CHAPTER IX
CONTROLLING THE NORTH SEA
During the later months of 1915 the Grand Fleet continued to sweep and control the North Sea in spite of the enemy’s efforts to effect attrition by submarines and mines. On October 1st the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron, with destroyers escorting, left Rosyth and proceeded towards the Little Fisher Bank; on reaching that locality the squadron turned to the north-westward and steered towards Scapa, arriving on the 3rd. The line thus swept was the possible course of enemy mine-laying or other vessels, proceeding towards, or returning from, the vicinity of Scapa and Cromarty. No enemy ships were sighted.
On October 2nd the battleship Barham, Flagship of the new 5th Battle Squadron, arrived at Scapa.
Commodore Tyrwhitt, with the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron (now comprising six light cruisers) and nine destroyers, left Harwich on the 6th to sweep towards the Skagerrak in search of enemy vessels, particularly fishing trawlers, which were suspected of acting as outpost vessels. The operation on this occasion was fruitful in result; 14 German trawlers were captured and sent in; one was also sunk. As usual during such operations when a supporting force was not actually at sea, the Battle Cruiser Fleet was kept at short notice for steam, to be ready to put to sea if required.
On October 10th the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron left Scapa and swept down to the Little Fisher Bank, and thence to Rosyth with the same object in view as that of the Harwich force, being met at daylight on the 11th by destroyers from Rosyth, and arriving at that base on the 12th. On this occasion the operation gave no result.
The Dreadnought Battle Fleet, comprising the 1st, 2nd and 4th Battle Squadrons, the 1st, 2nd and 7th Cruiser Squadrons, the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron, and the 2nd and 4th Flotillas, left Scapa on the 13th, and proceeded into the northern portion of the North Sea for a cruise. Owing to bad weather the destroyers were sent back on the 11th, one, the Mandate, being damaged by a heavy sea; the Ardent and Fortune collided, the former vessel being damaged. The fleet carried out battle exercises during the cruise, and returned to the bases at Scapa and Cromarty on the 15th, on which day the new battleship Canada joined the Grand Fleet.
On October 18th the Harwich force, consisting of the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron and destroyers, sailed to operate off the Danish coast, north of the Horn Reef, against any enemy vessels found there. The Lion, with the 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron and eight destroyers, left Rosyth to support the Harwich force, which closed the Danish coast at daylight on the 19th, then steered to the north-westward, till dark, returning afterwards to Harwich. The search was unproductive, no enemy vessels being sighted. The Lion and 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron proceeded towards Cromarty, but were diverted to Scapa during the night of the 19th–20th, owing to a report of suspicious vessels, possibly mine-layers, being sighted off Noss Head. These vessels were subsequently identified as two of our own trawlers.
On October 22nd three divisions of destroyers were sent from Scapa to hunt a submarine off Fair Island, but were forced to return owing to bad weather.
On October 27th the 1st Cruiser Squadron, with two armed boarding-steamers, left Scapa to search the northern portion of the North Sea, returning on the 30th. Nothing was sighted.
On October 30th Commodore Tyrwhitt, with the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron and destroyers, left Harwich for another sweep off the Danish coast. His force passed through a position some 70 miles north-west of Heligoland before daylight on the 21st, steered for the Little Fisher Bank, and thence to Harwich. A portion of the Battle Cruiser Fleet kept steam at short notice during the operation, which was unproductive, except for the interception of an ore-laden neutral steamer which was sent in to a British port.
On October 30th the Birkenhead and Liverpool, newly commissioned light cruisers, left Scapa for a searching and exercise cruise in the northern portion of the North Sea, and returned to Scapa on November 1st.
During October squadrons cruised independently in the North Sea from Scapa, as in previous months, by day and at night. The ships of the Battle Cruiser Fleet, as well as the 3rd Battle Squadron from Rosyth and squadrons from Scapa, proceeded to Cromarty, in turn, in order to carry out long-range firing at towed targets in the Moray Firth, being screened from submarine attack by destroyers. Squadrons from Rosyth proceeded also to Scapa to carry out practices.
