Raid on the Medway was a bold Dutch naval operation conducted in June 1667 during the Second Anglo‑Dutch War. A fleet under the overall command of Michiel de Ruyter sailed up the River Medway, captured the English flagship Royal Charles, and burned or seized numerous warships at the shipyards of Chatham and Rochester.
Execution
The raid began on 19 June 1667 when Dutch ships passed the fort at Sheerness, which was taken after a brief resistance. Marine forces, including 450 marines under the command of François Palm and Colonel Dolman, landed on the island of Chappey (modern Chatham) and secured the English magazines. The operation culminated in the capture of the Royal Charles on 23 June 1667.
Strategic impact
The success of the raid forced England to negotiate peace, leading to the Treaty of 1667 (Treaty of Breda). It also demonstrated the effectiveness of Dutch amphibious tactics, which later influenced VOC operations against the Sultanate of Aceh in the Indian Ocean.
See Also
Source
De geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Korps Mariniers van 1665‑1945, OCR text, pp. 43‑46 (20260707_232246_DLP-55-De_geschiedenis_van_et_Nederlandsche_Korps_Mariniers_van_1665_1945_OCR.txt).