Battle of Anholt (1811)

The Battle of Anholt occurred on 27 March 1811, marking a significant British victory against a Danish-Norwegian attempt to recapture the island. This engagement was part of the broader Gunboat War, a naval conflict between Denmark-Norway and Great Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. The battle resulted in the failure of the Danish expedition, ensuring British control over the strategic island until the Treaty of Kiel in 1814.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Anholt, a Danish island in the Kattegat, was captured by the British in May 1809 following the sinking of the bomb-vessel Proselyte. Early in the Gunboat War, Danish authorities closed the island's lighthouse. In February 1810, King Frederick VI declared the recovery of Anholt a high priority, ordering the collection of troops and gunboats under General Carl Tellequist to prepare for a recapture attempt.

Prelude to Battle. In early March 1811, Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez received intelligence that the Danes would attack Anholt. The British governor, Royal Marines Captain Edward Nicolls, had previously deployed the gunboat Grinder to scout Jutland, but Grinder was captured by Danish gunboats in April 1810. By August 1810, Anholt was classified as a 50-gun warship, known as a stone frigate, strengthening its defensive posture.

Outcome and Legacy. The battle resulted in a significant British victory, preventing further Danish attempts to recapture the island. The British held Anholt until the Treaty of Kiel in January 1814, which returned the island to Denmark. In 1847, the Royal Navy authorized the Naval General Service Medal with the bar 'Anholt 27 March 1811' to reward the action, and a memorial was inaugurated on the island in March 2011.

People involved

Sources

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