A patrol, comprising the Sappho and eight armed whalers, based on Peterhead, was instituted as a guard against further attempted mine-laying in the Moray Firth. The Peterhead and Cromarty mine-sweeping vessels, which had been working under the Senior Officer of Fleet mine-sweepers (Captain Preston) for the clearance of the Moray Firth mine-field, reverted to their proper commands, and arrangements were made for a constant sweep by mine-sweeping trawlers of the channel along the south shore of the Moray Firth, which was that used by ships based on Cromarty when concentrating with the remainder of the Grand Fleet in the North Sea. It was essential to ensure that this channel was kept clear of mines so long as any portion of the Grand Fleet was based on Cromarty.
It may not be out of place here to state the patrol arrangements existing in the vicinity of the Pentland Firth at this time. Usually three armed boarding-steamers and three destroyers were patrolling to the eastward of the Firth. They moved to the northward during daylight and worked for a considerable distance to the south-eastward of the Firth at night. An extended patrol, usually consisting of a light cruiser and a destroyer, also worked from Peterhead. A patrol of one or two destroyers was maintained at night off Noss Head on the north shore of the Moray Firth. Destroyers were kept off the entrance to Hoy Sound and Holm Sound, and a large number of trawlers near the Hoxa Sound entrance. In bad weather the eastern destroyer patrol was withdrawn to work between Swona Island and the land to the eastward and to the north-westward. The old local defence destroyers also carried out patrol work off the entrance, and off Kirkwall. These particulars are of interest as conveying some idea of the sea work in a restricted area which had to be carried out in all weathers.
From October 1st to October 11th the Fleet Flagship Iron Duke was refitting at Invergordon.
On October 28th the Argyll, en route from Devonport to Rosyth to rejoin the 3rd Cruiser Squadron, grounded on the Bell Rock, near Dundee, early in the morning in thick weather, and became a total wreck; all hands were taken off in a heavy sea by destroyers from Rosyth. The destroyers were exceedingly well handled under very difficult conditions. On the following day the Arlanza, of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, which had been sent to the White Sea, struck a mine and was seriously damaged, but succeeded in reaching the Yakanski anchorage, in the neighbourhood. Repairs were impossible during the winter and the greater part of her crew was, therefore, brought home in the Orcoma, of the same squadron which had been sent north for the purpose.
From October 29th to October 30th a heavy gale was experienced at Scapa, and considerable damage was done to the anti-submarine defences and to the block-ships at the entrances. Fog or mist was experienced on October 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 14th, 16th and 30th.
The 10th Cruiser Squadron’s work showed as a weekly average the following figures: Ships intercepted, 56; sent in, 16; number on patrol, 14; number absent, 8. The bad weather experienced interfered with the work of the squadron.
On November 2nd the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Battle Squadrons, the 1st, 2nd and 7th Cruiser Squadrons, the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron and the destroyers of the 4th and 11th (old 2nd) Flotilla left for a cruise to the westward of the Orkneys. The destroyers were sent back on the 3rd owing to bad weather. Battle exercises and sub-calibre firing took place during the cruise, which was otherwise uneventful; the Fleet arrived at Scapa and Cromarty on November 5th, being screened in by the destroyers.
On November 6th the 1st and 2nd Light Cruiser Squadrons, with destroyers, left Scapa and Rosyth respectively, to carry out an operation in the Skagerrak. The force was timed to arrive at the eastern end of the Skagerrak at dawn on the 7th, and to sweep westward during daylight in order that our ships should be between the enemy and his Baltic base if enemy ships were sighted. The Lion, with the 1st and 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadrons and destroyers, left Rosyth in time to be in a supporting position by daylight on the 7th. A large number of vessels were boarded by the destroyers, but nothing suspicious was encountered, and the forces returned to the bases on November 8th.
