HMS Thunderer (1760)

HMS Thunderer (1760) was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched in 1760. She was built at Woolwich Dockyard to the 1745 Establishment as modified in 1754.

Service History:

• Seven Years' War: Thunderer saw active service during the later years of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), participating in various patrols and fleet actions.

• American Revolutionary War: Thunderer participated in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), including significant naval battles. She was present at the Battle of Ushant in 1778, where she engaged French ships of the line.

• West Indies Duty: The ship spent a considerable amount of time on station in the West Indies, protecting British interests and engaging in naval actions against French and Spanish forces in the Caribbean.

• Battle of the Saintes: Thunderer played a crucial role in the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782, a decisive British victory under Admiral Sir George Rodney that effectively ended French naval dominance in the West Indies during the American Revolutionary War. The ship sustained damage in the battle but contributed significantly to the British victory.

Fate:

• HMS Thunderer was wrecked in the Great Hurricane of 1780 off Morant Keys, Jamaica on 3 October 1780. All but nine of her crew were lost. Her loss was a significant blow to the Royal Navy, compounded by the loss of other ships in the same storm.