Action of 14 April 1655

Action of 14 April 1655

This battle took place on 14 April 1655 at Porto Farina (now Ghar al Milh), northern Tunisia, when an English fleet under Robert Blake destroyed several Barbary vessels. It achieved little direct effect.

Early in 1655 Blake sent a demand to the Bey of Tunis for the return of an English merchant ship and English prisoners, plus an indemnity and a future agreement, but was refused. After sailing back and forth between Sardinia, Tunis and Sicily for nearly two months, and sending the demands again, he arrived at Porto Farina, where the Barbary ships had gathered for their intended voyage to the Dardanelles to help the Turks that season, on 13 April. The next day his first division attacked the Barbary ships, boarding and burning them by 8am, while his second division of larger ships attacked the forts, silencing them by 11 a.m. This was the first time that ships alone had defeated shore fortifications. English casualties were 25 killed and 40 wounded. The Bey still refused his demands, but Blake's attack helped the Venetians in their battle against the Muslim states two months later (see this page).

Ships involved:

England (Robert Blake)

First Division
"Newcastle" 40
"Kentish" 40
"Taunton" 36
"Foresight" 36
"Amity" 30
"Princess Mary" 34
"Pearl" 22
"Mermaid" 22
"Merlin" 24
Second Division
"George" 60
"Andrew" 54
"Plymouth" 50
"Worcester" 46
"Unicorn" 54
"Bridgewater" 50
"Success" 24

Barbary states

9 ships hauled ashore (??) - Captured and burnt

References

*"Naval wars in the Levant 1559-1853" (1952) - R. C. Anderson ISBN 1-57898-538-2


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