Naval Recollections

[Boreenatra]

A Naval Recollection:

" The company marched down to Chatham Station at midnight on 11th October 1915, for foreign service, with an unknown destination before it,except to say that, exciting as it was, it didnt anything like come up to the mobilisation of the old Special Service Section.

Alas a large number of the brave fellows who so gallantly marched down Chatham Hill that night were feted never to see the foreign service on which they were so keen.

We had arrived in our transport in Lemnos Bay, and after a few days of idleness, were packed onto the sweeper " Hythe" with Cape Helles as our destination. The service of sweepers was known at Mudros as " the Ferry" and no one dreamt that we should be up against questions of life and death before we reached the Peninsula, although we knew pretty well what to expect when we got there.

It was a stormy afternoon, the wind blowing great guns, and very few of us were viewing our impending trip with pleasant expectations. The sweeper on which we were to do the last few miles of our voyage to the front looked but little bigger than a Thames penny steamer, but, with a certain amount of squashing, all were got on board: a dozen or so details, who joined us from HMS Arragon just before we sailed made the pressure just as much as it was posible to stand. Awnings were rigged over the decks fore and aft to protect the men from the spray, and the few officers on board occupied a small upper deck behind the bridge.

At 4 o'clock we set sail, and no sooner than we were out of the bay than we found we were in for a rough passage indeed. Ninety percent of those on board were sea-sick, and few of the remaining ten percent felt it safe to move about much. Personally I have the good fortune to be a fair sailor and did not feel any discomfort from the weather. Those on the lower decks found the awnings very necessary for the spray was blowing over the vessel in regular bucketfulls. After about 3 and a half hours the wind went down and the sea began to get easier, so i took the opportunity to join the Ship's Officers at dinner. I had previously discovered that the second engineer was a Barking man, and we chatted a bit about home, so that after dinner he took me down to the engine room, with all an engineer's pride in his machinery, to show me the engines. Iwas sitting on a bench with my back to a bulkhead, while he gave some instructions to the men, there was a great bump which shook the whole vessel. Knowing that we were not far from our destination I had thought at first we had arrived at our journeys end and had bumped into some pier in getting in, but as we were going at full speed this of course was out of the question, so I thought a propellor shaft had burst. Meanwhile, steam was shut off, and thinking that, with engine trouble to see to, the people below would prefer my room to my presence. I went up on deck. As I was going up the companion way, I saw that we were alongside a fairly large vessel, though it was too dark to see much of it, and fellows were scrambling from ours to her, though many hesitated as though doubtful whether it were not better to stick to the boat they were on. By the time I was fairly on the upper deck , the other vessel was slowly moving away from us, or we from her: a rope which had been thrown to us parted and we drifted further and further apart. Our vessel showed no signs of being badly hit, so far as I could see, but none the less all on board seemed to regard us as doomed- they had seen more than I had.

Men by this time were cutting the lashings of the awnings and clambering on the upper deck. Poor fellows, most of them had suffered badly from a rough passage, and many of them had got their gear into order ready to land: a few lights , not so far off, showed we had almost reached Cape Helles, our destination.

I rejoined the other naval and military officers in trying to keep those on board from panic- though i am glad to be able to say that there was little tendency towards it, and the next few incidents are rather like a series of pictures than a continuous string of events.

I remember searching for lifebelts or floating benches, but there were none to be found. Then I remember getting a party together to launch the port boat: we worked with a will and got one end free, but at the other end the rope jammed and we had to give up. A similar attempt with the starboard boat was equally unsuccessful. Then I remember seeing the port boat in the water, launched by I think some of the crew. It immediately capsized. Meanwhile, on the Captain's advice, al who could swim had been jumping into the sea and seizing such floatng gear as the other vessel had been able to throw overboard.The vessel was now developing a list to port, and we got everyone who could gather on the starboard side. I was thinking that I could join them there, when the list became so pronounced that i could not get up the deck when my part of the deck was awash. I judged that the only thing to do was to throw myself overboard, which I did in my clothes, boots and cap just as I stood, and struck out for a life-buoy which I saw floating some distance off. Another fellow reached it at the same moment as i did, so I left it to him, and getting hold of a packed kit-bag, which was floating nearby, i struck out for the other vessel, now several hundred yards off and lighted up. Before long the kit-bag bexame water logged, so I left it and swam on unassisted. I then saw a boat leaving the other vessel and succeeded in reaching it, and was pulled in. We picked up a good many more fellows , and then returned to the other vessel, which I found to be HMS "Sarnia". The Hythe must have sank soon after I had left her. I did not see her go down, nor did I hear anything, except, perhaps the cries of men on the wrecked vessel. From the boat one saw a lot of floating wreckage and heads of men swimming all around the spot where she must have gone down. A number of destroyers were now cruising round and several boats were engaged in works of rescue. Batches of men kept coming on board the Sarnia and I thought that a large proportion must have been saved till I went round and made a list. Then I found that out of my own company, about 195 strong, 129 were missing. It was a sad beginning to our foreign service, and it was some time before the remnants got over it. The vessel that collided with us was, we found, an auxilary cruiser, and the principlal cause was navigating without lights, a necessary precaution against submarine attack. A little Memorial Service held on board the Arragon after our rescue will always be imprinted on my mind. Few of us had more than a shirt and a pair of trousers, and some only a blanket- but we meant what we said"

