BattlefieldsFrench Galleys — Raid on Shoreham 1545
Tudor

French Galleys — Raid on Shoreham 1545

1545
Sussex, England
Also known as: French galley raid Shoreham 1545 · French attack Shoreham Sussex 1545
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
Sussex, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Shoreham townspeople
Forces
Shoreham town levies and Sussex militia
VS
Victor
French raiders
Forces
French galley detachment
Outcome
French galleys from the main fleet raided Shoreham harbour; vessels damaged and coastal community harassed before local militia response drove off the raiders
The Battle

History & Significance

The French galley raid on Shoreham in 1545 was one of several hit-and-run attacks on the Sussex coast by detached galleys from the main French fleet operating in the Channel. The speed of galley operations and their shallow draught made them almost impossible to intercept before they had completed a raid and withdrawn. The Shoreham attack, like those on Brighton and Seaford in the same year, highlighted the residual vulnerability of the Sussex coast despite investment in coastal defences.

Casualties & Losses

English property damage; some casualties reported

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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