Wreck of Bonhomme Richard Located

AndyHall

Colonel
Joined
Dec 13, 2011
This is not CW related, but will be of interest to folks of a naval history/nautical archaeology inclination.

Wreck of John Paul Jones’ Ship USS Bonhomme Richard Located Off Yorkshire
Posted on December 10, 2018 by Rick Spilman

Researchers believe that wreckage found off the coast of Filey in Yorkshire is from the American warship USS Bonhomme Richard. The ship, under the command of John Paul Jones, fought a four-hour battle with HMS Serapis off nearby Flamborough Head in 1779. Maritime historian Tim Akers, 60, working with British specialist satellite firm Merlin Burrows, located the wreck last month.

Mr. Akers spoke to the UK’s Express, saying, “On our very first dive we knew we had found the BHR. From the finds and identifiable evidence, combined with the descriptions of the battle and both ships logs, we are convinced this is indeed the famous ship.”

Previous diving expeditions discovered a wrecked wooden ship, but it was never confirmed as the Bonhomme.

“Our wreck is littered with objects which can be identified in relation to the battle and burning. Our underwater filming clearly shows the burst guns, multiple artifacts and cannon balls. Ship stern decoration, ships bells, a figure head of a rampant lion and rigging are also all visible.”

HMS Serapis ultimately surrendered to Jones and the Bonhomme Richard. The Bonhomme Richard, however, was damaged in the battle that it subsequently sank. Several expeditions have tried and failed to identify the shipwreck, including one led by the US Navy.

http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2018/12/...p-uss-bonhomme-richard-located-off-yorkshire/
 
Thanks Andy! I referenced this thread over at ModelShipWorld.com, where a lively discussion is beginning to take place. I am USS Frolick over there (named for a 22-gun ship-rigged corvette of 1813 - the only US navy vessel ever to sink a pirate ship in battle). I would love for it to be true, but I have my doubts about the accuracy of the story, as I explain there.

https://modelshipworld.com/index.ph...f-bonhomme-richard-found-off-yorkshire-coast/
 
Would be great if the wreck was the Bonhomme Richard. I wrote my High School Senior term paper on her and Captain John Paul Jones.
Regards
David
 
He had a pretty good motivator for his men, did Captain Jones - our ship's sinking, theirs isn't! That's a great story - more should be said of John Paul Jones.
 
This is not CW related, but will be of interest to folks of a naval history/nautical archaeology inclination.

Wreck of John Paul Jones’ Ship USS Bonhomme Richard Located Off Yorkshire
Posted on December 10, 2018 by Rick Spilman

Researchers believe that wreckage found off the coast of Filey in Yorkshire is from the American warship USS Bonhomme Richard. The ship, under the command of John Paul Jones, fought a four-hour battle with HMS Serapis off nearby Flamborough Head in 1779. Maritime historian Tim Akers, 60, working with British specialist satellite firm Merlin Burrows, located the wreck last month.

Mr. Akers spoke to the UK’s Express, saying, “On our very first dive we knew we had found the BHR. From the finds and identifiable evidence, combined with the descriptions of the battle and both ships logs, we are convinced this is indeed the famous ship.”

Previous diving expeditions discovered a wrecked wooden ship, but it was never confirmed as the Bonhomme.

“Our wreck is littered with objects which can be identified in relation to the battle and burning. Our underwater filming clearly shows the burst guns, multiple artifacts and cannon balls. Ship stern decoration, ships bells, a figure head of a rampant lion and rigging are also all visible.”

HMS Serapis ultimately surrendered to Jones and the Bonhomme Richard. The Bonhomme Richard, however, was damaged in the battle that it subsequently sank. Several expeditions have tried and failed to identify the shipwreck, including one led by the US Navy.

http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2018/12/...p-uss-bonhomme-richard-located-off-yorkshire/

They found Bonhomme Richard? That's downright fantastic! I figured her wreck lost for good personally, plus she always seemed so "forgotten" in public memory I wouldn't thought any one would be searching for her in this day and age, much anything left to identify her.

Now if only they can find USS Ranger, assuming there's wreck to be found since she was decommissioned from the Royal Navy, and was sold rather than scraped. Also it's too bad the wrecks of vessels like the USS Raleigh, or USS Confederacy and especially USS America are likely not in existence.
 
bhr-gilkerson_1200.jpg


Bonhomme Richard
has been the subject of many, many searches going back decades. Illustration by the master of all things John Paul Jones, William Gilkerson.
 
Curiously...Bonhomme Richard was a vessel used in East India service (French) then sold to support a 'revolutionary' movement (America) to fight against the movement's former rulers (England)...

In the ACW, vessels used in East India service (British) came close to being sold to a 'revolutionary' movement (Confederacy) to fight against the movement's former rulers (Union)...

Britain came close to 'payback' time.

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-bombay-marine-offer-to-the-cs-government.107715/

I know - I'm grasping at straws to get an ACW tie-in so the thread doesn't get swacked...
307

Cheers!
USS ALASKA
 
Back
Top