Today in History: The Battle of Sluys

On this day (June 24) in 1340 the English fleet won the Battle of Sluys, defeating the French at the beginning of the Hundred Years War. England’s Edward III probably had between 160 and 180 ships, against 204 French vessels. Edward was attempting to sail up the Zwin to Bruges and the French chained their vessels together in an attempt to block his passage. This permitted Edward to concentrate his forces against a portion of the immobile French vessels. His basic tactic was to send two vessels filled with longbow men against a French ship, riddling the defenders with 20 accurate arrows a minute (ten times the rate of fire of the defending Genoese crossbowmen). Then a third English ship would lash itself to the French vessel and men-at-arms would cross and secure the French ship. These tactics crushed the French giving the victory to Edward, who was wounded in the battle, probably by an arrow or crossbow bolt.