The Battle of the Falkland Islands 25

The Battle of the Falkland Islands 25

The small cruisers, including the _Nürnberg_, which came up in

the meantime, were by 'wireless' at 7.30 to pursue the enemy and

make a torpedo attack. At this time rain squalls limited the

range of vision. The small cruisers were not able to find the

_Good Hope_, but the _Nürnberg_ came upon the _Monmouth_, which,

badly damaged, crossed her bows and tried to come alongside. At

8.58 the _Nürnberg_ sank her by a bombardment at point-blank

range.

 

The _Monmouth_ did not reply, but she went down with her flag

flying. There was no chance of saving anybody owing to the heavy

sea, especially as the _Nürnberg_ sighted smoke, and believed

that another enemy ship was approaching, which she prepared to

attack.

 

At the beginning of the fight the _Otranto_ made off. The

_Glasgow_ was able to keep up her harmless fire longer than her

consorts maintained theirs, and she then escaped in the darkness.

 

The _Leipzig_ and the _Dresden_ believe that they hit her several

times. The small cruisers sustained neither loss of life nor

damage. The _Gneisenau_ had two slightly wounded. The crews went

into the fight with enthusiasm. Every man did his duty, and

contributed to the victory.

 

 

 

 

IV

 

DISPATCH OF THE BATTLE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS

 

December 8th, 1914

 

ADMIRAL STURDEE'S DISPATCH

 

 

_Admiralty, 3rd March, 1915._

 

The following dispatch has been received from Vice-Admiral Sir F. C.

Doveton Sturdee, K.C.B., C.V.O., C.M.G., reporting the action off the

Falkland Islands on Tuesday, the 8th of December, 1914:--

 

_Invincible at Sea,

December 19th, 1914._

 

SIR,

 

I have the honour to forward a report on the action which took

place on 8th December, 1914, against a German Squadron off the

Falkland Islands.

 

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

F. C. D. STURDEE,

_Vice-Admiral, Commander-in-Chief_.

 

_The Secretary, Admiralty._

 

 

(A)--PRELIMINARY MOVEMENTS

 

The squadron, consisting of H.M. ships _Invincible_, flying

my flag, Flag Captain Percy T. H. Beamish; _Inflexible_,

Captain Richard F. Phillimore; _Carnarvon_, flying the flag of

Rear-Admiral Archibald P. Stoddart, Flag Captain Harry L. d'E.

Skipwith; _Cornwall_, Captain Walter M. Ellerton; Kent, Captain

John D. Allen; _Glasgow_, Captain John Luce; _Bristol_, Captain

Basil H. Fanshawe; and _Macedonia_, Captain Bertram S. Evans;

arrived at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, at 10.30 A.M. on

Monday, the 7th December, 1914. Coaling was commenced at once, in

order that the ships should be ready to resume the search for the

enemy's squadron the next evening, the 8th December.

 

At 8 A.M. on Tuesday, the 8th December, a signal was received

from the signal station on shore:

 

"A four-funnel and two-funnel man-of-war in

sight from Sapper Hill, steering northwards."

 

At this time, the positions of the various ships of the squadron

were as follows:

 

_Macedonia_--At anchor as look-out ship.

_Kent_ (guard ship)--At anchor in Port William.

_Invincible_ and _Inflexible_--In Port William.

_Carnarvon_--In Port William.

_Cornwall_--In Port William.

_Glasgow_--In Port Stanley.

_Bristol_--In Port Stanley.

 

The _Kent_ was at once ordered to weigh, and a general signal was

made to raise steam for full speed.

 

At 8.20 A.M. the signal station reported another column of smoke

in sight to the southward, and at 8.45 A.M. the _Kent_ passed

down the harbour and took up a station at the entrance.

 

The _Canopus_, Captain Heathcoat S. Grant, reported at 8.47 A.M.

that the first two ships were 8 miles off, and that the smoke

reported at 8.20 A.M. appeared to be the smoke of two ships about

20 miles off.

 

At 8.50 A.M. the signal station reported a further column of

smoke in sight to the southward.

 

The _Macedonia_ was ordered to weigh anchor on the inner side of

the other ships, and await orders.

 

At 9.20 A.M. the two leading ships of the enemy (_Gneisenau_ and

_Nürnberg_), with guns trained on the wireless station, came

within range of the _Canopus_, who opened fire at them across

the low land at a range of 11,000 yards. The enemy at once

hoisted their colours and turned away. At this time the masts

and smoke of the enemy were visible from the upper bridge of the

_Invincible_ at a range of approximately 17,000 yards across the

low land to the south of Port William.

 

A few minutes later the two cruisers altered course to port, as

though to close the _Kent_ at the entrance to the harbour, but

about this time it seems that the _Invincible_ and _Inflexible_

were seen over the land, as the enemy at once altered course and

increased speed to join their consorts.

 

The _Glasgow_ weighed and proceeded at 9.40 A.M. with orders to

join the _Kent_ and observe the enemy's movements.

 

At 9.45 A.M. the squadron--less the _Bristol_--weighed, and

proceeded out of harbour in the following order: _Carnarvon_,

_Inflexible_, _Invincible_, and _Cornwall_. On passing Cape

Pembroke Light, the five ships of the enemy appeared clearly in

sight to the south-east, hull down. The visibility was at its

maximum, the sea was calm, with a bright sun, a clear sky, and a

light breeze from the north-west.

 

At 10.20 A.M. the signal for a general chase was made. The

battle-cruisers quickly passed ahead of the _Carnarvon_ and

overtook the _Kent_. The _Glasgow_ was ordered to keep two miles

from the _Invincible_, and the _Inflexible_ was stationed on the

starboard quarter of the flagship. Speed was eased to 20 knots at

11.15 A.M. to enable the other cruisers to get into station.

 

At this time the enemy's funnels and bridges showed just above

the horizon.

 

Information was received from the _Bristol_ at 11.27 A.M. that

three enemy ships had appeared off Port Pleasant, probably

colliers or transports. The _Bristol_ was therefore directed to

take the _Macedonia_ under his orders and destroy transports.

 

The enemy were still maintaining their distance, and I decided,

at 12.20 P.M., to attack with the two battle-cruisers and the

_Glasgow_.

 

At 12.47 P.M. the signal to "Open fire and engage the enemy" was

made.

 

The _Inflexible_ opened fire at 12.55 P.M. from her fore turret

at the right-hand ship of the enemy, a light cruiser; a few

minutes later the _Invincible_ opened fire at the same ship.

 

The deliberate fire from a range of 16,500 to 15,000 yards at the

right-hand light cruiser, who was dropping astern, became too

threatening, and when a shell fell close alongside her at 1.20

P.M. she (the _Leipzig_) turned away, with the _Nürnberg_ and

_Dresden_ to the south-west. These light cruisers were at once

followed by the _Kent_, _Glasgow_, and _Cornwall_, in accordance

with my instructions.

 

The action finally developed into three separate encounters,

besides the subsidiary one dealing with the threatened landing.

 

 

(B)--ACTION WITH THE ARMOURED CRUISERS

 

The fire of the battle-cruisers was directed on the _Scharnhorst_