ÇA IRA

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ÇA IRA

Post by shipstamps » Sun Nov 30, 2008 3:00 pm


Built as a ship-of-the-line by Geslain at the Arsenal of Rochefort for the French Navy.
May 1748 keel laid down.
1749 launched as the La COURONNE.
Tonnage 1.754 tons. Dim. 54.2 x 14.3 x 7.1m. (draught)
Armament 28 – 36 pdrs., 30 – 18pdrs., 16 – 8pdrs.
Crew 600.

1766 Rebuilt by Antoine Groignard at the Arsenal at Brest.
Tonnage increased to 2.200 ton, dim.59.8 x 14.9 x 7.5m. (draught)
Armament 30 -36pdrs., 23 – 24pdrs., 18 – 18pdrs.
Crew 970.

29 April 1781 she took part in the Battle of Martinique under command of Capt. Guichen.
1792 Renamed in ÇA IRA in reference to the revolutionary anthem Ah! Ça ira.

03 March 1795 she left Toulon under command of Captain Coudé, together with the squadron of Vice-Admiral Martin and a large fleet of transports, transporting 6000 French troops to Corsica.
The troops had to be landed there and capture the strong British positions on the island.

The French squadron of 13 ships, off Alassio on 13 March met the British fleet of 15 ships under command of Lord Hotham.
Outnumbered the French squadron tried to avoid contact, but while manoeuvring, ÇA IRA collided with VICTOIRE and damaged her rigging; she found herself upwind and soon was attacked by the frigate HMS INCONSTANTE under command of Thomas Fremantle and HMS AGAMEMNON under command of Captain Horatio Nelson.
She repelled the attackers but got heavy damage, the French gunners were not accurate enough to damage the attackers, while the more trained gunners on board the AGAMEMNON hit her aft, in the most unprotected part of the ÇA IRA.
She could escape after the French frigate VESTALE and the ship CENSEUR came to the rescue, fighting the whole British vanguard.
British sources give: The French ÇA IRA ran on board the French VICTOIRE, her next ahead, and carried away her own fore and main-topmast, allowing Capt Freemantle in HMS INCONSTANT to come alongside and engage her.
She was joined by AGAMEMNON and CAPTAIN who attacked ÇA IRA for over two hours until Admiral Hotham signalled their recall when several French warships arrived near the ÇA IRA to support her.

The next day ÇA IRA towed by CENSEUR was lagging behind the French squadron and the English squadron advanced to capture them.
Vice-Admiral Martin tried to intervene but failed due to unfavourable wind and incompetent gunners. Only the DUQUESNE intervened but she had to retreat after she sustained damage and casualties.
ÇA IRA and CENSEUR came under attack, which she tried to repel but when the two ships after a bad manoeuvre came in collision which each other were the rigging of the ÇA IRA fell on the CENSEUR, both ships became unmanageable.
Both ships surrendered after a desperate action with CAPTAIN and BRDFORD in which the French lost 400 men.

After her surrender both were towed to Saint Florent, Corsica.

March 1795 commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS ÇA IRA under command of Capt Charles Pater Burnt.
Used as a floating hospital hulk at Saint Florent, Corsica.
11 April 1769 she got on fire, the wounded on board were evacuated, and she was towed from the bay to prevent that sparks of the fire set fire to other ships in the port.
She sank about 500 meter off the beach with the loss of 4 men.

Dominica 2005 $2 sg?, scott?

Source: Wikipedia and other web-sites. British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817 by Rif Winfield.

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