Battle of Grimstad Bay
1811 amphibious battle of the Napoleonic Wars
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The Battle of Grimstad Bay (Norwegian: Bataljen på Grimstad havn) was an amphibious assault by the United Kingdom against Denmark–Norway that took place in the town of Grimstad, situated on the southern coast of present-day Norway. The battle was a part of the blockade that the Royal Navy maintained on the country from 1807 to 1814 during the Napoleonic Wars.[1]
| Battle of Grimstad Bay | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Napoleonic Wars and the Gunboat War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Denmark–Norway |
 United Kingdom | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown amount of Norwegian volunteers | 1 frigate | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Several killed or wounded | ||||||
Course
HMS Venus was in pursuit of four Norwegian merchant vessels that had sought refuge in the fjord leading to Grimstad. Among these vessels was the sloop Frau Maria, which was en-route from Bergen to Flensburg carrying fish, salt, and cod liver oil.[1]
Venus anchored outside the outer islands of Grimstad and deployed three small boats manned by Royal Marines. These boats made their way into Grimstad bay and boarded Frau Maria. Norwegian forces in Grimstad mobilized and engaged the British-controlled sloop using rifles and a few small cannons. Despite their efforts, the marines managed to set sail on Frau Maria but inadvertently sailed her into a narrow bay with no passage leading to the ocean. They were trapped and were forced to abandon the ship and retreated back to Venus. It was reported that several marines were killed or wounded in the engagement.[2]