4315 5 лет назад +3

    Excellent story telling, Drach!

  • @molybdaen11
    @molybdaen11 4 года назад +4

    So a large Galeon could work like a Interdictor in the age of sails - just block the wind for smaler ships.

  • @paulwhite6745
    @paulwhite6745 3 года назад +3

    One of the very few ships that can be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Warspite, Victory and USS Enterprise, and be considered at least a peer.

  • @isaiahjerue6564
    @isaiahjerue6564 3 года назад +1

    The gods were so angry the Revenge lost that they sent possibly the biggest storm of the century to clean some more of the Spanish fleet up

  • @simonrisley2177
    @simonrisley2177 3 года назад +4

    Extremely good: more of this sort of thing, please. (WW1 & 2 are fine, but we get something of an overload!)

  • @fookdatchit4245
    @fookdatchit4245 2 года назад

    break time, a cup of tea and uncle Drach. Thanks fella, can't get enough.

  • @cogidubnus1953
    @cogidubnus1953 5 лет назад +2

    Brilliantly told...As a Brit I was aware of this but I'd never heard the story in such full detail before...thanks for both this and the Alexander McKee reference, which I'll tentatively take as a "recommend" to be further investigated...

    • @phillip_iv_planetking6354
      @phillip_iv_planetking6354 5 лет назад

      Because it did not happen that way.
      The only time I heard of something like this well documented by both sides is the Glorioso battles.

  • @sadwingsraging3044
    @sadwingsraging3044 4 года назад +1

    Right gentlemen. If you open your gun port and see wood you haven't done your job!
    MAGNIFICENT! Where do I sign up for the next sailing?
    It is a shame either the list of sailors on the Revenge isn't known or Drach didn't list them at the end of this video.

  • @swampdonkey1567
    @swampdonkey1567 2 года назад +3

    While Greenvilles recklessness and pride did cost his men their lives, being shot in the chest and then head and still fighting is pretty respectable.
    I feel like the captain mimicked the revenge.
    Also his strategy makes me think of Leroy Jenkins.

  • @TB0Seven
    @TB0Seven 5 лет назад +4

    To quote Will & Thomas Riker 'Tough Little Ship'.

  • @DD_11111
    @DD_11111 16 дней назад

    My ancestor. His life story is so much more than this episode. A true adventurer.

  • @jeg5gom
    @jeg5gom 5 лет назад +1

    Wowwww! Awesome story. Thanks uncle Drach!

  • @weldonwin
    @weldonwin 4 года назад +5

    Sorry, but after Drach mentioned it, I could help but imagine the Spanish Armada, being faced by the WW1 HMS Revenge

  • @ZurLuften
    @ZurLuften 5 лет назад +13

    Q/A: What were the biggest shortcoming of the Japanese AAA aboard the ships in WW2? The shortrange guns were terrible, but what about artillery (75mm and above) and their firecontrol?

    • @s.31.l50
      @s.31.l50 5 лет назад +3

      ZurLuften well, crap or no radar

    • @Benepene
      @Benepene 5 лет назад +5

      those experimental 100 mm guns were decent and they started to copy bodors guns but it was nowhere near as good as the american aaa

    • @DanielWW2
      @DanielWW2 5 лет назад +10

      Everything? :P
      Nah, not really actually. By Pearl Harbor the IJN AA was no worse than USN. That changed very quickly. Think about that. ;)
      The IJN just lacked numbers of weapons and picked the wrong weapon during the interwar years, like pretty much every navy. Only the Royal Netherlands navy made the right call by going for the Bofors and pairing it with a proper fire control system. That system got copied by the RN, and the concept by the USN. Unlike other navies, the IJN didn't have the industrial capacity to correct their mistake. They tried with there own Bofors copy but failed to produce it.
      To sum it up.
      -The 25mm AA was not as terrible as people often think it was. On land an 25mm AA gun would be quite useful because it can deter an enemy plane or cause it to miss, thus achieving the goal of protection. In case of ships this deterrence comes to late. Torpedo bombers will generally have dropped there torpedoes before coming into effective range of a 20-25mm class AA gun and dive bombers are very hard to hit when they commence their dive. They need to be taken out before that, and you again lack the range to do it. An Oerlikon for example is hardly better than an 25mm AA and the Oerlikon never gets picked on as being terrible. The problem was that you need power traverse and elevation to effectively track targets, especially dive bombers. The IJN 25mm AA mounts didn't have that, 40mm Bofors on USN ships did. Combine that with a better effective range and the 25mm AA fails on warships like just about every other contemporary gun of its class.
      -The heavy guns where a bigger problem. The 75 degree AA mounts on some Japanese DD's where useless because the gun uses bag charges. Basically you needed to depress the gun after every salvo to reload. That means you will get one, maybe two salvo's off before the planes are dropping there ordnance. You are not hitting anything like this. In general the Japanese 12,7cm type 3 guns where just bad because of this, even in surface engagements. They have no hope of matching pretty much any contemporary DD gun in terms of RoF. Then main AA gun the IJN initially adopted was the 12cm type 12. That one got replaced on a lot of ships by the arguably worse 12,7cm Type 89. For a heavy AA gun muzzle velocity matters. Thus the Japanese introduced a new weapon with a lower muzzle velocity. I have no idea why they thought this was a good idea...
      The USN also had a fairly low muzzle velocity AA gun in the 5"/38, but at least they had a system around this otherwise mediocre gun to make it preform much better.
      -Finally the fire control computer the IJN had for heavy AA was actually not bad at all. The main problem was the lack of automatisation. Basically you had to manually enter the data provided while a US system was all automatic. In the USN system the guns where laid on target by remote control. That helps a lot because you only need to load the gun and fire. There are no errors to be made when you manually convert a firing solution into bearing elevation for the heavy AA. Neither are you wasting time with a firing solution that gets outdated in a second...

