Quicklime As A Navel Weapon...!

Waging war against our enemies has been the cause of many new ideas in weaponry over the years.

Take, for instance, the use of quicklime as a navel weapon. Developed by a Captain who thought quicklime, in the right circumstance, could be successfully used in battle. Turns out his thoughts were correct.

Battle Of Sandwich

1217

Photo credit: James Grant

To repel an invading French fleet, the English navy under the command of Baron William D’Albiney used quicklime (calcium oxide), which he stocked aboard his vessels. He purposefully moved his ships upwind of the French and then let loose with the noxious compound into the wind so that the French were almost immediately blinded by the large cloud encompassing their ships.

Unable to defend themselves, they became an easy target for the English navy. The English sailors quickly stormed the French ships and slaughtered all but the knights due to the ransom they could receive. D’Albiney had long maintained a stock of calcium oxide on his vessels for just such an attack, but the Battle of Sandwich may have been the first time he was able to deploy it

I hate to say it, but the use of quicklime was a brilliant idea, and seemed to accomplish the wanted results. Man can be very creative in ways of war.

Coffee out on the patio this morning!