This was one of several recollections of Major Alfred Francis Gerald Ruston who, at the outbreak of war held the rank of Captain in the Kent (Fortress) Royal Engineers (T.F.) commanding No. 3 Company of that unit. He was promoted Temporary Major on 5th July 1915, which rank was made substantive 1st June 1916. He served through the whole period of the war, first in England, then in Gallipoli and afterwards in France. He was twice mentioned in despatches: first in the Gallipoli Despatch of 10th April 1916, published 12th July 1916, and in Field Marshal Haig's Despatch of April 8th 1917, published May 18th 1917.

Regards Steve.

[michaeldr]

Fascinating story Steve, many thanks

Minesweeper Hythe, (509 tons gross). Lost by collision with Armed Boarding Steamer Sarnia, off Cape Helles, night of 28-29th October 1915

The Sarnia (1498 tons) was herself sunk on 12th September 1918, torpedoed by a German submarine in the Mediterranean

[Further details from Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War I]

Regards

Michael D.R.

 

[historydavid]

Does anyone have any numbers for both the Hythe crrew and Army casualties, please?

Best wishes

David

[Boreenatra]

Michael. Thanks for the reply and the link. It bears out the Major's story.He went on to become a POW in Germany, the rest of the story i'll post to the appropriate thread. Are there many instances of collisions or " friendly fire" incidents recorded in WW1. Regards Steve.

[michaeldr]

David,

I think that you will find some figures quoted in the other thread – follow the link mentioned above

Regards

Michael

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Quote: Are there many instances of collisions or "friendly fire" incidents recorded in WW1.

Steve,

I thought that was an interesting enough question to devote some time to today

[and there was peace and quiet while the dog was off being washed and clipped for the summer] so here’s what I’ve found

It is interesting to note that ‘friendly’ fire [or ‘friendly’ ramming as the case may be] seems to have been reserved for the submarine branch

If anyone has any corrections or additions then please post them

Ships lost by collision or ‘friendly’ fire

Information taken from ‘Ships lost in the War - compiled by Mr Francis E. McMurthrie’

[per Jane’s Fighting Ships of WWI]

Minesweepers:

Hythe: Lost by collision with Armed Boarding Steamer Sania, 28/29-10-15

Marsa: Lost by collision at entrance to Harwich Harbour 18-11-17

Torpedo Gunboat:

Hazard: Lost by collision off Portland Bill, 28-1-18

Flotilla Leaders & Destroyers:

Hoste: Foundered after collision with Negro, North Sea, 21-12-16

Ulysses: Lost by collision in Firth of Clyde, 29-10-18

Setter: Lost by collision with Sylph of Harwich, 17-5-17

Negro: see Hoste above

Nessus: Lost by collision with Amphitrite, North Sea, 8-9-18

Marmion: Lost by collision in North Sea, 21-10-17

Medusa: Foundered after collision with Laverock, off Schleswig coast, 25-3-16

Sparrowhawk: Disabled by collision with Broke, in Battle of Jutland, sunk by Marksman to avoid falling into enemy hands, 1-6-16

Arno: Lost by collision off Dardanelles, 23-3-18

Wolverine: Lost by collision of NW coast of Ireland, 12-12-17

Myrmidon: Lost by collision with SS Hambourne, English Channel, 26-3-17

Eden: Lost by collision, English Channel, 17-6-16

Falcon: Lost by collision, North Sea, 1-4-18

Bittern: Lost by collision with SS Kenilworth, off Portland Bill, 4-4-18

Boxer: Lost by collision, English Channel, 8-2-18

Patrol Boat:

