Campen

Campen
Wrecked on the Needles, Isle of Wight, October 1627

The first news of Dutch ships being lost on the Isle of Wight in 1627, reached Sir John Hippisley in the form of a letter, from William Towerson dated 17 October, which read:

"At this instant have received information of two Dutch ships outward bound for the East Indies, which is cast away neere the Needles or upon the Shoare of the Main, ye certaine place I cannot advise ye as yet".

In fact, the Dutch captains were under specific instructions from the Heren XVII, the seventeen chosen delegates who directed the affairs of the Dutch East India Company, not to venture too close to English soil, and "under no circumstances to anchor on English ground". Following yet another dispute between the rival English and Dutch Companies in the Far East, the latter had in fact tortured and killed a number of English in Amboina, an island off Seram, in the Celebes, in 1623 and James I sought revenge.

A Dutch fleet sailed from the Texel on 12 October, which consisted of seven ships, including the Campen, Vliegende Draeck, Prince William and Terschellingh. These four vessels found themselves off the Isle of Wight in a severe storm, which drove them ever closer to the island, but their instructions forbade them to seek the shelter of the Solent. Closer and closer the gale drove them towards those tall white cliffs, until they were just off the Needles rocks themselves. All four must have been in an impossible position, since they took the extraordinary action of actually attempting to sail through the gap in the Needles. Even today, 220 years later after "Lots Wife" collapsed, a pinnacle of rock which partially blocked the central gap at the time, small boats navigate this area with great caution. It must have been a life or death decision to attempt such a move, and perhaps it is even more

remarkable that three of the Dutchmen actually made it! It cost them two ships, since the Campen missed the gap, drove beam on towards the western Needles Rocks, and became a total loss. The Vliegende Draeck (Flying Drake) struck the "bridge" of rocks which lie underwater in the gap, side of the Isle of Wight, where she became a total loss, but all her cargo, lead and gold specie was saved. The other two ships got clear, anchored for a while, and rejoined the fleet.

The contents of both wrecks represented enormous wealth, and men such as George Villiers, the first Duke of Buckingham and Lord High Admiral (who had a reputation for an unhealthy interest in shipwrecks anyaway), made it their business to become involved. Buckingham sent for Jacob Johnson, the same Dutch diver who tried to work the shipwreck at Rill Cove, and in no time, he was bringing up coin and lead ingots. Having extracted all he could from the wreck, it was then abandoned, and we can only assume until the 20th century, when it was relocated, quite by accident, by members of the Northampton branch of the BS-AC. A working group was formed, which led by Kevin Punch, with five of his team, was joined bly Rex Cowan, Richard Larn and Peter McBride, and has now completed several seasons on the site.

A small quantity of Spanish American cobs have also been located in the wreck, but not a single gold coin, which is something of a mystery, since the Flying Drake, also wrecked at the same time, carried nothing but gold. Perhaps our friend Jacob Johnson kept this aspect of his salvage quiet?