Ned Loe Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 HMS Colossus Ship Plans: http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=17025.0 When Colossus was built by way of plans taken from a captured French prize of a then well known fast and effective French 74 gun battleship called the Courageux. This was a deliberate act by the Admiralty as the Courageux was a ship with an impressive and formidable reputation. British shipbuilders, however, improved on the French design. They also replaced the 24lb upper deck guns she carried with smaller lighter 18lb weapons on the Colossus; a similar act occurred with the quarter deck guns; this all went to make the Colossus the much faster and more impressive sailor described in the references presented below. Her keel was laid in 1781 by a Quaker shipbuilder named William Cleverly and Launched in 1787, the design of the Colossus set a new precedent for the British shipbuilder of 3rd rate ships of the line from then on. HMS Colossus soon earned a fine reputation as one of the best and fleetest warships in the British Navy. During her short life of just 11 years service, apart from taking part in major naval engagements, Colossuscovered other duties. Occasionally she served as a convoy escort; as indeed she did during two huge but ill fated West Indies expedition fleets of 1795. However, her main job was on station with what was known at the time as:- “the Blockading inshore squadron”; a duty Colossus performed well off Toulon, Malta and Cadiz. The Naval chronicle states that- “Only the fastest ships in the fleet are chosen for such duty.” In 1793, due to her reputation for being swift, Colossuswas rushed by Admiral Lord Hood to Cagliari for reinforcements to aid in the then ensuing siege of Toulon. Hood wrote of her quick return: “His Majesty’s ship Colossus returned to me today bringing with her 350 good troops” After numerous successes like these, the Times newspaper later wrote:“Colossus was one of the finest 74’s in the service, and a prime sailor” During her time Colossus had no less than seven Captains, three of which entertained Admirals on board- Admiral Pole; Admiral Christian; and if only briefly-the now famous Admiral Cornwallis. It is interesting to note that Admirals chose the ships in which they served; often opting for the biggest, grandest, or more often as not, the fastest ships in the service. Even in battle Colossus was often chosen to take the lead. After the Battle off the French Island of Groix, in 1795, Admiral Lord Bridport stated: “I made the signal for four of the best sailing ships to chase down the French; Sans Parell; Orion; Russell; and Colossus”. When they caught up with the fleeing enemy fleet the ensuing battle, which lasted for over three hours, took place within easy range of many enemy shore batteries. During the lengthy engagement, high up on Colossus’ mainmast, a Scottish piper played heartily on his bagpipes until the French struck their colours in defeat. Two years later in 1797, while back on blockade duty off Cadiz, the then Captain of Colossus, George Murray, was singled out for praise by a Spanish Admiral who stated that:“ Colossus had kept up so unremitting a watch” that under a flag of truce he invited Murray to a bull fight. Even though the Spaniard offered up his own nephew as insurance,Murray “thought it proper to decline the invitation.” In the squadron at this time Murray in Colossus was serving directly alongside Nelson in Theseus who wrote in candour: “We are looking at the ladies walking the walls and Mall of Cadiz and know of the ridicule they make of their sea officers” A little later Colossus and three other warships were sent by the Admiralty to bolster the main fleet at sea; which was about to see action in a major Battle off Cape St Vincent. The Mediterranean Fleets overall Commander, Sir John Jervis, wrote to his superiors of his gratitude:- “Thank you for sending so good a batch, they are a valuable addition to my already excellent stock” Again, when battle commenced,Colossus was one of the first ships sent into the fray; and bearing the brunt of the first broadsides in front of the Spanish guns; some of her rigging was immediately shot away and severely damaged. Consequently she took no further part in the engagement. After repairing her rigging at Lisbon Colossus was sent back on station off Cadiz; until in 1798 Nelson requested all assistance to defeat the French fleet which was believed to have entered the Mediterranean. The Battle of the Nile was about to commence. Overall Commander, Sir John Jervis, replied to Nelsons request:“The Colossus is now most powerfully manned and Murray is to good a fellow to be left when so much is needed to be done.” Although the ship did not actually take part in the action at Aboukir Bay, as the British conquering battle damaged fleet limped back to the Great Bay of Naples to repair, Colossus chased down and successfully captured one of 3 French warships that had escaped from the engagement. Whilst the rest of the fleet was repairing at Naples,Colossus went straight back to the Inshore Squadron; this time off Malta until reinforcements came to retake the Island into British control. Colossus did not return to the repairing fleet at Naples until months later. By the end of September 1798, with the other ships almost ready again for sea Colossus, via Gibralta, rejoined the fleet at Naples. “Every assistance has been given to the Vanguard, the Culloden; and