| Our
misfortune lay in getting a shell from one of their Light Cruisers
clean through a Main Steam pipe, killing instantly the Engineer office
and I think a leading stoker. At the same time from two boilers came
the report that they could not get water. |
| We
then shut off burners from the Upper Deck, engaging the enemy meanwhile.
The ship finally stopped, though steam continued to pour from the
Engine Room. With the ship stopped bad luck had it that the only gun
that would bear was the after one, and that couldn't be fought owing
to the steam from the E. R. obliterating everything. Several of our
destroyers passed close, but I did not signal to them for assistance
as I saw they were all wanted and busy. |
| I
then noticed that we had started to list to Port considerably, and
so I thought that rather than let the torpedoes go down with the ship,
and before the list became too bad, I would give them a run for their
money, and fired all four at the enemy's battleships who were on the
Starboard beam. I think they were of the "Kaiser" class,
and if any were hit at about 3.0 p.m. GMT I put a claim in. |
| Having
no one within our gun range, we set to work putting small fires out
etc. and I also prepared for being towed, in case a friendly destroyer
came along. Just about this time the 1st High Sea Fleet spotted us,
and started a "Battle Practice" at us with 6" or bigger
guns. The ship sinking fast, I gave the order to abandon her and pull
clear, and about 3 minutes after, she went down vertically by the
stern. Three German Torpedo Boats picked us up.
|
| It
was grand practice for them, but murder for us, and so exasperating
as we could not hit back. |
| The
officers and crew behaved splendidly, and while waiting for "the
end", or my order to abandon ship, they might have been having
their usual forenoon stand easy, to look at them. |
| I
cannot find out the names or numbers of our casualties because all
my officers and men except the wounded have gone to some prison camp.
The following I am sure of:- |
|
Killed:-
|
|
| |
Eng. Lt. Commdr. W.Benoy,
W. Read, A.B,
J. Wiles, A.B,
? (Sto. or Lg. Sto.) |
|
Wounded:-
|
|
| |
Myself,
Willis, E.R.A,
St. P.O. ?
R. Amey, A.B,
J. Walker, A.B. |
| With
my usual luck, I met three different salvoes and am wounded as follows. |
| Upper and lower lips torn to pieces - (since sewn together).
Three teeth removed. Shrapnel hole through the throat - each hole
about the size of a 4/- piece. Splinter hole in the right forearm
and right ear cut. Shot or splinter hole in the right chest. Left
hand burned - now fit for duty. |
| This is just a rough description of the last of the
"Nomad", and I nearly cried as she went down.
|
| I
am longing to hear our losses - they would have me believe that nearly
our whole Navy has gone, and they don't like me one bit when I tell
them I don't believe them. I expect to be here 3 or 4 weeks yet. |
| Hoping
you and the flotilla are all going s
strong and asking you to excuse this handwriting, paper etc. |
| |
Yours sincerely, |
