26 chapters
5 hour read
Selected Chapters
26 chapters
THE BATTLE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
THE BATTLE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
The Battle of the Falkland Islands Before and After By Commander H. Spencer-Cooper With Coloured Frontispiece and Ten Maps and Charts CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne 1919 To the Memory of the Officers and Men of the Royal Navy and the Royal Naval Reserve who so gallantly gave their lives in the actions described in this book...
1 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
This plain, unvarnished account, so far as is known, is the first attempt that has been made to link with the description of the Falkland Islands battle, fought on December 8th, 1914, the events leading up to that engagement. In order to preserve accuracy as far as possible, each phase presented has been read and approved by officers who participated. The personal views expressed on debatable subjects, such as strategy, are sure to give rise to criticism, but it must be remembered that at the ti
2 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER I GERMAN MEN-OF-WAR IN FOREIGN SEAS
CHAPTER I GERMAN MEN-OF-WAR IN FOREIGN SEAS
"I, my Lords, have in different countries seen much of the miseries of war. I am, therefore, in my inmost soul, a man of peace. Yet I would not, for the sake of any peace, however fortunate, consent to sacrifice one jot of England's honour."—( Speech by Lord Nelson in the House of Lords, November 16th, 1802. ) We are now approaching the end of the third year of this great war, [1] and most Englishmen, having had some of the experience that war inevitably brings with it, will agree that the words
10 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER II THE POLICY OF ADMIRAL COUNT VON SPEE
CHAPTER II THE POLICY OF ADMIRAL COUNT VON SPEE
It is clearly impossible to state with any exactitude the motives which governed von Spee's policy; but, in briefly reviewing the results, a shrewd idea of the reasons which led him to certain conclusions may be formed. Also, it will assist the reader to a conclusion on the merits and demerits of the strategy adopted, and will help him to follow more easily the reasons for some of the movements of our own ships described in the next chapter. That Admiral von Spee did not return to Tsingtau at th
6 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER III BRITISH MEN-OF-WAR OFF SOUTH AMERICA
CHAPTER III BRITISH MEN-OF-WAR OFF SOUTH AMERICA
"If England hold The sea, she holds the hundred thousand gates That open to futurity. She holds The highways of all ages. Argosies Of unknown glory set their sails this day For England out of ports beyond the stars. Ay, on the sacred seas we ne'er shall know They hoist their sails this day by peaceful quays, Great gleaming wharves i' the perfect City of God, If she but claims her heritage." — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). Our naval forces were scattered in comparatively small units all over the world
10 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER IV LIFE AT SEA IN 1914
CHAPTER IV LIFE AT SEA IN 1914
"A seaman, smiling, swaggered out of the inn, Swinging in one brown hand a gleaming cage Wherein a big green parrot chattered and clung Fluttering against the wires." — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). A short digression may perhaps be permitted, if it can portray the long days, when for months at a time little occurs to break the monotony of sea life. The reader may also experience the charitable feeling that, at the expense of his patience, the sailor is indulging in the "grouse" that proverbially is s
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER V THE SINKING OF THE "CAP TRAFALGAR"
CHAPTER V THE SINKING OF THE "CAP TRAFALGAR"
"When, with a roar that seemed to buffet the heavens And rip the heart of the sea out, one red flame Blackened with fragments, the great galleon burst Asunder! All the startled waves were strewn With wreckage; and Drake laughed: 'My lads, we have diced With death to-day, and won!'" — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). It has already been mentioned that the Carmania was ordered to search the Brazilian island of Trinidad (not to be confused with the British Island of the same name), which lies in the South A
9 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER VI THE ACTION OFF CORONEL
CHAPTER VI THE ACTION OFF CORONEL
"Then let him roll His galleons round the little Golden Hynde, Bring her to bay, if he can, on the high seas, Ring us about with thousands, we'll not yield, I and my Golden Hynde, we will go down, With flag still flying on the last stump left us And all my cannon spitting the fires Of everlasting scorn into his face." — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). The wanderings of the German squadron in the Pacific have been briefly traced as far as Easter Island, where it arrived on October 12th, 1914, and found t
16 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER VII CONCENTRATION
