Without a Trace: HMS Blenheim

The losses of HMS Blenheim and HMS Java are just two of hundreds on the world’s oceans in the Age of Sail, and the fate of the two ships is mere speculation. Yet the disaster that took them both is history that deserves to be remembered.
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This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
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Script by THG
#history #thehistoryguy #lostatsea

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

As a few viewers have noted, HMS Blenheim served in the Seven Years war, not the Thirty Years War. I apologize for the error.

[@johncox2865]

👍 Good job, HG

[@Paladin1873]

Pride and arrogance can be more lethal than a well placed cannon ball.

[@HM2SGT]

*All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.* Mark Twain *Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.* Charles Darwin

[@oldesertguy9616]

How many people have been lost, and how many wars fought, for ego.

[@MightyMezzo]

Amen.

[@joanhoffman3702]

Hubris kills.

[@ronwanttaja8209]

A couple of trivia points: 1. The description of the Blenheim as "Third Rate" refers ONLY to the number of guns it carried....no reflection on quality. 2. Another Bounty "Mutineer" recaptured by HMS Pandora was Peter Heywood. He, too, was sentenced to death. He was pardoned, and subsequently rose up the ranks to retire as a Post Captain! 3. HMS Java was replaced in the British Navy by a frigate captured from the French in 1811. It was sunk by USS Constitution in 1812. The Royal Navy had better luck with the THIRD HMS Java, commissioned in 1815 with a nearly 50-year life in the navy.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

I talk about the RN ship rating system in this episode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5jac42nh66Zd7ssi=KnMJpSNWVAhfTNhl

[@stevepeyton9073]

I put forth the theory of pirates because all good stories involve pirates

[@aaronleverton4221]

In the absence of actual pirates, piratical will do and Troubridge appears to have been all that.

[@user-oh2hs6jh5x]

Earlier this week I read a book about the HMS Wager, which grounded, and eventually wrecked, off the coast of Patagonia in 1741. A story about mutiny, the struggle to get back to England, and the British government sweeping the mutiny under the rug. Well worth a read for those that like stories about the sea. "The Wager".

[@kennethrouse7942]

I read it last summer and agree.. I found it an excellent read! 👍😎

[@david_1214]

I just finished reading "The Wager" myself, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was thinking of it while I listened and watched to this episode.

[@kennethrouse7942]

I have one in the TBR (To-Be-Read) stack you might enjoy: "Mutiny on the Spanish Main (HMS Hermione and the Royal Navy's Revenge)" by Angus Konstam. 😉👍

[@LymanPhillips]

Excellent. That's the next book on my list already. Great to hear the positive reviews.

[@orbyfan]

I bet the Wager makes for quite a story.

[@chuckaddison5134]

Morrison's opinion of Bligh is interesting considering that, after the mutiny, he commanded an open boat journey of some 3000 miles if I recall correctly. Previously he had been Captain Cooks Sailing master, and a skilled navigator. He is credited with leading the party that recovered Cook's body and, apparently, the foremast of the Resolution. from the Hawaiian natives. He was for a time made a govenor of New South Wales Australia and retired a Vice Admiral. He conducted himself and ships he commanded with distinction in several engagements.

[@leighrate]

Morrison was concerned only with saving his neck from the noose. Point to note is that Bligh was set up to fail. He was denied Marines. Had a contingent be assigned, that mutiny would probably not happened.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

But while governor of New South Wales, his poor personal skills led to the Rum Rebellion, one of three mutinies against his command. Much can be said for Bligh, but plenty against as well. He was a good sailor, but clearly a poor commander of men. The Pitcairn Island Study Center puts it this way: Bligh always portrayed himself as being a perfect commander and his ship as being the happiest that ever sailed an ocean. It is thanks to Morrison that we have a check on Bligh’s accuracy.

[@backwashjoe7864]

​@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Bligh was tripped up by the second half of the maxim: History is written by the victors... but only if you get rid of all your enemies!

[@aaronleverton4221]

Very, very minor correction in the grand scheme of things, but important to pedants, he was the Governor of New South Wales. Period. There was no Australia for the colony of New South Wales to be a part of. The separate colony of Van Dieman's Land would not be officiated until 1825, Victoria in 1851 and Queensland in 1859. The nation of Australia would not come into being until 01/01/(19)01. Prior to 1851 the eastern half and then two-thirds of the landmass known as Australia was officially the crown colony of New South Wales.

[@chriskuzianik9507]

Winston Churchill was once on an inspection tour and accidentally stepped into some knee deep wet concrete. An associate remarked "well, Mr. Churchill, it appears you met your Waterloo." To which Churchill replied "How dare you, sir? My Blenheim, perhaps." Your fun nugget of useless history trivia for the day.

