On the sinking of the Indefatigable at Jutland, 31 May 1916.

Transcript: A message came through that the flags were entangled round the mast - somebody must go up. So I took my sea boots off, climbed out the port-top, went up the Jacob's Ladder right to the very top. I unfolded the flag and I sat on the wireless yard, looking around. I could see all the German fleet and I made out roughly forty ships. There were six of us, and I suppose we'd been in action about an hour and a half or so when a shell or something hit the magazines. There was a terrific explosion, the guns went up in the air just like matchsticks - twelve-inch guns they were - and she began to settle down, and within half a minute she was gone. I was thrown I suppose, well I was 180 foot up you understand, and I was thrown well clear of the ship, otherwise I would have been sucked under.

IWM 4096/C/A
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