CHAPTER VII CONCENTRATION
"And Drake growled, ... ... 'So, lest they are not too slow To catch us, clear the decks. God, I would like To fight them!'" — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). Several disquieting wireless messages were received by the British warships on the east coast of South America, giving garbled and unreliable accounts of the Coronel action. It was not till November 5th that a statement which appeared to be fairly authoritative, in spite of its German origin, was received from Valparaiso. It said that the Monmouth
7 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER VIII POSSIBILITIES AND PROBABILITIES
CHAPTER VIII POSSIBILITIES AND PROBABILITIES
The various possible courses open to Admiral Count von Spee, both before and after Coronel, have already been discussed, but the movements of his squadron have not been subjected to examination in the light that they bear on the policy which he adopted, nor have the results of that action been considered from his point of view. The German squadron sailed from Mas-a-Fuera on October 27th, and three days later arrived about noon at a position some fifty miles to the westward of Valparaiso, where i
13 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER IX AWAY SOUTH
CHAPTER IX AWAY SOUTH
"Into the golden West, across the broad Atlantic once again. 'For I will show,' Said Drake, 'that Englishmen henceforth will sail Old ocean where they will.'" — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). The two battle-cruisers looked very businesslike as they steamed up to the anchorage; their trip out had taken off a good deal of paint, and they presented something of the appearance of hardened warriors returning from a spell in the trenches, as has been so well portrayed by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather. To our jo
7 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER X ENEMY IN SIGHT
CHAPTER X ENEMY IN SIGHT
"And from the crow's nest of the Golden Hynde A seaman cried, 'By God, the hunt is up!'" — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). December 8th, 1914, was apparently to prove an exception to the general rule in the Falklands, where it usually rains for twenty-one days during the last month of the year, for a perfect mid-summer's morning gave every promise of a fine day to follow. The prospect of a busy day coaling, and taking in stores, brought with it thoughts of the morrow when we were to set forth on our que
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XI THE BATTLE-CRUISER ACTION
CHAPTER XI THE BATTLE-CRUISER ACTION
"Are hell-gates burst at last? For the black deep To windward burns with streaming crimson fires! Over the wild strange waves, they shudder and creep Nearer—strange smoke-wreathed masts and spare, red spires And blazing hulks." — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). The two squadrons were on nearly parallel courses ( see facing page 79 ). The Inflexible had checked fire for a while, but now reopened on the Scharnhorst at a range of 14,500 yards. Both the enemy ships concentrated their fire on the Invincible
17 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XII THE END OF THE "LEIPZIG"
CHAPTER XII THE END OF THE "LEIPZIG"
"War raged in heaven that day ... ... Light against darkness, Liberty Against all dark old despotism, unsheathed The sword in that great hour." — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). It will be recollected that during the chase the battle-cruisers were firing at the Leipzig before the main battle with Admiral von Spee took place. This compelled the Germans to divide into two separate squadrons, since a direct hit from a 12-inch gun might easily prove fatal to one of their light-cruisers. Foreseeing that this
17 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XIII THE SINKING OF THE "NÜRNBERG"
CHAPTER XIII THE SINKING OF THE "NÜRNBERG"
"While England, England rose, Her white cliffs laughing out across the waves, Victorious over all her enemies." — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). We must now go back to the commencement of the action with the Leipzig . At 4.30 P.M. , in accordance with a signal made by the Cornwall , the Kent branched off in pursuit of the Nürnberg and was soon out of sight. Thus a third fight developed through the high speed attained by the Kent , which enabled her to catch up and force action on the Nürnberg . The fol
11 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XIV AFTERMATH
CHAPTER XIV AFTERMATH
... "England Grasped with sure hands the sceptre of the sea, That untamed realm of liberty which none Had looked upon as aught but wilderness Ere this, or even dreamed of as the seat Of power and judgment and high sovereignty Whereby all nations at the last should make One brotherhood, and war should be no more." — Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). The battle of the Falkland Islands was, perhaps, more like the old-time naval engagements fought by sailing ships of the line than any other naval battle that