Alexander so that these ships will be fit again to sea in a few days. Yesterday His Majesty’s ship Colossus, Captain Murray, with four victuallers from Gibraltar, came to anchor in this port”-(Naples) It was at this moment Captain Murray gave up his spare Bower anchor (and three of his ships guns) to Nelson in the Vanguard; this simple gift of an anchor between friends helped to seal the fate of Colossus later at Scilly. Within weeks the city of Naples needed to be evacuated and Colossus was chosen, by Nelson himself, to take a precious and extremely valuable collection of Greek antiquities back to England. This was a personal favour to British ambassador, and friend of Nelson, Sir William Hamilton. His choice of ship, probably due to her swift reputation, was deliberate. The choice was also not taken lightly, as any ship given this task was about to brave the storms of a fast approaching winter; not an ideal time to be out in the Atlantic Ocean. On her way home to England Colossus stopped of at Algiers where the Dey, in light of recent British victories at sea, and in showing simple admiration towards one of His Majesty’s ships of War, presented Captain Murray with a golden Sabre. Colossus then set sail for Lisbon where she was to take on board the body of Lord Shuldham. Also in the River Tagus at this time, a convoy of transports were waiting to sail home under the protection of Colossus and other ships of war. The convoy, most of which was:- “bound forIreland and other northern ports” then set off for England. Colossus along with eight other smaller vessels then parted company with the main convoy somewhere out in the entrance of the English Channelas planned. On the 7th December 1798 Colossus entered the Isles of Scilly to seek refuge from a north westerly gale. She came to anchor in St Mary’s Roads with a view to ride out the storm before setting off on the last leg of her journey. Unfortunately, three days later on the 10th of December, the wind veered around to the south east. As it grew ever stronger one of the ships main Bower anchors broke and, in the teeth of the gale, Colossus dragged on the one remaining anchor. Without a spare Bower anchor to throw in, having given it to Nelson at Naples, nothing Murray did would arrest the ships progress towards the rocks. Eventually Colossus was wrecked on the Southard Wells reef off the foot of Samson Island. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Loe Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 by Austin Johnson 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Smith Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Are this one is your job? if yes my chin just landed on ground! Very impressive 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirones Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 very nice ship and a good read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leviathan Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Doesn't this ship share the same design as the HMS Leviathan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirones Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Doesn't this ship share the same design as the HMS Leviathan? or Bellona if i look at the stern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillBox Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 She's gorgeous, well done sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKPyrate Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Beautiful! I especially like the copper bottom coloring and other weathering. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanser von Richthofen Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 i like it well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Vernon Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Outstanding words and pictures. I hope that we may some day see her in game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Willy Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 she is a beauty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir. Cunningham Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 This is one of my personal favorites, and no she's not like the Bellona, her (Colossus) shape is sexier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebooter Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Phwoar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawke Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 What lovely lines, tremendous work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir. Cunningham Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I really hope for either this or the Orion to be added ingame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptLouis Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 ...and Minotaur! Fab, well done, this is a beauty. Can you do the Arrogant class next, I'm thinking we need a Billy Ruffian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebsif Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 meh how can u tell the difference between this and belona... or victory and spanish / russian 1st rates w/o the stern. Even telling Sherman tanks apart is easier googling says model was made by some Austin Johnson guy and dis http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lSpJUAgz9LE/TVbTz6M84uI/AAAAAAAAAGE/gaa1saakZDA/s1600/Colossus+digi+image.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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