Editing HMS Defence (1763) (section)

==Loss==

She ran aground on 24 December 1811 off the west coast of [[Jutland]], Denmark. She was under the command of Captain D. Atkins and in the company of {{HMS|St George|1785|2}}, under Rear-Admiral [[Robert Carthew Reynolds]], and {{HMS|Cressy|1810|2}}, when a hurricane and heavy seas came up. ''St George'' was [[Jury rigging|jury-rigged]] and so Atkins refused to leave her without the admiral's permission. As a result, both were wrecked near [[Ringkøbing]]. ''Cressy'' did not ask for permission and so avoided wrecking.{{sfnp|Gosset|1986|p=81}}

[[File:Lastcruise.jpg|thumb|The last cruise]]
''Defence'' lost all but 14 of her crew of 597 men and boys, including her captain.{{sfnp|Gosset|1986|p=81}} ''St George'' too lost almost her entire crew, including the admiral. Most of the bodies that came ashore were buried in the sand dunes of [[Thorsminde]], which have been known ever since as "Dead Mens Dunes."{{sfnp|Gosset|1986|p=81}} The Danish authorities quickly ordered [[Broder Knud Brodersen Wigelsen|Lieutenant Wigelsen]], the [[Receiver of Wreck]], to the area.