Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Anglogeezer
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 11:48 AM

NAVAL SONGS and BALLADS. 1908. C.H.Firth, editor has two songs.
here's the first. No tune is given.

A NEW SONG ON THE SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT OF DESTROYING THE FRENCH FLEET IN BASQUE ROADS ON THE 11th APRIL 1809.

Come, all you valiant Britons of every degree,
Attend a few minutes and listen unto me.
Concerning our brave sailors that sailed on the main
With courage so bold fresh laurels they did gain.

cho :
Success to our sailors that sail on the sea
Who with Cochrane undaunted, wherever they're wanted,
They'll fight till they die or gain the victory.

It was in Basque Roads the fleet they did lay
At the sight of our shipping fill'd them with dismay
They skulk'd near the shore like cowardly curs
And dare not come out to face our brave British tars.

In the month of April, mind what I say
We resolv'd to try this fleet to destroy:
We gave them three cheers before we set to,
And galled them so sorely we made them cry "Morbleu!"

We poured in our shot and our rockets like hail
Till at length that their courage began for to fail
Some were taken and destroy'd and some got on shore,
The rest run up the harbour and would fight no more.

This fleet from Brest harbour some time ago got clear,
And our brave British heroes soon after them did steer
We chased them to Basque Roads without fear or doubt
Tho' so great was their number they dare not come out.

So now, Master Boneyparte, cease for to brag,
Till you build some more ships for to hoist your white flag
Which so often has been beat by the lords of the main
And if they dare face them they'll serve them so again.

regards
Jake

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Fidjit
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 12:15 PM

Brilliant Anglogeezer.

Thanks a lot.

Any chance of the other one ?

Chas

I knew this site would come up trumps as it always does.

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: EBarnacle
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 12:19 PM

It looks as though the next to last verse should be verse number 2 for logical sequence. Any thoughts?

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Anglogeezer
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 12:19 PM

NAVAL SONGS and BALLADS. 1908. C.H.Firth, editor has two songs.
here's the second. Again no tune is given.

According to the introduction this song "..narrates an incident in the suppression of piracy in the Eastern Seas, viz. the fight at MALLUDA BAY on August 19 1845"

THE BORNEO HEROES

Come, all you jolly sailors bold, the truth you soon shall know
Concerning of a glorious fight on the Isle of Borneo.
As we were cruising of the coast we heard the dreadful news
How the pirates they had massacred our merchants' crews

cho:
Huzza! huzza! huzza! huzza! with Captain Talbot boys,
We'll die or win the day!

The news it flew like lightning, from ship to ship it ran:
Admiral Cochrane gave the word, brave Talbot led the van;
And soon we manned all our boats and down the river flew.
Brave Talbot he commanded us with all the vessel's crew

When we came up to the boom we found it so secure
The cannon from their batteries on us poor lads did pour
But soon we cut our way through, like lions sprang on shore,
And soon five hundred pirates lay bleeding in their gore.

While they were bleeding in their gore we rushed into their town,
And there the produce of many a gallant ship we found
For plunder and distribution, boys, it was our whole intent
In one hour and twenty minutes the town to ashes sent.

When we returned to our Admiral and told him the glorious news
"Three cheers, my boys, for England, and all the gallant crews!"
So we'll drink to Admiral Cochrane and gallant Talbot too
The officers of the squadron and all the vessel's crew.

Now we have returned to England, to let our friends all know
How we destroyed the pirates on the coast of Borneo
For we left the flag of England by all nations to be seen
And for our reward we'll boldly go, boys, to our gracious Queen.

regards
Jake

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 12:27 PM

Well found! (So to speak) ;>)

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Fidjit
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 01:36 PM

Again Jake Thanks a lot.

Now to work out some sort of tune.

Chas

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: EBarnacle
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 01:52 PM

The last line is interesting. "And for our reward we'll boldly go, Boys, to our gracious queen." The implication is that any property recovered would have been droits of the Admiralty, rather than of the Crown, so there would have been no share out of prize money and head money. There would have had to have been a declared state of war with the pirates. Otherwise the recovery would have devolved upon the Admiralty and, presumably, the insurors of the vessels and cargos.

Also, when was the potential of prize money removed from the Royal Navy?

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Anglogeezer
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 03:34 PM

WIKPEDIA says :-

"The distribution of prize money to the crews of the ships involved persisted until 1918. Then the Naval Prize Act changed the system to one where the prize money was paid into a common fund from which a payment was made to all naval personnel whether or not they were involved in the action. In 1945, this was further modified to allow for the distribution to be made to RAF personnel who had been involved in the capture of enemy ships."

regards
Jake

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Les from Hull
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 04:11 PM

M the GM - Surgeons gained commisioned officer status at some point after the Napoleonic Wars. I'm sorry I have not yet turned up any other details about George Bellamy's service, but as he was medically qualified he must have been in the forefront of Naval Surgeons, though not classed as Physician (who mainly served in Naval Hospitals).

Thanks Anglogeezer - the first song you posted is excellent, the second one is a different Cochrane. There were a number of Admiral Cochranes not the least of whom was Thomas Cochrane's uncle, who was quite beastly to 'Mercans in the War of 1812.

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 05:19 PM

Thank you, Les. That suggests that Pete's ancestor survived the wars & continued in service, & that his Commander's cocked-hat dates from then.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 06:03 PM

Les-

"Thomas Cochrane's uncle, who was quite beastly to 'Mercans in the War of 1812."

Just because he plundered and burnt our capitol doesn't necessarily mean he was acting "beastly." We'd never hold that against him!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: bubblyrat
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 06:27 PM

MtheGM ;
          You-know-who had a good go at me too, recently, for using "Marquis" instead of "Marquess",which I found somewhat irritating .

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 06:56 PM

I just like accuracy in historical references.

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 03:44 AM

Effingham, Grenville, Raleigh, Drake, Essex, Howard, Benbow, Collingwood, Byron, Blake, Rodney, Duncan, Nelson ===
these are the names that Sir Henry Newbolt mentions, at least once and some repeated, in his fine poem Admirals All (1897).

But no Cochrane.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 03:51 AM

Yes, Terry; I like accuracy too: as I never tire of relating, a poster on another forum I frequent recently posted the message "MtheGM, your pedantry is legendary".

BUT your objections to my and Bubbly's use of "marquis" were INACCURATE, as I conclusively demonstrated to you in my post of Nov 26 12.15 PM. So, as a lover of accuracy, you should have apologised to us both for your [this time] misplaced striving after accuracy,, rather than maintaining the silence with which that post was received; shouldn't you?

Regarda


~Michael~

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 03:54 AM

In interests of accuracy ~~ I meant "Regards"; & only one comma after 'accuracy' in penultimate line.

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Fidjit
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 04:45 AM

Terry

Don't use this thread for your pedantry.
Bugger off else where. We have other things to do here.

Chas

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Dec 10 - 01:57 PM

Thanks for a fascinating thread. Inspires me to read Cochrane The Dauntless purchased at the National Trust for Scotland bookshop in Culross.It was strongly recommended by an amazing guide who was absorbed in his subject.

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: John Routledge
Date: 01 Dec 10 - 04:07 PM

Above was me minus cookie

Subject: RE: Englands other Hero, Lord Cochrane
From: Snuffy
Date: 07 Dec 10 - 05:20 PM

In the centre of Culross is a memorial to one of it's most famous sons, Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, Scotland's most outstanding naval hero.

Taken from undiscovered scotland page on Culross