Last Stand of the Revenge - Against the Odds

[@Drachinifel]

Pinned post for Q&A :)

[@dehavillandvampire]

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]

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]

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]

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]

@thel vadamee thank you for the information

[@Internetspaceships]

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]

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

[@bigblue6917]

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

[@babomb2146]

We have found the people who inspired the russians

[@MendTheWorld]

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]

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

[@jamesbunn751]

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

[@bobbobson5595]

Yeah, it makes for really good filler.

[@jamesbunn751]

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

[@mattblom3990]

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]

A lot better than story time with uncle jingles lol.

[@richardcutts196]

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

[@Quincy_Morris]

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]

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

[@michalsoukup1021]

but much HEAVIER

[@Neithan02]

@@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]

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]

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

[@squirepraggerstope3591]

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

[@DonaldMcKay3768]

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)

[@TheReaper569]

"gets shot in the head" " Gets pissed off

[@PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars]

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

[@aceous99]

what a demon

[@weldonwin]

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

[@ThatSlowTypingGuy]

Rage is a hell of an anesthetic.

[@gangfire5932]

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

[@mitchwatson6787]

Revenge's crew discussing terms: "We haven't the proper facilities to take you all prisoner... sorry"

[@u805]

Spanish Captain: What?!

[@JamesThomas-gg6il]

"Was there anything else?"

[@joshd3043]

A boat too far

[@crusadingtemplar]

I love that film....

[@johnpatterson8697]

"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

[@Wolfeson28]

That storm: the revenge of the Revenge.

[@sirmartinfrobisher]

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

[@peterblood50]

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

[@NathanDudani]

Lmao

[@seanbigay1042]

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

[@windborne8795]

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

[@bigblue6917]

Just think of everything passed five minutes as a bonus.

[@UnintentionalSubmarine]

A Drachinifel 5 minutes.

[@bremnersghost948]

5 Minutes more than the next 2 largest navies :)

[@jamesharding3459]

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

[@Maddog3060]

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

[@polygorg]

Ah yes, warcrimes.

[@aaronstorey9712]

@@polygorg ?

[@jacobnugent8159]

@@polygorg was her battle flag shot away?

[@jamespfp]

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]

@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]

@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]

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

[@jamespfp]

@@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]

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

[@davidknowles2491]

Seems Revenge at least WAS expecting the Spanish Inquisition!

[@Deridus]

No... Nobody expec... damnit.

[@hughgordon6435]

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

[@larsrons7937]

Incredible story, what an extraordinary bravery and resilience the Revenge's crew displayed. Taken into account all the Spanish ships that were either directly sunk by the Revenge or later due to battle damage sunk by the storm, one could argue that Grenville and the Revenge absolutely won that engagement.

[@Napalmratte]

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]

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

[@bremnersghost948]

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

[@bklys1054]

Check out the hms terror

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

28:47 Spanish: Wait in line no cutting HMS: Revenge Who next

[@bigblue6917]

It did remind me of something I came across with fighter pilots in the days before missiles about being greatly out numbered. It did not matter how many there were only one could get behind you.

[@phillip_iv_planetking6354]

The British did the same to a Spanish ship called Glorioso which was carrying treasure from the new world. But the Glorioso defeated the British 3 times and lost the fourth. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyage_of_the_Glorioso But Gloriosos did still get to deliver it's gold intact.

[@brianspendelow840]

Talking about fighting against the odds, how about the building and cruise of the CSS Alabama.

[@wideyxyz2271]

Crew of the revenge "Hold my rum I'll be right back its about to kick off"

[@merafirewing6591]

Spanish: Mommy. HMS Revenge: Keep on coming, I'm taking on all comers.

[@brucev6642]

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

[@johnpatterson8697]

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. *

[@misterjag]

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.

[@NicWalker627]

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.

[@chrismaverick9828]

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.

[@tonygibson6806]

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]

"Like pirates?" "Arrgh!" 🏴‍☠️ ☠️ 🦜

[@GaryCSchade]

The book you credited 'Against The Odds' sounds like an excellent read, (& right down my alley), so I sought it out on Amazon, to no avail, then ebay as that has proven an excellent, (& inexpensive), source in the past. I found 1 used copy...at $126.00, far too rich for this old pensioner. I stand with some of your other followers requesting "storytime" more frequently. Thanking you in advance. Keep up the good work, you are appreciated. Gary in Alaska

[@carausias]

I just realised I may have made a mistake in giving my copy away to a charity shop when I was moving house

[@LordChesalot]

Try Abe books looks at all used book sites

[@JohnP538]

Two copies in stock at $5.39 US (We pensioners need to look out for each other) - www.worldofbooks.com/en-us/books/alexander-mckee/against-the-odds/GOR009810681?gclid=Cj0KCQjww7HsBRDkARIsAARsIT5VTvf8eM9HQdf_yp0uRo2U8DW9Ulg826BWC40jtnDNe8AsdePfYEcaAhvpEALw_wcB

[@JohnP538]

Or you can read it online at - archive.org/details/againstoddsbattl00mcke

[@alanfhall6450]

£8 ish inc postage (UK) on AbeBooks ...

