HMS Birmingham 1914

[johnnie]

Dear All,

 

I have read in a few places that two German merchant ships were sunk by HMS Birmingham in 1914.

 

Do any members know the names of these ships, and the dates of the losses?

 

Any help at all would be great.

 

Johnnie 

[seaJane]

Would it be the action detailed on this link? There's a lot to read once you click through.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16986615

 

sJ

[Hyacinth1326]

1st Light Cruiser Squadron, Section A.I see Wiki mentions a couple of merchant ships were sunk by Birmingham but does not give any details.  I can't find anything in the Naval Staff Monograph index apart from the U-15 sinking.

Edited 27 February , 2020 by Hyacinth1326

[johnnie]

Many thanks for the help with this.

 

I do wonder if the mention of sinking two merchant ships could be wrong. I guess the one way to confirm this would be accessing the ships log (assuming it survives at Kew).

 

The search continues!

 

Johnnie

[seaJane]

I can't find anything in Corbett and Newbolt's History of the Great War based on official documents ... Naval operations (searched the archive.org copy).

 

sJ

[Hyacinth1326]

If Birmingham did sink two ships and assuming we are not discussing the Dogger Bank affair, it can only have been in support of the blockade and was most likely in the course of an interception using a boarding party.  It is odd that the vessels were sunk rather than seized as prizes.

Edited 29 February , 2020 by Hyacinth1326