HMS Majestic

[westkent78]

Hoping that someone may be able to help.

I'm looking for suggestions on books that may provide detailed accounts of the loss of HMS Majestic off Cape Helles, when the U-21 claimed another British battleship victim in her illustrious career.

Also, does anyone have a roll of honour of the 40 (some accounts say 49) fatalities from this event, which they would be willing to share?

Thanks in advance.

Matthew

[frev]

Matthew

This may be detail you already have - but thought I'd pass it on just incase.

From ‘Dardanelles – A Midshipman’s Diary’ by H.M. Denham [Agamemnon]:

“Friday May 28th: Heard the news of Majestic being torpedoed early yesterday morning off Cape Helles, saving all officers and nearly all the men. She was probably still anchored where we left her with nets out; she apparently sank very quickly, capsizing in under 5 minutes, and those who were lost got entangled under her nets as she rolled over and sank.”

[caption to a photograph: “The keel of Majestic, sunk by submarine on May 27th with a loss of 43 of her ship’s company. Being so close to the shore she was a mournful sight for the soldiers. She disappeared finally under the waves during the November storms”]

From ‘Castles of Steel’ by R.K. Massie:

The following day, May 26, the twenty-one-year-old Majestic, the oldest battleship in the Royal Navy, returned, anchored off Sedd el Bahr, spread her torpedo nets, and awaited bombardment assignments. At 6.40 on the morning of the twenty-seventh, a seaman on watch called an officer’s attention to the periscope and conning tower of a submarine not far away. The officer looked and said, ‘Yes, and here comes the torpedo.’ ‘There was a great, muffled roar and the old ship quivered and shook in a terrible way. The masts and yards swayed as if they were coming down on top of us…….A huge volume of water shot up two hundred feet in the air on the port side…….There was only one thing to do and that was to swim for it……..The water was gloriously warm.’ The battleship rolled over and sank in shallow water, leaving her green keel protruding from the surface. There she remained for months, in full view of both armies.”

Cheers, Frev

[westkent78]

Thanks Frev,

No, I didn't have those accounts so they are most welcome additions.

Best Regards,

Matthew

[Kath]

There are these refs. in NA (if you don't already have them)

ADM 1/8422/144 Loss of HMS MAJESTIC. Torpedoed at the Dardanelles 27 May 1915. Report of casualties 1915

ADM 116/1443 Dardanelles - Casualties in H.M.S. INFLEXIBLE, CORNWALLIS, ALBION, MAJESTIC and Loss of H.M. Ships IRRESISTIBLE and OCEAN 1915

ADM 53/47970 MAJESTIC 1914 June 1 - 1915 Mar. 15

ADM 53/47971 MAJESTIC 1915 Mar. 1 - 1915 Mar. 31

ADM 53/47972 MAJESTIC 1915 Apr. 1 - 1915 Apr. 30

Kath.

[westkent78]

Thanks Kath.

That's a great help too.

Best Regards,

Matthew

[barkalotloudly]

there is a book called "The last cruise of the majestic" written by an ex petty officer there are a couple of copies for sale on the net £75.00 a bit expensive i think best regards John

[kin47]

Hello

Here are the names of those killed in the loss of MAJESTIC

ALEXANDER ARTHUR STOKER 1c (RFR B 1867) 293263 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

BAILEY GEORGE W. ARMOURER (Pensioner) 138193 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

BAKER GEORGE A. CORPORAL, RMLI (RFR A 767) 4093 (Ply) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

BALL CHARLES J. A/L/STOKER 310258 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

BERESFORD ALBERT STOKER 1c SS 107530 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

BODY WILLIAM H. CHIEF ARMOURER (Pensioner) 137766 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

BRAY EDWARD STOKER 1c (RFR B 4837) SS 106754 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

BURCHILL JOHN SEAMAN, RNR A 4087 MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

CALLARD HENRY T. SEAMAN, RNR A 3622 MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

CARR NICHOLAS STOKER 1c (RFR B 2325) SS 100088 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

CORMACK JOHN SEAMAN, RNR 4682 B MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

CORNISH PERCY OFFICERS' STEWARD 1c 169736 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

CROSBIE WILLIAM STOKER 1c (RFR B 3013) SS 101099 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

CUNNINGHAM MICHAEL J. STOKER 1c (RFR B 5183) SS 107441 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

DAGNALL JOSEPH STOKER, RNR T 2948 MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

EVANS THOMAS SEAMAN, RNR A 3646 MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

FARR CHARLES H.C. A.B. (RFR B 4490) 204611 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

FOLEY MAURICE SEAMAN, RNR C 2233 MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

GARRY CHARLES H. C.E.R.A. 1c (Pensioner) 145814 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

HAINES DANIEL STOKER 1c (RFR B 2337) SS 100097 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

HARDMAN FREDERICK P.O. 1c (RFR A 1125) 114073 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

HOLLAND CHARLES H. JUNIOR RESERVE ATTENDANT, RNASBR M 10034 MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

JEFFERIES ALFRED J. C.E.R.A. 1c (Pensioner) 141001 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

KEAST WILLIAM R. STOKER 1c 301253 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

KIRK DAVID SEAMAN, RNR D 2139 MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

LYONS PHILIP H. PRIVATE, RMLI (RFR B 995) 10067 (Ply) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

MCDONALD DOUGLAS STOKER 1c (C.G.) 283756 (Po) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

MCPHERSON GEORGE PRIVATE, RMLI (RFR A 625) 3653 (Ply) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

MILLAR THOMAS A.B. (RFR B 1643) 165506 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

MURRAY JAMES A.B. (RFR B 691) 172205 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

MURTAGH CHARLES W. L/SIGNALMAN 218655 (Ch) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

NICHOLLS GREGORY W. PRIVATE, RMLI (RFR A 1055) 6414 (Ply) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

PARTRIDGE WALTER W. STOKER 1c 303397 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

PEGG THOMAS W. BOY TELEGRAPHIST J 26351 (Ch) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

PREECE SAMUEL C. STOKER 1c (RFR B 3896) SS 103563 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

RICH ROBERT J. L/STOKER, RNR 819 U MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

ROGERS CHARLES CANTEEN MANAGER Admiralty civilian MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

ROGERS CHARLES A.B. (RFR B 4992) 213490 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

SANTILLO HARRY CANTEEN ASST Admiralty civilian MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

SCOTT WILLIAM A.B. (RFR B 2148) 216800 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

SHEEHAN TIMOTHY CHIEF STOKER (RFR A 3445) (Pensioner) 154467 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

SMITH PERCY PRIVATE, RMLI 16084 (Ply) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

THOMAS JAMES STOKER 1c 306877 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

WILLIAMS ROBERT L/STOKER (RFR B 3067) 287277 (Dev) MAJESTIC 27/05/15 SHIP LOSS

UPWARD FREDERICK STOKER 1c 302994 (Po) MAJESTIC 14/06/15 SHIP LOSS DIED OF WOUNDS

BYRNE THOMAS C. A.B. 198225 MAJESTIC 22/06/15 SHIP LOSS DIED OF WOUNDS

All best

don

[westkent78]

there is a book called "The last cruise of the majestic" written by an ex petty officer there are a couple of copies for sale on the net £75.00 a bit expensive i think best regards John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for that John.

Seems a bit much.

I'll see if I can get a copy on inter-library loan.

Best Regards,

Matthew

[westkent78]

Hello

Here are the names of those killed in the loss of MAJESTIC

All best

don

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don,

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide me with those names. Another research project takes flight.

Best Regards,

Matthew