[@Jharug87]

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

[@Walter-wo5sz]

Hollywood only does comic book movies now.

[@Jharug87]

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

[@jeremyferris2844]

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]

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

[@JohnP538]

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

[@ianwilkinson5069]

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

[@holyhandgrenade661]

I guess you could say HMS Revenge got her... revenge. I'll take that summary execution now.

[@KathrynsWorldWildfireTracking]

*Orders 21 guns to shoot* (In Salute of comment)

[@noname-wo9yy]

(taken out behind wood shed)

[@Lord_Foxy13]

(Draws a bow with poison arrow) Wait... did I leave the stove on...

[@thatmotivatedchris6749]

*Orders 22 cannons pointing straight at you* You will be missed

[@thatmotivatedchris6749]

@@Lord_Foxy13 *damn it whisky you burn the turkey again* !!!

[@Jack29151]

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.

[@GrEEnEyE089]

When you fight so well that the gods decend to smite your enemy!

[@johnhargreaves3620]

Thank you Uncle Drach for the ripping yarn. Regards

[@barrydysert2974]

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

[@MagnusVictor2015]

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]

Or the italian Spica-class torpedo boat Lupo.

[@vikkimcdonough6153]

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

[@JediKnight19852002]

Grenville and Capt Evans of the Johnston in 2 row boats vs the High Seas Fleet... unfair fight for the Germans

[@weldonwin]

Throw in Admiral Yi and you have an absolute massacre

[@aaronstorey9712]

Row boats? Canoes you mean

[@overboss9599]

@@aaronstorey9712 give them command of a leaky pool float and they'd beat the high seas fleet.

[@Giddog40]

If you add John Paul Jones, then they’ll just take part of the high seas fleet and use it against the rest

[@virusguy5611]

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

[@andrewdurand6569]

Moonshine sounds like the flagship of the Confederate Navy.

[@user-gu7yo5yn9g]

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

[@cheshire4856]

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

[@Phoenix-ej2sh]

Best 5 minutes I ever spent. More, please.

[@Melneepies]

This story is fascinating & interesting, I wish that I was aware of it over half a century ago when I attended primary school. There were 4 school houses, Drake was yellow, Frobisher was red, Grenville was blue & Hawkins was green, I was happy to be in Grenville because its colour was blue however knowing more about the Revenge would have made it so much cooler.

[@genericsocks7542]

How insane is it that 50 years later you randomly listen to a 39 min long story detailing the final stand of the Revenge whose badass angry captain was the namesake of your house at your Alma Mater. Life is pretty cool sometimes.

[@prisonerofthehighway1059]

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

[@xvdd1]

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

[@CanuckWolfman]

*Hearts of Oak Intensifies*

[@farmerned6]

Wooden Ships - Iron Men

[@Deridus]

Aaaand balls of steel.

[@kleinjahr]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/an-7d3Z6nN6UpKM Ready Aye Ready

[@stevenweaver3386]

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

[@jamesa.7604]

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

[@robertf3479]

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

[@vespelian5274]

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

[@1jviezy]

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

[@johnjephcote7636]

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.

[@Hudson-1947]

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

[@TheJuan72]

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

[@Feiora]

Revenge gets a large kill count with assists from Storm...

[@jacobmoss6830]

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

[@Wolfeson28]

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

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

Revenge smash

[@mickcoomer9714]

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

[@model-man7802]

Yeah,the odds were even I'd say.

[@phillip_iv_planetking6354]

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

[@whiskeytangosierra6]

I enjoyed this a great deal. A departure from your usual and a welcome one.

[@ClosedGame75]

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.

[@dancingwiththedarkness3352]

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

[@Draythur]

story time with uncle drach should absolutely be a more regular thing on the channel!

[@tra-viskaiser8737]

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!

[@sse_weston4138]

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 >_

[@glennsimpson7659]

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!

[@lesliesylvan]

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.

