Wednesday 18th November
Chris Tarratt
The Dutch Raid on the Medway
Picture courtesy of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
In 1667, Charles II’s Navy was caught out by an audacious Dutch plan to raid the Thames, the Medway and Essex and Kent coastal towns. Recorded in the diary of Samuel Pepys (who was Secretary of the Navy Board), the defence was weak and there was panic inland as it began to appear that the Dutch might attack London. How could all this have happened when we seem to be such friendly countries nowadays?