 The French force greatly outnumbered the English, comprising 175 ships including 25 great galleys.Carew, as captain of the "Mary Rose", the vice-flagship of the English carrack fleet, sailed to confront them and met with disaster.Though it may never be known exactly why the "Mary Rose" sank in the entrance to Portsmouth harbour on 19 July 1545, it is believed that water entered open gunports after firing a broadside and the ship went down in minutes.