During the night of November 6th–7th the battleship Hibernia, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral S. Fremantle, with the Zealandia and Albemarle, passed through the Pentland Firth to the westward en route for southern ports and the Mediterranean. A strong wind was blowing against the spring tides, and a very heavy sea was running in the Firth, as was not unusual. Whilst passing through the Firth the Albemarle, Captain R. A. Nugent, shipped two heavy seas which washed away her fore bridge, with everyone on it, and even displaced the roof of the conning tower; hundreds of tons of water flooded the decks and poured down below. An officer and one man were washed overboard and drowned, and several men injured; Captain Nugent found himself on the upper deck amidst the wreckage of the bridge. The Hibernia, which was ahead, turned to assist the Albemarle, and an urgent signal for assistance was received on board the Iron Duke. One of the emergency cruisers at Scapa was directed to raise steam with all despatch; the Hibernia arrived in with the Albemarle at daylight. The ship presented an extraordinary sight, the sea having made a clean sweep of her bridge and everything on it. In all our experience of the Pentland Firth, we had never witnessed such havoc before. The Zealandia was also obliged to turn back to repair her gunports, damaged by the sea in the Firth.
The next few days were marked only by comparatively trifling incidents. On November 6th the Birkenhead, which had recently been commissioned, completed her practices at Scapa and joined the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron at Rosyth. Two days later the Princess Margaret laid mines successfully in the Heligoland Bight; on the 9th the Crescent, harbour-defence vessel at Hoy Sound, was withdrawn and left to pay off; and the Matchless, of the 10th Destroyer Flotilla, struck a drifting mine in southern waters, her stern being blown off.
On the 12th Submarine E 17 was sent into the Kattegat to reconnoitre and ascertain whether any German trawlers or other vessels were working there. She returned on the 19th and reported in the negative. On the night of the 15th–16th the s.s. Kristianiafiord, of the Norwegian-American line, a ship which had been endeavouring on other occasions to evade the blockading squadron, was intercepted by the Teutonic in high latitudes; she was steaming fast without lights, and was sent to Kirkwall for examination. In this and in other similar cases the ships ran great risk of being mistaken for enemy vessels and sunk, since the methods employed by the Germans made it very difficult to abstain from opening fire on vessels without running the serious danger of our own ships being sunk by surprise attack. In the case of a ship carrying a large number of passengers, like the Kristianiafiord, the risk taken was very great and could not be justified.
On November 16th the 7th Cruiser Squadron, without the Donegal, but accompanied by the Liverpool and one armed boarding-steamer, left Scapa to patrol an area north of the Shetlands and Faroe Islands, with a view to intercepting possible raiders or other vessels.
At noon on the 18th a report reached me that an enemy three-funnelled cruiser had been seen on the 17th to pass through the Danish Sound going north. The possible objectives of this vessel, if the report were true, appeared to be either mine-laying off our bases or an attempt to interfere with the White Sea traffic, the Admiralty having informed me on the 16th that large consignments of arms and ammunition would be passing from France to the White Sea during November and December. In view of the fact that the news had reached me too late to intercept this vessel in southern waters, the dispositions made were as follows:
The Donegal, which had left Scapa on the 17th to cruise along the trade route to the White Sea, was directed to rendezvous with the Orcoma (a ship of the 10th Cruiser Squadron on patrol off the Norwegian coast), and to patrol the parallel of Lat. 66 N. between the meridians of 5.30 E. and 7.30 E.
The 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron sailed from Scapa for a position Lat. 63 N., Long. 4 E., there to meet the 7th Cruiser Squadron, already at sea. Both squadrons, widely spread, were to sweep to the northward along the Norwegian coast, as far as the Rost Islands, and to cruise to the westward of the Lofoten Islands during daylight of the 20th, then returning to their base. The 2nd Cruiser Squadron also left Scapa and proceeded north, the ships spread to cover a wide area to the westward of the 7th Cruiser Squadron, in order to protect the Archangel trade. The 4th Light Cruiser Squadron also left Scapa on the 18th to sweep to the eastward, with orders to return to Cromarty on the 19th.
Strong destroyer patrols were despatched from Scapa and Rosyth to prevent mine-laying off the bases, and one Battle Cruiser Squadron was put at short notice for steam. No enemy vessels were sighted, and the Donegal eventually proceeded to the White Sea, being accompanied by the Minotaur as far as the North Cape.
