HMS Thunder Child HMS Thunder Child HMS "Thunder Child" is a fictional ironclad torpedo ram of the Royal Navy, destroyed by Martian fighting-machines in H. G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds" whilst protecting a refugee rescue fleet of civilian vessels. Torpedo rams were constructed in the 1870s and 1880s after the ramming and sinking of the "Re d'Italia" at the Battle of Lissa in 1866 by the Austrian flagship, "Ferdinand Max". Despite the Italian warship being stationary at the time, the successful attack influenced naval thinking for the next few decades. The result was specially designed low profile, fast, armoured vessels equipped
John Evans (Royal Navy officer) John Evans (Royal Navy officer) Admiral John Evans (1717 – 8 July 1794) was a Royal Navy officer. Evans joined the Royal Navy in 1731. Promoted to captain on 20 April 1748, he was given command of the post ship HMS "Flamborough" on promotion, the sixth-rate HMS "Squirrel" later in the year and the sixth-rate HMS "Glasgow" later still in the year. He went on to take command of the sixth-rate HMS "Experiment" in December 1753, the fifth-rate HMS "Prince Edward" in July 1755 and the fourth-rate HMS "Preston" in January 1757 as well as the third-rate HMS "Augusta" in