HMS Thunderer (1783)

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HMS Thunderer was a 74-gun 3rd rate ship of the line built at Rotherhithe. She was one of a class of eight.

In 1794 she fought at the Glorious First of June under Captain Bertie, and from 1799 to 1803 served in the West Indies, captained by Temple Hardy

In 1805, she fought at the Battle of Trafalgar under the command first lieutenant John Stockham. Her Captain, John Lechmore, had returned to England to attend a court martial as a witness at the time of the battle.

The surgeon on board was Scotsman James Marr Brydone, who was the first to sight the French fleet. Thunderer signaled the Victory and three minutes later battle orders were signalled to the British fleet beginning the Battle of Trafalgar.

In 1807, Thunderer served in the Dardanelles as part of a squadron under Admiral Sir John Duckworth and was badly damaged when the squadron withdrew from the area.

She was decommissioned in 1811 and broken up in 1814.

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