The Battle of the Falkland Islands 23

The Battle of the Falkland Islands 23

CHAPTER XVIII

 

THE LAST OF THE "DRESDEN"

 

"Tell them it is El Draque," he said, "who lacks

The time to parley; therefore it will be well

They strike at once, for I am in great haste."

There, at the sound of that renowned name,

Without a word down came their blazoned flag!

Like a great fragment of the dawn it lay,

Crumpled upon their decks....

 

ALFRED NOYES (_Drake_).

 

 

There is remarkably little to tell about this action, which concludes

the exploits of our ships in these waters. The whole fight only

lasted a few minutes altogether--a poor ending to a comparatively

fruitless career, considering the time that the _Dresden_ was at

large. During the months of January and February, 1915, the search

for her had been carried on unremittingly; but though she had managed

successfully to evade us, she was so pressed that she was unable to

harass or make attacks on our shipping. That she never once attempted

to operate along the main trade routes shows the energy with which

this quest was prosecuted. From the time of her escape on December

8th till the day on which she sank, the _Dresden_ only destroyed

two sailing vessels. She, however, made such thorough arrangements

to cover her movements that no reliable information as to her

whereabouts ever leaked through to our squadron. Rumours were legion,

and there were "people who were prepared to swear that they had seen

her." The two places they mentioned were practically uncharted and

were found to be full of hidden dangers. Acting on this "reliable"

information, the localities were examined by our cruisers early in

March, but it was found out afterwards that the _Dresden_ had never

visited either of them.

 

The armed merchantman _Prinz Eitel Friedrich_ had been much more

successful, and had captured and destroyed ten ships during these two

months. Many, it is true, were sailing vessels, but none the less

anxiety began to make itself felt in local shipping circles, and the

whole position once more became uneasy and disturbed. Early in March

the _Prinz Eitel Friedrich_ arrived at Newport News in the United

States with a number of prisoners on board, which had been taken

from these prizes. She was badly in need of refit, and her engines

required repairs. On learning that one of her victims was an American

vessel, public indignation was hotly aroused, and but little sympathy

was shown for her wants. Her days of marauding were brought to an

end, for the Americans resolutely interned her.

 

On March 8th the _Kent_, in the course of her patrol duties, sighted

the _Dresden_ in latitude 37 S., longitude 80 W. It was a calm, misty

morning, which made it impossible to see any distance. During the

afternoon the haze suddenly lifted, and there was the _Dresden_, only

ten miles away. The _Kent_ seems to have sighted the _Dresden_ first,

and steamed full speed towards her for a few minutes before being

observed. This interval, however, did not allow her to get within gun

range. Of course the _Dresden_, being a far newer and faster vessel,

soon increased the distance between them, and after a five-hours'

chase, finally escaped under cover of the darkness. This was the

first time she had been sighted by a British warship since December

8th. It was noticed that she was standing well out of the water,

and this chase must have used up a lot of coal. It was obvious,

therefore, that she would require coal very shortly, and at a no very

distant port.

 

The _Kent_ proceeded to Coronel to coal, informing the _Glasgow_

and _Orama_. A search was organised, and, as a result of a wireless

signal from the _Glasgow_, the _Kent_ rejoined her not far from where

the _Dresden_ had been sighted. The _Glasgow_, _Kent_, and _Orama_

caught sight of their quarry at 9 A.M. on March 14th, 1915, near Juan

Fernandez Island. Smoke was seen to be issuing from the _Dresden's_

funnels as our ships closed in on her from different directions. She

was taken completely by surprise, and it was evident that there was

no possible escape for her. As our ships approached she kept her

guns trained on them, but did not attempt to open fire. Then all

three British ships fired together, to which the German replied. The

official statement tersely reports: "An action ensued. After five

minutes' fighting the _Dresden_ hauled down her colours and displayed

the white flag."

