Fleet Ledger

Naval wars from the age of sail to the present day

War of the Spanish Succession
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Battles
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Capture of Gibraltar

Capture of Gibraltar

1–4 August 1704, Gibraltar

Anglo-Dutch victory; Gibraltar taken

Looking for something to show for a summer in the Mediterranean, Rooke and Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt decided to take Gibraltar, which had only a small garrison. Marines landed on the isthmus to cut it off from the mainland, and on 3 August the fleet bombarded the town and its defences. Sailors in boats stormed the New Mole, and the next day the governor surrendered. Gibraltar has been British ever since.

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View of Gibraltar taken by an officer of Admiral Sir George Rooke's fleet on 21 July 1704 (OS) or 1 August 1704 (NS). Image: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Britain + Dutch

Number of ships unknown, none lost

Royal Navy

Number of ships unknown, none lost

Flotillas and other craftNumberLost

Ships of the line

Admiral Sir George Rooke.

About 400

Navy of the Dutch Republic

Number of ships unknown, none lost

Flotillas and other craftNumberLost

Ships of the line

About 100

Gibraltar

No ships engaged

Forts, batteries and aircraftStrengthOutcome

Garrison and batteries of Gibraltar

A few hundred men

Surrendered

Map