What did the crews at Kentish Knock look like in terms of nationality?
Short answerThey had national majorities but were mixed: Commonwealth crews drew chiefly from the British Isles, while Dutch crews also included French, Belgian, and Low German sailors.
NotesThe crews were heterogeneous rather than nationally uniform. Commonwealth ships were staffed mainly by English, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish sailors but could recruit other mariners wherever they operated. Dutch ships remained majority Dutch while also including French, Belgian, and Low German personnel. Religious identity could matter as much as nationality, since a French Huguenot might serve the English where a Catholic sailor would be much less likely to do so.