About 1,200 prisoners were taken from five escorts and 25 merchant ships, showing how small the crews of many merchantmen were. Rear Admiral John Benbow approached with 18 Royal Navy ships after deliberately hunting the French force. Jean Bart escaped toward Denmark and sheltered near Copenhagen. The blockade weakened as British ships were redirected to other demands of the wider war. He returned to Dunkirk in late September with the prisoners, and his success helped carry him toward admiral's rank despite the noble-birth barriers of the French navy.
Chapter · 15:12-17:40
Jean Bart takes the convoy prizes and escapes Benbow
The French captured five escorts and 25 merchantmen, then evaded an approaching Royal Navy squadron and returned to Dunkirk with about 1,200 prisoners.