Court of Enquiry in ADMs 1, 137 regarding HMS Hawke & general Qs.

[Felix C]

is there a Court of Enquiry or Court Martial report regarding the sinking of HMS Hawke?

Have these two:

Reference: ADM 1/8398/377

Description:

Further particulars regarding loss of HMS HAWKE

Date: 1914

and

Reference: ADM 1/8398/374

Description:

Loss of HMS HAWKE 15 Oct. 1914. Casualty and survivors list

Date: 1914

And they do not have any proceedings. Both are mostly casualty lists.

Other questions, is a court of enquiry always assembled following:

1. Loss of British warship

2. Loss of British merchantship

3. Loss of neutral or allied ship under the escort of English warship(s)

I ask because do not find reports of specific neutral sinkings while in convoy. There were reports because they were referenced in the inter-war Admiralty Staff/Historical Monographs (HS, HSA, HSB) but have no ADM reference now. I searched the entire calalog twice! There were five sinkings from three convoys in as many days but only found the report to one-a British merchant ship but the others are all neutrals and no luck now.

[simonharley]

H.S. is the former reference which, in some cases, is listed as such in some of the ADM 137 online catalogue entries. i.e. ADM 137/xxxx Former: H.S. xxx. That was before the Discovery catalogue innovation, I think, but they might still be there - it's been a while since I had to consult one. I'd have a look myself but am absolutely snowed under, I'm afraid.

[Terence Munson]

I believe imformation on the loss can be found in ADM 137/997 . Discovery LINK

ADM 137/997 North Sea Operations, I. (1914)

However note: This record has not been digitised and cannot be downloaded.

Terry

[Felix C]

Is it a very large file? I presume from the title it contains considerable information other than the Hawke episode.

[Terence Munson]

I haven’t seen it, had the reference on my backup list on previous visits to Kew, but I’ve never had any time to use it! A day trip there for me is 6am start, and home just before mid-night! I’ve found requesting copies of anything other than small files is a waste of time.

Have you looked at this much earlier thread on the Forum: LINK

Terry