Holmes's Bonfire | |||||||
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Part of the Second Anglo-Dutch War | |||||||
'Holmes's Bonfire' by Willem van de Velde the Elder | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
England | Dutch Republic | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Robert Holmes | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
8 ships |
2 ships 150 merchant vessels | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
6 killed 24 wounded |
2 ships destroyed 140 merchant vessels destroyed |
Holmes's Bonfire was a raid on the Vlie estuary in the Netherlands, executed by the English Fleet during the Second Anglo-Dutch War on 19 and 20 August 1666 New Style (9 and 10 August Old Style). The attack, named after the commander of the landing force, Rear-Admiral Robert Holmes, was successful in destroying by fire a large merchant fleet of 140 ships. During the same action, the town of West-Terschelling was burnt down, which caused outrage in the Dutch Republic.