HMS Thunderer (1783)

HMS "Thunderer" was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at the Wells brother's shipyard in Deptford and launched on 13 November 1783. After completion, she was laid up until 1792, when she underwent a 'Middling Repair' to bring her into service in 1793.Fact|date=September 2008

In 1794 she fought at the Glorious First of June under Captain Albemarle Bertie, and from 1796 to 1801 served in the West Indies, under a succession of captains.Fact|date=September 2008

"Thunderer" was recommissioned in 1803, and in 1805 she fought in Admiral Calder's fleet at the Battle of Cape Finisterre. Her Captain, William Lechmore, returned to England to attend a court-martial as a witness to the events of Admiral Calder's action off Cape Finisterre at the time of the battle.

Later that year she fought at the Battle of Trafalgar under the command of her First Lieutenant John Stockham,Ships of the Old Navy, "Thunderer".] The surgeon on board was Scotsman James Marr Brydone, who was the first to sight the French fleet. "Thunderer" signalled the "Victory" and three minutes later battle orders were signalled to the British fleet beginning the Battle of Trafalgar.Fact|date=September 2008

In 1807, "Thunderer" served in the Dardanelles Operation as part of a squadron under Admiral Sir John Duckworth and was badly damaged when the squadron withdrew from the area. However, she accompanied Duckworth on the Alexandria expedition of 1807, and in May left Alexandria for Malta, where she was provisioned and repaired over a period of 30 days.John Lace.]

She was decommissioned in November 1808 and broken up in March 1814.cite book |last=Colledge |title=Ships of the Royal Navy |pages=351]

Citations and notes

References

*Colledge
*Michael Phillips. [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=2243 "Thunderer" (74) (1783)] . Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
* [http://members.shaw.ca/laxey/johnlace.html#anchor128251 John Lace, born Ramsey Isle of Man, Dec. 25, 1779] . Jim Smith's Genealogy Page. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
*Lavery, Brian (2003) "The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850." Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
*Winfield, Rif (2005) "British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1793 to 1817." Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1-86176-246-1.