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XV THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SAILOR IN ACTION
CHAPTER XV THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SAILOR IN ACTION
"Mother and sweetheart, England; ... ... thy love was ever wont To lift men up in pride above themselves To do great deeds which of themselves alone They could not; thou hast led the unfaltering feet Of even thy meanest heroes down to death, Lifted poor knights to many a great emprise, Taught them high thoughts, and though they kept their souls Lowly as little children, bidden them lift Eyes unappalled by all the myriad stars That wheel around the great white throne of God." That wheel around th
11 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XVI VON SPEE'S AIMS AND HOPES
CHAPTER XVI VON SPEE'S AIMS AND HOPES
The British Public and our gallant Allies have no doubt fully appreciated the commercial importance of the battle of the Falkland Islands. The relief that was thereby given to our shipping and trade not only in South American waters, but throughout our overseas Empire, can only be realised by those who have large interests therein. British trade with South America was first upset by the exploits of the Karlsruhe , later on prestige was still more affected by the Coronel disaster, and, finally, m
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XVII THE PARTING OF THE WAYS
CHAPTER XVII THE PARTING OF THE WAYS
"Now to the Strait Magellanus they came And entered in with ringing shouts of joy. Nor did they think there was a fairer strait In all the world than this which lay so calm Between great silent mountains crowned with snow, Unutterably lonely From Pole to Pole, one branching bursting storm Of world-wide oceans, where the huge Pacific Roared greetings to the Atlantic." Alfred Noyes ( Drake ). The failure to round up the Dresden directly after the battle was naturally a great disappointment, but ou
5 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XVIII THE LAST OF THE "DRESDEN"
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
4 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
I DISPATCH OF THE ACTION OF H.M.S. "CARMANIA"
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
5 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
II DISPATCH OF THE ACTION FOUGHT OFF CORONEL
II DISPATCH OF THE ACTION FOUGHT OFF CORONEL
November 1st, 1914 THE NAVAL FIGHT OFF CHILE The Secretary of the Admiralty announces that the following report has been received from H.M.S. Glasgow (Captain John Luce, R.N.) concerning the recent action off the Chilean coast:— Glasgow left Coronel 9 A.M. on November 1 to rejoin Good Hope (flagship), Monmouth , and Otranto at rendezvous. At 2 P.M. flagship signalled that apparently from wireless calls there was an enemy ship to northward. Orders were given for squadron to spread N.E. by E. in t
4 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
III OFFICIAL DISPATCH OF VICE-ADMIRAL COUNT VON SPEE
III OFFICIAL DISPATCH OF VICE-ADMIRAL COUNT VON SPEE
The following official report of the action fought off Coronel on November 1st appeared in the German Press, and is interesting in the light of being an accurate account as viewed by our enemies. On comparing it with Captain Luce's account, it will be seen that the German clocks were about thirty minutes slow on our time. Other evidence also points to this conclusion:— The squadron under my command, composed of the large cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau , and the small cruisers Nürnberg , Leip
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
IV DISPATCH OF THE BATTLE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
IV DISPATCH OF THE BATTLE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
December 8th, 1914 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. STURD
32 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE "DRESDEN": ACTION WITH "KENT" AND "GLASGOW"
THE "DRESDEN": ACTION WITH "KENT" AND "GLASGOW"
The Secretary of the Admiralty makes the following announcement:— On 14th March, at 9 A.M. , H.M.S. Glasgow , Captain John Luce, C.B., R.N.; H.M. Auxiliary Cruiser Orama , Captain John R. Segrave, R.N.; and H.M.S. Kent , Captain John D. Allen, C.B., R.N., caught the Dresden near Juan Fernandez Island. An action ensued. After five minutes' fighting the Dresden hauled down her colours and displayed the white flag. She was much damaged and set on fire, and after she had been burning for some time h
42 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
A List of Officers serving in the Ships that took part in the Actions recorded in the Narrative. H.M.S. "CARMANIA" Armed Merchantman H.M.S. "GOOD HOPE" Armoured Cruiser H.M.S. "MONMOUTH" H.M.S. "GLASGOW" Light Cruiser H.M.S. "OTRANTO" Armed Merchantman H.M.S. "CANOPUS" H.M.S. "CARNARVON" Armoured Cruiser H.M.S. "CORNWALL" H.M.S. "BRISTOL" Light Cruiser H.M.S. "MACEDONIA" Armed Merchantman H.M.S. "ORAMA" H.M.S. "INVINCIBLE" Battle-Cruiser H.M.S. "INFLEXIBLE" H.M.S. "KENT" Armoured Cruiser [1] Not
16 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter