On this day...... 10 August

1653: Following a brief action off the Texel on the evening of 8 August, the English and Dutch fleets fought off Scheveningen at the climax of the First Anglo-Dutch War.  George Monck commanded 104 warships, whilst Maarten Tromp and de With had 107 warships.  Accounts of the battle are confused, but it is clear that the action was close, severe, and extremely bloody.  The great Dutch admiral Tromp was killed, and between 14 and 20 Dutch ships sunk.  The English lost one warship, burnt by a Dutch fireship, plus a fireship of their own used up in an attack.  Although the English won, their fleet was in almost as damaged a state as the Dutch, and it withdrew to Southwold Bay to refit.  The Dutch thus succeeded in their aim of breaking the English blockade of their coast.  But when peace was negotiated in April 1654, Cromwell was able to command substantial concessions from the Dutch.

1813: US and British squadrons engaged on Lake Ontario.  The US vessels Julia and Growler were captured.

1918: Over the Western Front, Captain West, of 8 Squadron RAF, spotted a major German troop concentration.  He was then attacked by a formation of German aircraft, but despite suffering five wounds which partially severed his leg, he managed to return to base to report the enemy location and strength.  He was awarded the Victoria Cross.

1919: In Northern Russia, four soldiers serving with the Allied forces which had intervened in the Civil War fell into a river whilst retreating from a superior Bolshevik force.  Despite heavy enemy fire, Corporal Sullivan, Royal Fusiliers, dived into the river and rescued each of the four in turn.  He was awarded the Victoria Cross.

1940: The Luftwaffe's main effort remained against coastal shipping.  The day's events are recorded on the RAF's Battle of Britain website.