When the Dutch Invaded Great Britain
When the Dutch Invaded Great Britain
The time the Netherlands nearly took London...
The Netherlands, despite its rather small size, has left a significant mark on the history of Europe.
Mainly because Dutch people have never been afraid to take a few risks, an approach they would take to the battlefield. This was perhaps never clearer than throughout the Raid on the Medway.
During the second Anglo-Dutch war in 1667, the Dutch fleet attempted to invade London. At the helm of the attack stood the most important official in the Netherlands at the time – Johan de Witt.
Witt knew that the British were not prepared for any kind of conflict. Their capital had just faced an epidemic of bubonic plague, leaving over 68,000 dead, and the Great Fire of London, which destroyed over 1/3 of the city.
Naturally, Britain was suffering serious financial problems, leading to badly maintained defence equipment and an underpaid, demoralised army.
Johan de Witt capitalised on this…
The Dutch Raid
On June 10th, Dutch forces entered the Medway River, encountering first resistance at Sheerness fort. However, this didn’t slow down the fleet, and the fort was captured on the very same day. Despite the British military being informed of the Dutch plans, it was already too late to stop them.
Two days later, the Dutch had arrived at Gillingham, where the defenders had prepared an enormous iron chain that stretched across the length of river. This would be enough to stop most attackers, but Johan de Witt was prepared.
He ordered for one of his ships to be loaded with explosives and rammed into the barricade. The explosion broke the chain, and the river was again open for the Dutch invaders.
Ahead lay British warships prepared for the attack. However, the Dutch repeated the same tactic, and succeeded in breaking the formation of British Military. The attackers managed to capture the HMS Royal Charles – the flagship of the English fleet.
And that was not the end of Dutch offensive. They continued down the river, burning British ships and destroying every dockyard that they encountered. After badly damaging the British economy, and having nicked one of their most important ships, Dutch army returned home in triumph.
Legacy
The defeat was a humiliating blow for Britain. They had no option but to sign an unfavourable treaty with the Netherlands. King Charles II suffered yet another blow to his popularity, and the Dutch army reaffirmed their status as the leading maritime and naval power of the 17th century.
The raid became a celebrated event in Dutch history. While in Great Britain, it served as a warning about getting too comfortable and underestimating your opponents.