[@CaptApril123]

Churchill was a quick wit. I really must read some of his books.

[@chadparsons50]

​@@CaptApril123quite a few are free on pdf now (over 70 years since publication).

[@darkadmiral106]

So, they sailed a ship with a broken back, that was hagging so bad, that they had to cut a whole deck off? How horrifying!

[@edwardrhoades6957]

2:15 Didn't know Sir Edward Pellew was actually a real person. I thought he was created for the Hornblower series.

[@167curly]

Pellew was a close friend of the fictional Hornblower, helping him in his naval career, and ranked highly in several of C.S.Forrester's Hornblower novels. I believe that there was an HMS Java in a battle with one of the US Navy's big frigates in the war of 1812, but presumably a namesake of the Blenheim's lost escort? The Royal Navy has a tradition of naming vessels after its successful officers, HMS Nelson, Anson, Drake, Hood etc, as well as its successful actions, Camperdown, Nile, etc. Blenheim was the major land battle in Queen Ann's reign, lead by John Churchill who became the Duke of Marlborough, and an ancestor of Winston. I recall an R.N.frigate, in the 1950s named HMS Troubridge.

[@XPLAlN]

Dear History Guy, my first assignment as Midshipman in the Royal Navy was aboard Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory. True story and history that deserves to be forgotten. Not that I intend to allow that to happen.

[@65gtotrips]

Those ships were bigger than we tend to believe; 900 men is akin to the amount of sailors and officers on a light to heavy cruiser in WWII

[@RetiredSailor60]

My 3rd ship, USS Kinkaid DD 965, was involved in a fatal collision in the Malacca Straits in Nov 1989.

[@ponyote]

So many things seem to come down to hubris.

[@ElessarofGondor]

Obligatory plug for the Aubrey Maturin series for those who might be interested in naval fiction of this time period. Probably some of the best historical fiction ever written.

[@aaronleverton4221]

Funnily enough I thought Master and Commander an excellent film, but almost all of my historical naval reading of the age of sail has been by Douglas Reeman, er, I mean Alexander Kent.

[@rogueyun9613]

Truth is always stranger than fiction. Love this channel! Thank you!

[@robertjensen1438]

Two new recruits were on the deck of a ship. One turns to other and says, "It's awfully quiet on deck tonight. Isn't it?" Other recruit replies, "Everyone must be watching the band." "There is no band on this ship." "No, I definitely heard the captain say, a band on ship."

[@vansongs]

Doh!

[@EricDKaufman]

golf clap

[@Dulcimertunes]

🤦‍♀️

[@user-oh2hs6jh5x]

Welcome to Friday's class. Please be seated.

[@DraftedByTheMan]

Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin…

[@markdodd1152]

I'm always ready for this lesson

[@bartsanders1553]

My dog ate my homework.

[@markdodd1152]

@@bartsanders1553 dammit man ! ...again ?!

[@shaunolinger964]

​@@bartsanders1553😂

[@badhat3051]

The sea was and continues to be a dangerous mistrous

[@SER540x]

What! No pirates? @ 9:42 you say that HMS Blenheim fought in the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Quite a feat, in that she was built in 1761!

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Oh gosh- fair point. Should have said the Seven Years War.

[@orbyfan]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Missed it by that much!

[@saxon6]

Basically two ships disappeared in a storm, end of story. THG: Hold my beer. The way you flesh out a story makes these videos compelling viewing.

[@frankgulla2335]

Thank you, THG. A great "tale of sail".

[@jec1ny]

Thanks for this fascinating and tragic story. A very minor correction, when you refer to her service history you reference the Thirty Years war. I think you meant the Seven Years War, as the former had ended in 1648.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Correct, I apologize for the error.

[@jec1ny]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel No worries. I made a bigger mistake ordering my coffee yesterday.

[@revolutionaryhamburger]

It could have been pirates.

[@lp-xl9ld]

After all...well, someone had to say it

[@MightyMezzo]

Except, what self-respecting pirate would go after THAT ship?

[@billwendell6886]

Sea nargylls

[@andypandy9013]

Thank you for not saying "The" HMS Blenheim. 🙂

[@clwool]

what a great storey teller

[@rackets001]

Pretty crazy story! Thanks for sharing!

[@rwarren58]

One for the algorithm. Another good episode. Can’t wait for Sundays.

[@bigsarge2085]

Always interesting, thank you!

[@BasicDrumming]

I appreciate you and thank you for making content.

[@shawnr771]

Thank you for the lesson.

