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Client Reference on HMS Surprise:
The model has arrived as per your e mail. We are all absolutely delighted with it; it is all that we anticipated and more ! Thank you for the sand glass. (UK Client Jan 2006)
Dear Rehaz: HMS Surprise has safely docked in Sudbury Massachusetts and I am delighted with it. I have been asked (by my Wife) who made it and was it all done all by one person? It is beautifully done and I anticipate adding to my collection in the future.Happy Christmas! (USA Client) December 2005.
I am very well thanks. I hope you are too. Thanks for the pics. The model ship looks fantastic! You have incorporated all the changes that I asked for. Thanks again for your help. I look forward to hearing from you soon with delivery instructions.
Best Regards, (UK Client) with raised quarter deck, October 2005.
Our model ship arrived safely on Saturday and we are very pleased with it. Thank you again for all your help.
Kindest regards, (UK Client) July 2005.
Today the ship model arrived in excellent shape.You guys did a great job, the 'Surprise is a model true to the detail. I could look at her for hours. I hope not to get addicted to these ship models.......but we'll see.
Best regards, (German Client) June 2005.
The HMS Surprise model ship arrived in perfect condition, the day before my husband's birthday. It is amazingly beautiful and detailed; he was speechless when he saw it. He spent about an hour exploring it that first day, using his reference texts on O'Brian's novels to examine every detail. He was very moved by the gift and the skill and craftsmanship of your ship model builders. He's an engineer, and was particularly impressed with the way you designed and packaged the crate the HMS Surprise arrived in. He's planning on sending you and your employees his own message to express his admiration and thanks personally.
Thanks again for all your hard work, both in building this wonderful ship model and in getting it to us on time. Your work made my husband's birthday magical for him and for our family.
(USA Client) Feb 05.
I am writing to tell you how pleased I am with my model boat of HMS Surprise. I have owned the ship for some time now but the pleasure I get each time I walk past has not diminished at all. The model boat always draws very complimentary comments from friends and other visitors, both for the dramatic impact and standard of workmanship. I am sure that HMS Surprise will not be the only thing I buy from you. Excellent work!
(UK Police Officer) 2003.
The Surprise, was made famous by the writings of Patrick O’Brian, in his books on the adventures of Captain Aubrey and the surgeon Maturin, described by the world famous writer as his favourite ship. A short history of the original Surprise is listed below.
The fabulous frigate was constructed in Le Havre as L’Unite in 1794. It was a 24-gun corvette, armed with 8lb long guns. The British captured her in April 1796 in the Mediterranean, and her name changed to the HMS Surprise. She was re-armed and classed as a 28-gun ship. She actually carried 24 32 lb carronades on her main deck, 8 32 lb carronades on her quarter deck, and 4 6 lb long guns on her foredeck.
French frigates were much sought after by the British, because of their manoeuvrability and speed. The streamlined design of the hull below the waterline meant that these frigates could out run most other ships.
Her big moment came in October 1799 under the command of Captain Edward Hamilton for the daring rescue of the frigate Hermoine. The latter’s crew had mutinied, killing their commander and officers. The ship was surrendered to the Spanish, and was taken to the harbour at Puerto Cabello in modern day Venezuela.
In trying to rescue the ship, the boats of the HMS Surprise was spotted and fired on by patrolling gunboats. They soldiered on, boarded the Hermoine, cleared the deck and sailed her out. Their losses were 12 wounded, whilst the Spanish suffered a loss of 216 wounded (including many dead). Captain Hamilton who led the rescue was knighted for his conduct, and the Hermoine restored to the British Navy.
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