Voices From Jutland: A Centenary Commemoration by Jim Crossley

Author:Jim Crossley
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: HISTORY / Military / World War I
ISBN: 9781473884083
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2016-01-29T16:00:00+00:00

‘At 4.50 pm the enemy’s destroyers turned tail and fled … Thus I found myself with the solitary Nicator hot on the track of the fleeing destroyers, and now rapidly approaching the head of the German battle cruiser line, who were not slow in giving us an extremely warm welcome from their secondary armament. At a distance of 3,000 or 4,000 yards Nestor fired her third torpedo, and immediately afterwards at 4.58 turned away eight points to starboard in order to get clear of the danger zone and to regain the line of the British battle cruisers.

Suddenly from behind the head of the enemy’s line there came a German light cruiser who opened hot fire and straddled us. It was just about 5 o’clock when two boilers were put out of action by direct hits. From the bridge I saw that something of the kind had happened … Nothing daunted, the engine-room staff applied themselves with all the means in their power to the work of setting the engines in motion. But it was without avail … Seeing our plight Petard (Lieutenant Commander E.C.O. Thompson), now retreating from the chase of the major portion of the German flotilla, gallantly offered a tow; but I had no hesitation in refusing an offer which would have meant the exposure of two ships to the danger that properly belonged to me … But crippled though we were, we had guns which were still intact, and a hostile destroyer, swooping down on what she thought was an easy prey, was greeted with volleys of salvoes from our invaluable semi automatic guns. After such a warm reception, the German destroyer sheered off post haste … Whilst lying helpless and broken down we saw the opposing forces of battle cruisers retracing their tracks to the north-west and we were left with the ocean to ourselves. But it was not for long. Fifteen minutes later my yeoman of signals reported: “German battleships on the horizon shaping course in our direction.” Very soon we were enveloped in a deluge of shell fire … Bethel (the First Lieutenant) was standing next to me, I turned to him with the question, “Now where shall we go?” His answer was only characteristic of that gallant spirit, “To heaven I trust Sir.” We gave our gallant but cruelly short lived ship three rousing cheers.”’

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