North Foreland a.k.a. Gabbard Shoal, 2-3 June 1653 
(Slag bij Nieuwpoort)
(source: british-civil-wars. Commonwealth and Protectorate. By David Plant, 2001 - 6.)

The Dutch Admiralty fitted out another fleet after the battle of Portland, but ignored Tromp's recommendation to build larger and better-armed ships to match the English. 

In May 1653, Tromp put to sea with 98 warships and six fireships, with de With and de Ruyter as vice-admirals. Meanwhile the English fleet was patrolling the North Sea. At dawn on 2 June, Tromp sighted the English fleet near the Gabbard, a sandbank off Orfordness on the Suffolk coast. The English fleet was slightly larger than the Dutch, with around 110 men-of-war and five fireships. Both fleets were divided into three squadrons in line ahead, with Monck and Deane aboard the “Resolution” commanding the Red squadron in the centre, Lawson in the “George” commanding the White squadron ahead and Penn in the James with the Blue squadron astern. The Dutch were in a similar formation, with Tromp in the centre, de Ruyter ahead and de With astern

Light winds prevented the fleets from closing with one another. At about 11 a.m. they came within range and the battle began with an exchange of cannon fire. Deane was hit by a cannon ball during the first Dutch broadside and killed outright. Monck covered his body with his cloak to avoid discouraging the sailors. The cannonade continued for three hours. Monck made no attempt to break the Dutch line because the light wind would have prolonged his approach, leaving his ships exposed to their broadsides. John Lawson's squadron gradually edged towards de Ruyter, and Tromp moved up to help him, taking immediate advantage of a change in the wind to trap Lawson's squadron between his own ships and de Ruyter's. Monck came up as quickly as he could to assist Lawson, whose ships were hard pressed. Fierce fighting continued until nightfall. The Dutch lost two ships, one blown up and the other sunk.

The battle was renewed at noon the next day, the two fleets having moved south to the vicinity of Dunkirk. The English opened the attack from the north-west. The Dutch were running short of gunpowder and Tromp's position was rendered hopeless when Blake joined the battle with another 18 men-of-war. After resisting for four hours, the Dutch retreated into the shallow waters of the Flemish coast, where the larger English vessels did not risk following them.

Eleven Dutch ships were sunk in the battle and a further nine captured. The English lost no ships and suffered relatively few casualties, though the death of General-at-Sea Deane was a great loss to the Commonwealth. The overwhelming English victory was attributed to bigger and more manoeuvrable ships, to better quality gunpowder and to Blake's new Fighting Instructions which introduced the line-ahead fleet formation. 

After the victory at North Foreland, Monck's fleet imposed a total blockade on Dutch ports, capturing hundreds of Dutch merchant and fishing vessels. Overseas commerce came to a complete standstill and the Dutch were forced to consider peace terms with the Commonwealth.

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