 

Immediately the white flag was hoisted, all the British ships ceased

firing. The crew of the _Dresden_ then began to abandon her in

haste, and were to be seen assembling on shore. Just as the last

party of men were leaving the ship, the Germans made arrangements

to blow up the foremost magazine. Not long afterwards there was a

loud explosion, and the ship began to sink slowly, bows first. The

_Dresden's_ officers and men had all got well clear of the ship.

An hour later, at a quarter-past twelve, she disappeared below the

surface, flying the white flag and the German ensign which had been

re-hoisted at the last. All the surgeons and sick-berth staff of the

British ships now attended to the German wounded, who were afterwards

conveyed in the _Orama_ to Valparaiso, where they were landed and

taken to the German hospital.

 

Such a tame finish to their labours naturally caused disappointment

amongst our ship's companies, who expected the enemy to uphold the

traditions of Vice-Admiral von Spee by fighting to the last. The main

object, however, had been achieved, the victory gained by Admiral

Sturdee at the battle of the Falkland Islands had at last been made

complete, and our ships in South American waters were now free to

proceed on other useful service.

 

 

 

 

PART III

 

OFFICIAL DISPATCHES

 

 

 

 

OFFICIAL DISPATCHES

 

 

 

 

I

 

DISPATCH OF THE ACTION OF H.M.S. "CARMANIA"

 

September 14th, 1914

 

 

The Secretary of the Admiralty communicates the following for

publication. It is a narrative of the action in South Atlantic on

September 14th, 1914, between H.M.S. _Carmania_ and the German armed

merchant ship _Cap Trafalgar_:--

 

Shortly after 11 A.M. we made out a vessel, and on nearer

approach we saw there were three vessels, one a large liner,

the others colliers. The latter had derricks topped, and were

probably working when we hove in sight. Before we had raised

their hulls they had separated, and were making off in different

directions. The large vessel was, apparently, about our own

size, with two funnels painted to represent a Castle liner.

After running away for a little while, the large steamer turned

to starboard and headed towards us. She was then steering about

south, and we were steering about south-west. The weather was

fine and sunny, with a moderate breeze from the north-east. Our

speed was 16 knots, and his apparently about 18. At 8,500 yards

we fired a shot across his bows, and he immediately opened fire

from his starboard after gun. We opened with all the port guns,

and the firing became general. We were now well within range, and

most of his shots went over. Consequently our rigging, masts,

funnels, derricks, and ventilators all suffered. He was then

well open on our port side. All our port guns and his starboard

guns engaged, and firing became rapid. Owing to the decreasing

range, his machine guns were becoming particularly dangerous, so

the ship was turned away from him and the range opened. The ship

continued to turn until the starboard battery was engaged.

 

Two of our hits were seen to take his deck steam pipes. He was

well on fire forward, and had a slight list to starboard. One of

his shells had passed through the cabin, under our forebridge,

and although it did not burst, it started a fire which became

rapidly worse, no water being available owing to the fire main

having been shot through. The chemical fire extinguishers proving

of very little use, the fire got such a firm hold that the

forebridge had to be abandoned, and the ship conned from aft,

using the lower steering position. At this time the enemy was on

our starboard, with a heavy list to starboard, and at 1.50 P.M.,

or one hour and forty minutes from the firing of the first shot,

she capsized to starboard and went down bows first, with colours

flying. It was some time before we got the fire under, which

necessitated keeping the ship before the wind, and consequently

we could not go to the assistance of the survivors, some of whom

got away in boats and were picked up by one of the colliers.

 

The enemy before sinking was in wireless communication with some

German vessel, and as smoke was seen in the northern horizon and

the signalman thought he could make out a cruiser's funnels, we

went off full speed to the southward. When we were in touch with

the _Cornwall_ all we asked him was to meet us, as the ship was

unseaworthy and practically all communications and navigational

instruments were destroyed, rendering the conning and navigation

of the ship difficult and uncertain.

 

On the 15th, at 4.30 P.M., the _Bristol_ picked us up and

escorted us until relieved by the _Cornwall_, who took us on to

an anchorage to effect temporary repairs.