All us history buff's know that the reason why Denmark became too so unsure of itself in the 19th and 20th century was following. The Danes lost their Navy to the British at the battle of Copenhagen in 1807. The Danes never expected this attack and was unprepared for the onslaught which came. But let’s change this to what if the Danes had been ready for the British attack? Maybe alerted by a French spy at the British admiralty?
The British assault fleet under the command of James Gambier and Lord Cathcard have been send to steal the Danish fleet after King Frederik have refused to give into the British ultimatum of handing over the Danish fleet. But unaware of the fate that awaits them the British fleet sail’s to its doom.
30 gunboats of the Danish fleet have been stationed in Aalborg and lay waiting for the British fleet, at the western edge of Limfjord. These boats have been outfitted with the Arc-rudder which allows faster turning. These boats commanded by Captain John Jensen who himself had engineered the Arc-rudder. He executed what would later become known as Jensen manoeuvre. This implies the targeting of the Middle, Front and last ship in the British fleet. This causes the British to break their formation and go after the gunboats. The British ship commanders fail to realize that the Danes with help of their French military advisers have laid a trap in the shallow waters of Western Jutland. The huge British ships cannot manoeuvre in the Shallow waters and gets stuck in the Mud. Then a Danish force board’s British fleet and the battle of Nissum Bredning rages while the reminder of the Danish fleet block the escape from from the Limfjord by the British. After 8 hours of fighting, Gambart and Cathcard are forced to surrender, and sign an armistice what is known today as Lemvig peace. This forces the British to recognize Denmark as naval power.
As a consequence of this Denmark never lost Norway and in 1825 Denmark settles its old score with Sweden and retakes the Southern territories it lost a couple of 100 years earlier. Sweden is cast into Civil war which rages for almost 10 years.
The British assault fleet under the command of James Gambier and Lord Cathcard have been send to steal the Danish fleet after King Frederik have refused to give into the British ultimatum of handing over the Danish fleet. But unaware of the fate that awaits them the British fleet sail’s to its doom.
30 gunboats of the Danish fleet have been stationed in Aalborg and lay waiting for the British fleet, at the western edge of Limfjord. These boats have been outfitted with the Arc-rudder which allows faster turning. These boats commanded by Captain John Jensen who himself had engineered the Arc-rudder. He executed what would later become known as Jensen manoeuvre. This implies the targeting of the Middle, Front and last ship in the British fleet. This causes the British to break their formation and go after the gunboats. The British ship commanders fail to realize that the Danes with help of their French military advisers have laid a trap in the shallow waters of Western Jutland. The huge British ships cannot manoeuvre in the Shallow waters and gets stuck in the Mud. Then a Danish force board’s British fleet and the battle of Nissum Bredning rages while the reminder of the Danish fleet block the escape from from the Limfjord by the British. After 8 hours of fighting, Gambart and Cathcard are forced to surrender, and sign an armistice what is known today as Lemvig peace. This forces the British to recognize Denmark as naval power.
As a consequence of this Denmark never lost Norway and in 1825 Denmark settles its old score with Sweden and retakes the Southern territories it lost a couple of 100 years earlier. Sweden is cast into Civil war which rages for almost 10 years.
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