  • @lesliesylvan
    @lesliesylvan 4 года назад

    Wish my older brother, Richard, was here to watch your channel. Had every Jane's Fighting Ships, etc,; knew them inside out. Late 1960's. M.I.T. undefeated War club v. Military Colleges (Avalon Hill games), Later NASA (MARS), MD Oncologist, Missiles & Rockets H.S. . . . Thanks for allowing me this tribute to a great man, who would have been in tunnel-vissioned glee watching your vids, knowing more will come.

  • @redram5150
    @redram5150 5 лет назад +12

    I know it’s extra work, but I wonder if it’d be more fitting to intro these episodes about sailing ships, the soundtrack and footage represented the age of sail

    • @Drachinifel
      @Drachinifel  5 лет назад +4

      Could do, would have to find appropriate music :)

    • @spookyshadowhawk6776
      @spookyshadowhawk6776 5 лет назад

      @@Drachinifel There was a song, popular in the Royal Navy in Nelson's time, although the name escapes me at the moment, I've been up all night and it's ten am here. You could always use the 1812 overture, the cannon fire fits in nicely! I'm all for more Story of the age of sail!

    • @viking1236
      @viking1236 5 лет назад

      @@Drachinifel look up Strawhead: Gentlemen of Fortune album for some Elizabeth themed music plenty of their other stuff is Naval themed, Nelson etc

    • @Cloudman572
      @Cloudman572 5 лет назад

      @@Drachinifel Sailor's hornpipe (or Portsmouth is its other name- where Jingles and I live) maybe for sailing intro?

  • @tra-viskaiser8737
    @tra-viskaiser8737 5 лет назад +2

    How can i think of you other than uncle drach? Dammit... lol. You do some of the best work on youtube.. thank you for the full time work you put into this awesome channel/subject!

  • @kingmobmor7656
    @kingmobmor7656 4 года назад +2

    Wow!.....Just WOW!
    Why isn't there a movie about this?
    Hollywood could make it an American ship captained by Tom Cruise (who survives), fighting to show his unrequited love for a Spanish princess is honourable, just like him.

  • @patriciusvunkempen102
    @patriciusvunkempen102 5 лет назад +4

    one of the best videos i love your sailship analysis etc love it !

  • @gwtpictgwtpict4214
    @gwtpictgwtpict4214 5 лет назад +3

    First read about this as a lad, must be well over forty years ago now, thanks for the reminder :-)

  • @markhonerbaum5789
    @markhonerbaum5789 3 года назад

    As a greater tail never if rarely told!This is a story that will never be forgotten. An orator of wonderment an I thank you!

  • @kellybreen5526
    @kellybreen5526 5 лет назад +4

    There is an epic poem about this .... by Lord Tennyson. I read it many years ago.

  • @blackbokis3064
    @blackbokis3064 5 лет назад +29

    Please cover on more age of sail! I would love a video about the rating system in the Royal Navy vs the rating system of the French Marine Royale or Spanish Navy! Or perhaps a simple one on Elizabethean ships? Regardless, keep up the good work!

    • @phillip_iv_planetking6354
      @phillip_iv_planetking6354 5 лет назад +1

      If you like this you will love the story of the Spanish ship Glorioso defeating multiple British ships while all alone and carrying treasure from the new world.

    • @joeerickson516
      @joeerickson516 Год назад +1

      "Arrgh!" 🏴‍☠️ ☠️ 🦜

    • @joeerickson516
      @joeerickson516 Год назад +1

      "15 men,🚹 and a dead,☠️ man's,👨 chest!"🌰 "Yo ho ho, and a bottle,🍾 of rum!"🥃 🏴‍☠️ ☠️ 🦜

    • @joeerickson516
      @joeerickson516 Год назад +1

      "But an easy target,🎯 for Pirates,🏴‍☠️ ☠️ 🦜

    • @joeerickson516
      @joeerickson516 Год назад +1

      "Drink,🍻 and the devil,👿 will done the rest!"🍴 "Yo ho ho, and a bottle,🍾 of rum!" 🥃 🏴‍☠️ ☠️ 🦜

  • @datatronx
    @datatronx 5 лет назад +6

    Always love a good story, makes the work day easier 👍

  • @toketokepass
    @toketokepass 5 лет назад +3

    Amazing tale, thank you!

  • @merafirewing6591
    @merafirewing6591 4 года назад +1

    Revenge had balls of steel to put up a stubborn fight.

  • @alexjacobs8399
    @alexjacobs8399 5 лет назад +6

    On the subject of general history of WW2, would you care to take a turn at the campaigns in the Indian Ocean. There are lots and lots of content about the Pacific and the Atlantic campaigns but I have not read much about the Indian Ocean conflict. Thanks for your wit and approach to your videos. I hope that you find comfort in your new digs!

  • @wun1gee
    @wun1gee 5 лет назад +2

    Grenville. Absolute mad lad.

  • @watchfordpilot
    @watchfordpilot 5 лет назад +4

    Epic saga, loved it! Thanks.

  • @steeplejack50
    @steeplejack50 2 года назад +3

    Grenville is about the only famous person who shows up in my family tree. Could have done worse.

  • @19Ledor
    @19Ledor 4 года назад +2

    Engages the enemy 53 to 1, tells the only reinforcements he has to get lost, gets short in THE HEAD, fights for hours, tries to get his men to blow up the ship, begrudgingly negotiaties favourable terms with the enemy and only then passes out... what a fucking legend.