Alan Rutherford's model of the HMS VICTORY, the fifth vessel of this name and other wise know as Balchin's VICTORY, will go on display at the Royal Naval Museum in Portmouth, England. It took Mr. Rutherford 18 months to construct the model using cherry wood. For technical advice, Mr. Rutherford got in contact with Sir Robert Balchin, a direct decendent of Sir John Balchin, who was on board of the ill-fated VICTORY, when he drowned on October 5, 1744.
Sir Robert Balchin, posing in front of the portrait his ancestor, Admiral Sir John Balchin, told of the Admiral's rise to fame and 58 years of service to the Royal Navy, starting with his first command in 1697. In the following years, he commanded 13 warships sailing in the waters of the West Indies, the Baltic, the Mediterranean and the English Channel. In 1728, he was promoted to Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral six years later and in August 1743, Admiral of the White, the second highest naval appointment. In 1744, at the age of 74, he was called out of retirement to command the mightest and most technically advanced warship of the age, the 110 gun first-rate flagship, HMS VICTORY.
The Admiral was called upon to rescue the Mediterranean victual convoy blockaded on the mouth of the Tagus River by a French fleet. If these vital supplies failed to reach the Mediterranean, England was at risk of losing the War of the Austrian Succession. In late August 1744, Balchin's VICTORY, accompanied by a large British fleet, arrived at the River Tagus to liberate the stranded convoy and escorting it safely to Gibraltar. The hostile French squadron of 12 ships, retreated to Cadiz, Spain, with Balchin in hot pursuit and blocking the French fleet in port.
On the return voyage home, Balchin set sail on September 28th. After entering the English Channel, a fierce storm arose, which scattered the fleet. All returned to port in England except Balchin's VICTORY. When the VICTORY sank approximately 850 sailors, marines and 50 volunteers drawn from the noblest families of England perished in the disaster, including Sir John Balchin, ending one of the most remarkable naval careers in British history.
In 2008, the remains of the VICTORY were discovered by Odyssey Marine, a company that specializes in ship wreck recovery. Several bronze cannons were raised to the surface. The VICTORY was rumored to have carried treasure at the time of her sinking, but so far, have not been located.
Montani semper liberi ! Happy modeling to all and every one of you.
Crackers 