The action of 2 May 1707, also known as Beachy Head, was a naval battle of the War of the Spanish Succession in which a France, French squadron under Claude de Forbin intercepted a large British convoy escorted by three ships of the line, under Commodore Baron Wylde. The action began when three French ships, the ''Grifon'', ''Blackoal'' and ''Dauphine'', grappled , killing her captain, George Clements, and taking her. Claude Forbin's 60-gun ''Mars'' next attacked and, when joined by the French ships ''Blackoal'' and ''Fidèle'', killed the Captain Edward Acton, and took her too. The convoy was scattered and the last British escort, , badly hit and with 12 feet of water in her wells, managed to escape by running ashore near Dungeness (headland), Dungeness, from where she was carried the next day into The Downs (ship anchorage), the Downs. The French took 21 merchant ships, besides the two 70-gun ships of the line, and carried them all into Dunkirk.

Action

On 1 May a large outward-bound convoy for the West Indies, under the protection of three ships of the line, sailed from the Downs and being six leagues to the westward of Beachy, they fell in with the French squadron from Dunkirk, commanded by Claude de Forbin. This squadron consisted of 7 sail of the line and 6 privateers. The action began when 3 French ships, ''Griffon'', ''Blackoal'' and ''La Dauphine'', grappled HMS ''Hampton Court'' and killed Captain Clements. Commodore Wyld took five of his largest merchant ships into his line and boldly met the attack of the French ships. For two and a half hours a heavy fire was kept up on both sides; HMS ''Hampton Court'' fought desperately and was obliged to surrender. ''La Dauphine'' next vigorously attacked HMS ''Grafton'' and when joined by the French ships ''Blackoal'' and ''Fidele'', captured her after a warm dispute of half an hour. Claude Forbin's 60-gun ''Mars'' attacked Commodore Wyld's ''Royal Oak''. The ship having eleven feet of water in her hold, managed to escape with great loss by running ashore, from where she was carried into the Downs.

Order of battle

France

* ''Mars'' 60 – Chevalier de Forbin, Chef de division. * ''La Dauphine'' 56 – Comte de Roquefeuil. * ''Fidèle'' 56 – Baron d'Arey. * ''Blackoal'' 54 – de Tourouvre. * ''Salisbury'' 50 – Chevalier de Vezins. * ''Griffon'' 50 – Chevalier de Nangis. * ''Protée'' 50 – Comte d'Illiers. 6 Privateers.

Britain

* HMS Royal Oak (1674), ''HMS Royal Oak'' 76 – Commodore Baron Wylde, Escaped. * HMS Hampton Court (1678), ''HMS Hampton Court'' 70 – Captain George Clements, Captured. * HMS Grafton (1679), ''HMS Grafton'' 70 – Captain Edward Acton , Captured.Allen p.101 55 Merchant ships.

References

Bibliography

* Haws, Duncan; Hurst, Alexander Anthony (1985). The Maritime History of the World: A Chronological Survey of Maritime Events from 5,000 B.C. Until the Present Day. Vol I. . * Allen, Joseph. ''Battles of the British Navy: from A.D. 1000 to 1840'' Bell & Daldy publishing, ASIN B00087UD9S * Troude, O. ''Batailles navales de la France, Vol. I.'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Action Of 2 May 1707 Conflicts in 1707 Naval battles involving Great Britain Naval battles involving France Naval battles of the War of the Spanish Succession 1707 in France 1707 in Great Britain 18th-century military history of France