1st November 1914

[Guest sciurus]

Ninety years ago today, off the coast of Coronel in Chile, the British Navy suffered its greatest defeat in over one hundred years, with the loss of two armoured cruisers and nearly 1,600 men.

The British South American squadron led by Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock and comprising of HMS Glasgow, Good Hope and Monmouth along with the SS Otranto met the German East Asiatic squadron led by Vice-Admiral Graf von Spee. The German squadron comprised of SMS Gneisenau, SMS Leipzip, SMS Scharnhorst, SMS Nurnberg and SMS Dresden.

During the battle, in heavy seas, which lasted about an hour, both HMS Good Hope and Monmouth were lost with all hands. HMS Glasgow and the SS Otranto managed to escape with little or no damaged.

[leigh]

Remembering Royal Marine bandsman Ralph F. F. Perrett RMB/1498 who was on HMS Monmouth.

L.

[PhilB]

And K21697 Sto-2 W.Davies, HMS Monmouth and 295811 Sto F.J.Elliott, HMS Good Hope. I have a particularly soft spot for stokers, most of whom, I imagine, went down with the ship while still down below. Phil B

[colin12]

Hi Leigh and Phil B,

Do you have any details or photos of the guys you remembered today aboard the Good Hope & Monmouth if so we can add them to the Memorial site @

www.coronel.co.uk

Cheers

Colin

[leigh]

Not yet colin, but if I track anything down you can have a copy

I have a victory medal if you fancy a pic of that.

Regards

Leigh

[PhilB]

You already have it! Phil B

[colin12]

Thanks chaps

Colin

[leigh]

Have you visited the Marine museum archive yet Colin?

I plan to go there sometime soon, works just a bit mad at the moment.

Regards

Leigh

[colin12]

Hi Leigh,

Have been in touch with the archivist, who sent me the full list of the casualties aboard both ships, he was hoping to get a mention of Coronel in the next issue of The Globe and Laurel

Colin

[leigh]

Colin

What is the Globe and Laurel.

I want to go to the marine museum and do some research into my man i there is anything there.

RFF Perrett is also named on the bass drum that they have there as thier monument to the marine bandsman that died in the great war. I hope to get a photo of that.

regards

Leigh

[colin12]

Hi Leigh,

The Globe anf Laurel is the Regimental magazine of the Royal Marines

Good luck with your research

Colin

[Guest sciurus]

Leigh

Have a look at The Globe and Laurel.

Richard

[colin12]

Hi Leigh,

You can contact RM Archives/Museum on: archives@royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk

Colin

[leigh]

I have spoken to them on the phone Colin,

Just need to find the time

L.

[Compo]

A little late on this topic but I am in a different time zone. I was amazed to see the PALS interest in Coronel, Chile.

I grew up in the British "colony" in Valparaiso up the coast from Coronel which has never fully assimilated and resembles the Victorian age in many ways and very anglophyle. Valparaiso is the headquarters of the Chilean navy which was British trained and closely resembles the RN in uniforms, marching, training etc. the Army by contrast was Prussian trained and resembles WW1, field grey, goose stepping, WW2 German helmet design and red lined cloaks for the senior officers, you have surely seen Pinochet in his regalia.

This British, German and Navy, Army thing explains why Chile never declared war on Germany whose population was split down the middle in their sympathies and very impressed by the German performance at Coronel.

Many Brits travelled home to join the war voluntarily including my grand father Capt. E S Compton MC. RGA (SR) who died young at 52 as a result of gassing.

[colin12]

Hi Compo,

Do you still have contacts in that part od Chile? Only we are led to beleive that there is a memorial to the Battle of Coronel in Coronel!

Colin

[Compo]

Since I left for Blighty in 1958 I no longer have any contacts in Chile.

I can help you with Spanish if you ever get stuck on a Chilean website or such.

I did a google search in Spanish but only passing references to the monument at Coronel.

I do still have a tourist map and it shows Coronel which is an unattractive town of about 80,000 where the only thing of note is the former Schwager coal company. Not a single hotel or restaurant is listed.

There is mention in the text that the monument to the fallen at Coronel is near the beach to the south between black and white beaches.

[Compo]

I have also located this extract from a local paper El Sur commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle:

Translated:

There is only a monolith, erected on 1989 in the 21st May Plaza in Coronel, that reminds us of the tragic event.

The plaque reads: "To the memory of the 1418 officers and seamen of the British battle squadron and their Commander in Chief, Vice Admiral Sir Christpher Craddock who sacrificed their lives in the naval battle of Coronel. Their only burial place is the sea"

Rgds Bill

[Guest sciurus]

Bill

Thanks for the info of the memorial in Coronel, will contact 'El Sur' to see if they have any pictures that I can use on the memorial site.

To my knowledge they were the only paper to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the battle.

Richard

[colin12]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for that info, so as not to confuse you, Richard is my son, the 'Brains' behind the memorial site.

Thanks again

Colin

[Compo]

You are very welcome, glad to be of help.

On a note of trivia, the black star that appears towards the south part of Coronel on the map I posted must be very close to the site of the monument in 21st May Plaza but, in fact, it marks the geographical center of Chile.

I forgot to add last time that the article by Diario El Sur also mentioned that the 1989 monument was erected by the British.

Rgds Bill

[Compo]

Just thought I would add that I have just found the website: www.zonacostera.cl/ficha_coronel.htm

Information by the Coronel Municipality which states that the Clock and Tower at the 21 May Plaza was a gift from the British after the battle of Coronel.

Rgds Bill