Josh Provan joins me to talk about some of the most significant French naval commanders of the period, looking at the successes, failures, and arguably unfair criticisms that can be made of these often neglected seafarers.
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Every week a treat - this time the higher ranking officers of the French Navy are introduced. It starts to dim on me - how complicated Naval Warfare was and that one was in dire need of a complete Navy from top leadership down to skill of the seamen.
Though it is concluded that the Royal Navy just had superior training - I have the impression that the leadership - and here the top commanders were just better and could orchestrate full fleed manoeuvres and battles in contrast to the French. My impression about Royal Navy training got a dent listening to the 1812 podcase, and again just stressing the point that all hugh organisations are not a homogenous but a heterogenous mass.
must be in 1814 or later, note the white cockade
here a sailor of 1792 in splendid Revoutionary outfit
And of course, La Touche-Treville's name was the origin of the phrase "the Nelson touch" (see also the title of David Howarth's book on Trafalgar).
and now part 2 - too good to be missed.
Just discovered this on youtube of adventures in historyland, quite eye opening and very worthwhile to watch
It strikes me as ironic that a Frenchman should have coined the phrase ' il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres.'
Louis-Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse
another admiral of unhappy ending
In case for those interested in a light read on the French Navy - full of illustrations
Crowdy, Terry : French Warhship Crews 1789 - 1805, Osprey, Warrior Series, Oxford 2005
Étienne Eustache Bruix
another admiral of unhappy fate
two other faces
Bruyers of Aboukir fame
Louis-René Madelaine Le Vassor, comte de La Touche-Tréville