P12: Lost by collision in English Channel, 4-11-18

Torpedo Boats:

No.13: Lost by collision in North Sea, 26-1-16

No.9: Lost by collision in North Sea, 26-7-16

No.117: Lost by collision in English Channel, 10-6-17

No.96: Lost by collision in Straits of Gibraltar, 1-11-15

Submarines:

K17: Rammed by Fearless during exercises in North Sea, 31-1-18

K4: Rammed by Inflexible during exercises in North Sea, 31-1-18

K1: Lost by collision with K4 in North Sea, 18-11-17

H5: Lost by collision in Irish Sea, 6-3-18

G9: Sunk by Petard off Norwegian coast, in mistake for enemy submarine, 16-9-17

D3: Sunk by French airship in English Channel, in mistake for enemy sub., 15-3-18

C16: Accidentally rammed by a Destroyer of the Medea type (subsequently salved, but found to be too badly damaged to be worth repairing)

Armed Merchant Cruiser:

Otranto: Stranded on the Isle of Islay after being severely damaged by collision with SS Kashmir, 6-10-18

Armed Yachts:

Clementina: Beached after collision off Tor Cor Point, 5-8-15

Kethailes: Lost by collision off Blackwater Lightship, 11-10-17

Marcella: Lost by collision off the Downs, 24-3-16

Miscellaneous:

Campania: Lost by collision with Glorious during gale in Firth of Forth, 5-11-18

Note: Details of smaller vessels, typically under 500 tons, are not given in Jane’s. These include over 12 ‘Q’ Ships, 4 Fleet Messengers, 29 Motor Launches and 17 Coastal Motor Boats.

Caveat: some of these may also have been lost by collision or ‘friendly’ fire

E&OE

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Boreenatra]

Many thanks for your reply Michael.It seems relatively few, but that would only be my perception.Regards Steve.

[michaeldr]

Steve,

I don’t know about that ‘relatively few’?

I suppose that a pukka naval historian may prefer to talk about tonnage lost

But if we simply go by the number of ships lost as given in Jane’s

Then collisions and friendly fire losses amount to just over 11%

It surprised me that it was so much actually

Regards

Michael D.R.

[historydavid]

Michael, thank you for pointing out the quoted link because I had missed the significance of it.

Best wishes

David

[Boreenatra]

Steve,

I don’t know about that ‘relatively few’?

I suppose that a pucker naval historian may prefer to talk about tonnage lost

But if we simply go by the number of ships lost as given in Jane’s

Then collisions and friendly fire losses amount to just over 11%

It surprised me that it was so much actually

Regards

Michael D.R.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, I meant the tonnage, judging by the ships that were lost probably would have relatively small however I do take your point. Any losses suffered in this way was too much. Regards Steve.

[Boreenatra]

Another of Major Ruston's recollections was as follows:

" The evacuation of Helles was another event which did not fail to generate a pretty strong nerve tension in those who took part in it. The most exciting incident, so far as I was concerned, was when several hundreds of us were slowly moving down in pretty dense formation from the badk of Sedd-el-Bahr to the old transport River Clyde where we were to embark in lighters, and Asiatic Annie, (a very troublesome enemy gun fired from the Asiatic side of the Dardanelles, probably from Fort Chanak) saw fit to give us five rounds. The first hit a heap of rails and made no end of a row, but did no damage, the second made a hit on another safe spot, a third fell into the sea and the other two were duds. Until after a short time had passed, we all of us had the " wind up" pretty badly, as we felt sure the evacuation had been spotted, and they would shell the beaches to blazes, a far from pleasant prospect for us, the small remnant who had been left to clear off on the last night. However we all got away safely as history relates. It was my fate to go board HMS Prince George, a battleship acting for the nonce as transport. As soon as she was full up- and she was full up- she weighed anchor and started steaming off to Lemnos. I had come on deck after a meal in the ward room, when something struck us a very heavy blow. We at once started zig-zagging and in this slow and painful way completed our trip to Lemnos. It was afterwards stated that we had been struck by an enemy torpedo. Fortunately for us, the genius who fired it forgot to release the " gadget" that does duty as a safety catch on a torpedo. Having got so far in our adventure, we didn't want to be knocked out at the last moment and again the "wind had a tendancy to the vertical"

Again wondeful stuff, and a reminder that this account was published in 1920 so from our perspective at least, not long after the War had ended.

Regards Steve