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After the 1807 loss of its fleet to Britain, Denmark was forced into allegiance with Napoleon, a move resulting in a British blockade of Danish interests, including the coast of Norway. The British navy was effective in its quest to terrorise the inhabitants of this part of the world. Three brigs, HMS Snake, HMS Nightingale and HMS Gallant, were dispatched to the north-Norwegian coast in 1808, carrying a total of 48 guns.

In the afternoon of July 4th, 1808, HMS Snake, under command of Captain Thomas Wang, anchored off Hasvik, a trading post on the east of Sørøy, Finnmark. Two boats landed, under cover fire from the brig, and the crews – around 30 men in total – surrounded the trading post, hoisted the Union Flag, and took what they could find of value.

The Englishmen remained for five days, spending their time desecrating the church; plundering and destroying all the houses; and slaughtering all the livestock they wanted for themselves, and shooting the rest. They destroyed all the fishing tackle they could find (depriving their enemy of their ability to make a living), and even stole the boots of Kristian Petter Killengreen, the trader at the post.

Ten days after the Snake left, another brig arrived – the 14-gun HMS Fancy, according to Killengreen – and took everything that the Snake had left behind, leaving at last on 21st July. Killengreen estimated that he lost 10,000 Riksdaler, a veritable fortune, in the raids.

Given the behaviour of my countrymen, I find it hardly surprising that this aspect of British maritime history is not widely acknowledged in the UK.

3 September, 02:32 pm ·

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