24 Attachment(s)
AAR. June Solo mission "Intercept" Captain Mc Bride.
Twixt cup and lip.
For once Captain David McBride was in no doubt as to his orders.
The usual convoluted and verbose communications from Bombay Castle, had for once been most specific.
"Intercept the French Frigate Proserpine…….. and detain the V.I.P. that you will find on board."
There followed a list of coordinates describing the route which the Frenchman would take. How on earth the Company Directors at the Castle had come by such detailed information David could not imagine.
Anyway the proof that they were accurate was there before him. From his Quarterdeck, In the early dawn light, he could clearly see the Frenchman as he stole Eastward, hugging the coastline and thus trying to conceal his presence.
Attachment 23636
" Well Monsewer you are nicely trapped between the coast and the Devil in the form of my 40 gun Frigate." He remarked to himself, knowing full well that the faster French ship could out sail him. David was pleased that the ship's Captain had tried subterfuge rather than trying to gain more sea room.
Attachment 23637
Noticing a slight shift in the wind as they closed,
Attachment 23638
David gave the order to change the Nottingham's heading two points to Port in order to close even faster on the Frenchman.
Attachment 23639
No sooner had he done so than the French frigate altered its own course as if to cut astern of the Nottingham.
Attachment 23640
"Got you now my boyo."
Attachment 23641
The British Frigate came hard a Port.
"Fire as you bear." At point blank range the double shotted first broadside scythed into the bows of the Frenchman reaping hell fire and destruction, as the carronades ripped it apart from stem to stern.
Attachment 23642
Attachment 23643
David was, however, disappointed to notice that no masts fell, as he was hoping to cut the speed of his adversary to match his own.
Attachment 23644
As the two ships drew apart, the Proserpine's feeble double shotted reply, was indicative of how badly mauled she had been by the British ship's onslaught. One more pass and a boarding party would surely settle the matter.
Attachment 23645
As if to help in this enterprise the French ship still partially out of control, as the Captain frantically tried to restore order to his decimated crew, came up into the eye of the wind and was taken aback.
Attachment 23646
Even better, as the Nottingham came about in pursuit, the wind backed a further few degrees, allowing her to tack smartly with her full crew in control, without suffering the same results as the Frenchman.
Attachment 23647
Attachment 23648
As the French tried to regain top speed, the Nottingham started what looked to be a long end chase.
in this fitful wind would the two ships be able to weather the distant headland without being forced to tack once more?
Attachment 23649
The French Captain had obviously decided not, as he came about to Starboard once more.
As soon as David saw the Frenchman's sails shiver, he also gave the order to come about, and being on the shorter radius closed with the Proserpine again.
Attachment 23650
For the second time the French captain tried to cut across the wake of the Nottingham.
David was now faced with a dilemma. he was in a perfect position to deliver another rake, however, he had noticed a figure in Army Uniform upon the Poop deck talking animatedly to the French captain and one of the helmsmen.
Attachment 23651
This was undoubtedly the VIP which the Orders mentioned, and sweeping the decks with Grape would inevitably endanger his life.
Attachment 23652
David reluctantly ordered his guncrews to stand down, and instead put the helm hard a port in an endeavor to board the Frenchman.
Attachment 23653
Attachment 23652
With an alacrity he had not previously shown, the Frenchman now put up his own helm and sweeping past the side of the Nottingham, added insult to injury by peppering the decks with musket fire, which again for obvious reasons David dared not order returned by his Marines.
Attachment 23654
Now fully reloaded with Double shot, and well to windward, the Proserpine gave David a farewell salute from its broadside guns.
Although not devastating, it had now rendered Nottingham's crew to a very depleted state, and incapable of guaranteeing a successful boarding action.
David could not outrun it, and seeing his quarry in danger of slipping through his fingers, had to take one last gamble.
Bringing the Nottingham about, he ordered the so far unused broadside to open fire again at short range.
Attachment 23655
Attachment 23656
The devastation to the Proserpine was horrific, and at long last the mast for which David had been hoping, fell alongside the ship and started to drag it around towards the Nottingham.
Attachment 23657
In one desperate attempt to stave off defeat the French returned what fire they could muster.
Attachment 23658
Feeble though it was, a falling block struck David down on the quarterdeck moments before the French colours came fluttering down on their own ship.
When David's Second Lieutenant and Captain of Marines stepped onto the French ship to accept its surrender, there was not one Officer left to carry out the Office on the Ship.
Attachment 23659
The Master's mate eventually took on the role. Amongst the fallen was discovered the body of the V.I.P.
As David recovered in his cabin, his head swathed in bandages, he reflected on the Picric victory, which had gained him a floating hulk as a prize, a concussion, a decimated ships crew, and a dead VIP. Well at least he did not manage to carry to fruition whatever plan he ha in mind.
Maybe an examination of his papers would be forthcoming.
Whatever the outcome David was sure that he would not get a warm welcome from the board of Directors when he docked in Bombay.
Bligh.
