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The Spanish Armada of about 130 ships sailed form Spain. It comprised about 20 warships or sizeable armed merchantmen, the rest being transports and small craft with 18,000 troops embarked. Their orders were to rendezvous with the Duke of Parma forces near Dunkirk, embark his army and land the entire force on English shores.

They were opposed by an English Fleet which eventually rose to 197 ships ranging from large warships to victuallers and small 20-ton pinnaces. The maximum strength at any one time was 140.

Another important difference between the Fleets was the way in which guns were reloaded at that time. No heavy guns were reloaded while the ship was in action. The English ships tried to approached their target in line ahead. As a ship closed, it would fire its bow guns, followed by the guns on one side as they were brought to bear. Next the stern guns would fire as the ship turned away and finally the guns on the second side would fire as she tacked away. The next ship in line would then repeat the exercise. meanwhile the first ship would begin the process of reloading her guns. If there were sufficient attacking ships to keep up a continuous attack, the defender would have no opportunity to reload between attacks.

The smaller more manoeuvrable English ships were able to achieve this type of attack as the two Fleets moved up the Channel. The larger Spanish ships were unable to do much about it as they had to defend their merchant charges. However their larger size meant they were able to withstand the attacks and only lost a few ships by the time they neared the Flanders coast at Gravelines. The effect was that English ships fired 1.5 rounds per gun per hour. The Spanish, 1.5 rounds per gun per day.

During the night with a westerly wind, 8 fireships were loosed towards the Spanish anchorage. This was expected by the Spanish who slipped their cables and stood out to sea.

Next morning the English attacked and were opposed by six Spanish warships who formed a rearguard cover while the main fleet reformed. In a strengthening wind many Spanish ships were damaged but a fighting formation was slowly restored. However by afternoon the weather deteriorated and the Spanish ships were being driven towards the Zealand banks and their destruction.

On the morning of the 30th the wind backed just in time and the bulk of the Spanish Fleet saved from being driven on-shore. They moved north and as the English were virtually out of ammunition the action ended. The English followed while awaiting re-supply turning back about the line of the Firth of Forth.

The English expected the Spanish would seek refuge in a friendly port, with options being at Hamburg, Denmark, Norway or Scotland. After which the fighting would resume. But they decided to return to Spain by way rounding the North of Scotland then west and south into the Atlantic. They were very short of water and supplies with rations reduced to about one third of normal. In the continuing bad weather only 67 ships made it home to Spain, including most of the best warships. The remainder were wrecked on the Irish, or Scottish shores. Some having their starving crews killed when they landed to obtain water or food.

While the war against Spain continued the threat of invasion ended.

Note: This is the first Battle Honour Awarded to Royal Navy ships even although the Battle was fought by Elizabeth I, Navy Royal, before the formation of the Royal Navy. The prefix Royal was granted by Charles II on 1660.

The Battle Honours Committee which recommends awards to the Navy Board decided that "the earliest action of which sufficient is known, and which is in all respects worthy of inclusion, was 'ARMADA 1588' ".

Copyright © Ian M King, except where otherwise indicated.