Battle of Duinkerke

Battle of Duinkerke
Part of the Tasmana War
Date date Location Off the coast of Duinkerke, Kleine Tasman, The Furbish Islands Result Anti-government victory
Belligerents
Pro-government forces	Furbish Navy Pro-government forces
Commanders and leaders
Robert-Jan Teger	Pius Waldoon
Strength
15 gunboats 1 shore battery	5 ironclads 2 frigates 3 corvettes
Casualties and losses
XXX killed XXX wounded	XXX killed XXX wounded 2 ironclads and 1 frigate sunk

The Battle of Duinkerke was the first major naval battle during the Tasmana War. It was fought on DATE off the coast of Duinkerke, Kleine Tasman, between a Furbish Navy fleet consisting of 9 ships, including 5 ironclads, against an anti-government force with a larger but less advanced fleet. The battle turned into a humiliating defeat for the pro-government fleet.

As the Tasmana War was beginning and provinces mobilized militias, pro-government commanders hoped to prevent troops from Kleine Tasman from reaching the mainland. Admiral Pius Waldoon, who was recently made commander of all Furbish ships in Tasmana, took personal command of a small fleet that set off to Tasmana. The anti-government force, under Robert-Jan Teger, consisted of wooden civilian ships fitted with cannons. Teger planned to meet the pro-government fleet off the coast of Kleine Tasman, where he could receive help from coastal artillery. The two fleets met near XXX. The anti-government fleet moved closer to the pro-government fleet, and the intensity of the fighting created a large cloud of smoke which reduced visibility. Two ironclads sunk after hitting the coast, after which Waldoon ordered a retreat.

The battle became the first of many defeats for Waldoon at the hands of his inferior foe. It also allowed militias from Kleine Tasman to travel uninterrupted to mainland Tasmana, where they helped relieve the besieged cities of Groningen and Pernis. Around a week later Waldoon returned with a much larger fleet, beginning the First Battle of the Tasmanan Straight.