[@hadrianbuiltawall9531]

I liked the part where the small supply ship wanders into the middle of this brutal fight between major warships, asks "can I help" and is informed "nope, we're got it", at which point it wanders off apparently unmolested by the enemy. This battle was the start of the Royal Navy's reputation of "CHARGE!!!!". It didn't take long before anyone who knew them stayed the hell away from any fight they could possibly lose.

[@michaelgriffin4315]

Excellent story telling, Drach!

[@simonrisley2177]

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

[@fookdatchit4245]

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

[@richardcutts196]

Galizabras! sounds like something a Spanish magician would say.

[@weldonwin]

Or even the name of a Spanish Magician... assuming he were not burnt at the stake by the Inquisition for trafficking in Witchcraft and heresey

[@wideyxyz2271]

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!!

[@patriciusvunkempen102]

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

[@cogidubnus1953]

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]

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.

[@markhonerbaum5789]

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!

[@Stringbean219]

Never heard this story before! Thanks for sharing it!

[@klobiforpresident2254]

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]

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

[@k1er4n544]

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

[@klobiforpresident2254]

@@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.

[@donaldhill3823]

I think I saw an old movie about this battle and the "Revenge" of the crew on the Spanish ships years latter. It was one of those 1950-60s movies that stretched history a bit but do not remember its name.

[@Stevgar2]

Can't wait for the next one , great story uncle drac . Keep up the good work glad your getting better

[@jeg5gom]

Wowwww! Awesome story. Thanks uncle Drach!

[@gordonhopkins1573]

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

[@7thsealord888]

Good video. That book, 'Against The Odds' sounds quite interesting, thank you for bringing it to our attention. There are two engagements from ww2 that may be in it (and if not, there's something wrong), that may also be good subjects for videos. The first is the famous battle of the Auxiliary Merchant Cruiser HMS 'Jervis Bay' against the German pocket battleship 'Admiral Scheer'. .The second battle is less well-known, but quite amazing and well worth recounting - the battle of the corvette HMIS Bengal and the tanker 'Ondina' against two large Japanese commerce raiders in the Indian Ocean - a battle that should have been ridiculously one-sided, but somehow wasn't.,

[@southerneruk]

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

[@barrydysert2974]

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

[@fredmaxwell9619]

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.

[@adamdubin1276]

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

[@weldonwin]

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]

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

[@myparceltape1169]

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]

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

[@Draftsman17]

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

[@abatesnz]

@Sabaton kzbin.info

[@abatesnz]

Meh, didn't work.

[@bobperrine6193]

Another great video! Keep up the very enjoyable and interesting work.

[@sandemike]

This would make a Great Film.

[@jeebus6263]

Somehow still alive, and while you might expect that being shot by an archebus to the head might... discourage you from further action, it does not seem to have had this effect on Grenville.

[@watchfordpilot]

Epic saga, loved it! Thanks.

[@ironstarofmordian7098]

Did I hear Uncle Drach? Hahahahahhahah hahaha ahahaha oh that's it. You are uncle Drach from here on out.

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

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

[@toketokepass]

Amazing tale, thank you!

[@DavidVT23]

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

[@indrekkpringi]

"Go tell Lord Grenville, that our dreams have run aground" From 'Year of the Cat' album. By Al Stewart.

[@virusguy5611]

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]

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

[@Feiora]

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

[@myparceltape1169]

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

[@datatronx]

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

[@WojciechP915]

The English *names ship Revenge* Everyone else: "it's not revenge if you started it."

[@craigpalmer9196]

to the Revenge well done

[@mikeowen657]

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.

[@ZurLuften]

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]

ZurLuften well, crap or no radar

[@Benepene]

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]

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...

[@josephrogers1282]

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

[@seanmac1793]

Love it. I know this is a sort last minute thing but I'd love to see it come back a little more edited and scripted. But it's a format id like to see continued.

[@Smokey298]

Sean Mac What do you want canned naval history? Dont do to Drach what producers did to F.M. radio.

[@seanmac1793]

@@Smokey298 no there were just a lit of uhmms and ahhs and the like and was clear he didn't have a script. I don't want like musics or crap like that

[@DD_11111]

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

[@isaiahjerue6564]

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

[@Tim1968-l9l]

An amazing story , thank you.

[@stevepyl8081]

Great format, the story telling... Please do continue

[@Gorilla_Jones]

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

[@cr4zyj4ck]

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

[@WalkaCrookedLine]

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

[@Colt45hatchback]

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"

[@pcka12]

‘Sink me the ship master gunner, split it in twain, better to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of Spain!’