[@So-CalNevAri82]

Another great video in the books T.H.G.

[@theblackbear211]

Thanks, well told.

[@kellybasham3113]

Love your videos

[@ThomasEJohnson]

Thanks for the lesson. 😊

[@joelbrown3479]

Thanks for the wonderful the wonderful tale 😎😎😎

[@procrastinator41]

The ship’s condition makes captain Bligh’s post-mutiny situation seem literally favorable.

[@samstewart4807]

rumble ONLY has a commerical at the begining of each video. these interruptions are terrible

[@billwendell6886]

Request- Sinking of the Bounty 2.

[@Hypatia52]

So, who, what or where is Harrier? To have a ship named that and a type of jet, Harrier must be very important.

[@earlferguson4368]

Webster - Definition (Entry 2 of 3) : any of a genus (Circus) of slender hawks having long angled wings and long legs and feeding chiefly on small mammals, reptiles, and insects

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

It is a type of hawk. It is a fairly typical name for a small RN vessel. She was a Cruizer-class brig-sloop, whose class also included HMS Osprey, Swallow, Raven, Redwing, Ring Dove, Peacock, Sparrowhawk, Crane, Herron, Gannet and Penguin.

[@Hypatia52]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Thanks History Guy!

[@vespelian]

Interesting though one correction required. HMS Blenheim was not a veteran of the Thirty Years War, the Seven Years perhaps.

[@evensgrey]

After the mutiny, Captain Bligh was subject to a Board of Inquiry. They concluded that he had not been harsh ENOUGH with his crew. (He merely had men flogged for actions that most Royal Navy captains in the era would have had men hanged for.)

[@bronwynecg]

Sorry I’m late. Good morning! 👋🏽 😊

[@dwaynekoblitz6032]

No one realizes the size of oceans until you've crossed a couple of them. Extremely easy to just disappear.

[@timothyclark-sl4il]

"hot action involving seamen" Oh baby!

[@russcrawford3310]

Wow ... Bligh is one of the worst? ... you must not think much of Cap't Cook then ... "spare the rod spoil the sailor?" ... Fletcher Christian was certainly a spoiled lil' baby ... not man enough for the Royal Navy _before_ Lord Sandwich's tenure ...

[@dennistate5953]

I tolt a young guy one time: never let a man carry a gun for you what don't cry. He was confused. Walked on me dripping tears. Stand by my statement.

[@civillady13]

If the HMS Blenheim was in such dire condition then why would it still be in service?

[@jeffbangkok]

Good night

[@merlinwizard1000]

14th, 17 May 2024

[@WTH1812]

Cape Horn is probable cause.

[@karencorcoran4628]

Sounds like "they" didn't want certain parties alive.

[@oliverschulz8842]

🐬🦭🦭🐟🐠🦈🐙

[@HM2SGT]

_Eternal Father, strong to save,_ _Whose arm does bind the restless wave,_ _Who bids the mighty ocean deep_ _Its own appointed limits keep;_ _O hear us when we cry to Thee_ _For those in peril on the sea._ William Whiting 1860

[@alexius23]

👨‍🏫👨‍🏫👨‍🏫🧙🏻‍♂

[@dennisboulais7905]

Going anyplace by sail in the 18 hundreds, required a faith in God to protect you lest you be terrified of the voyage. Square rigged sailing ships were at the mercy of the winds and currents as the fate of the Spanish Armada can attest.

[@jonathanwetherell3609]

Queer things happen at sea.

[@chadparsons50]

Men who go down to the sea in ships.

[@J.A.Smith2397]

Tally ho

[@jerrylee7898]

Yay, first! Thanks for such fascinating videos.

[@mtmadigan82]

Whoa there speedy, don't be so quick. Your wife asked me to tell you that.

[@invertedpolarity6890]

I enjoy your videos. Please stop the Shorts. YT Shorts are terrible and there is no way to turn them off.

[@ac17uk]

Let the man do what he wants.

[@Toxked]

I think they requir shorts for the algorithm.

[@bartsanders1553]

​@@ToxkedIt's a trap. Posting shorts only boosts the algorithm for a couple weeks and then starts hiding the longform videos. Completely changes your exposure to people that don't watch longform. I've seen it killing several channels this year.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

I had to think about shorts a lot. I really didn’t prefer that YT jump into that space. But they did, so I am there. I don’t want to be absent from half of the space where content is recommended. My strategy is to use shorts as a teaser to draw people to the long form videos.

[@bartsanders1553]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Just be careful. There are a lot of CCs showing poor results long term after starting to use them, particularly with new exposers. Hopefully it's something YT will fix.