Westphalia, Hesse and Lower Saxony Electoral Saxony Brandenburg Silesia East Prussia Pomerania Iberian Peninsula Naval Operations The action of 17 July 1761 was a naval engagement fought off the Spanish port of Cádiz between a British Royal Navy squadron and a smaller French Navy squadron during the Seven Years' War.

[2] Although the French ships outdistanced Rippon, Jekyll sighted them again the following afternoon and at 21:30 successfully drew alongside Achille, opening fire at close range.

Jekyll was forced to order most of the forward gunports closed in consequence, but fire from Rippon was able to knock away the foreyard and foretop mast on Achille.

[2] Having escaped the blockade, Achille and Bouffone cruised in the Atlantic for several months before entering the neutral but friendly Spanish port of Cádiz.

Proby ordered his squadron to search for the French ships, discovering them on 16 July approximately 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Cádiz.

Proby's ships were faster however and Thunderer successfully reached Achille on the morning of 17 July approximately 57 miles (92 km) northwest of Cádiz.

As the action intensified, a cannon on the upper deck of Thunderer suddenly burst, the explosion killing and wounding dozens of sailors.