On November 19th three submarines proceeded from Harwich to the Kattegat to obtain information relative to the presence of any enemy vessels.
On November 23rd the Warspite rejoined the 5th Battle Squadron, after having been for some weeks under repair in the Tyne, owing to injuries sustained through grounding in the Firth of Forth.
On November 28th the Battle Cruiser Fleet left Rosyth for a cruise in the northern portion of the North Sea, during which cruiser exercises and gunnery practices were carried out; the squadron returned to Rosyth on December 2nd.
From November 22nd to December 7th, the Donegal and Hampshire were protecting the White Sea trade, working on the trade route and coaling at Alexandrovsk.
During the month independent squadron exercise cruises from the bases were continued, as was target practice from Cromarty.
The figures for the 10th Cruiser Squadron gave as a weekly average: Ships intercepted, 30; sent in, 9; number on patrol, 10; absent at ports or en route, 9; on special service, 3. The bad weather experienced during the month interfered considerably with the boarding operations of the squadron and also hampered Fleet movements.
On December 1st the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Battle Squadrons, the 1st and 2nd Cruiser Squadrons, the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron, and the Minotaur of the 7th Cruiser Squadron, proceeded to the westward for a cruise. Battle exercises were carried out on the 2nd and 3rd, and the Fleet returned to Scapa and Cromarty on December 4th. The exercises were specially intended to represent the conditions that might arise if the High Sea Fleet tried to draw the Grand Fleet over areas in which mines had been laid or in which submarines were operating. During the exercises the Barham and Warspite of the 5th Battle Squadron collided, both being considerably damaged. They were escorted to Scapa for temporary repairs and left later, the Barham for Invergordon and the Warspite for Devonport.
On December 8th the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron left Rosyth, swept to the eastward to the Little Fisher Bank, and returned on the 10th.
From the 11th to the 13th two ships of the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron were cruising to the eastward of the Fair Island Channel.
On December 12th Submarines D 7 and D 8, which were based temporarily on Blyth, were directed to leave for the Norwegian coast to operate against enemy trade and against enemy submarines. D 7 was directed to make the Ryvingen Light during the dark hours and then to cruise to intercept trade between Ryvingen and Arendal, and between Ryvingen and the west coast of Denmark. It was anticipated that this might draw enemy submarines to the northward from German ports to try to sink D 7, and D 7 was directed to be back at Ryvingen 36 hours after she expected that the first vessel she examined had reached port, so that she might be ready to attack enemy submarines sent after her. D 8 was directed to cruise on a bearing 270° from the Hantsholm Light (coast of Denmark) in order to intercept enemy submarines sent after D 7. Bad weather prevented D 7 leaving before December 15th. The enemy was apparently not drawn, and no success was obtained.
On December 15th the 2nd Cruiser Squadron left Scapa for a sweep to the south-eastward, and returned on the 17th.
Two neutral ships, steaming at high speed at night without lights on the 15th and 16th, evidently intending to evade the blockade, were intercepted by the 10th Cruiser squadron and sent into Kirkwall.
On December 20th Commodore Tyrwhitt left Harwich with the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron, to sweep to the Danish coast, and the Battle Cruiser Fleet was kept at the usual short notice for steam during the time that he was absent until the 23rd.
On December 24th the 1st Cruiser Squadron left Scapa to search the central portion of the North Sea. During the day anxiety was felt as to the safety of the destroyers Porpoise and Morning Star, which had been escorting a Russian ice-breaker to the northward and which had hove to near the Fair Island Channel in a heavy gale during the 23rd. The 1st Cruiser Squadron was directed to spread and search for them, and the Hampshire and Donegal were also sent from Scapa to endeavour to gain touch. Both the destroyers, however, reached Cromarty in safety, the Porpoise on the 25th, and the Morning Star on the 26th, after having experienced very heavy weather. Many compartments were flooded, and very considerable damage was done. They had been handled with great ability during the exceptionally heavy weather. The 1st Cruiser Squadron, with the Hampshire and Donegal, returned to Scapa on the 26th.
On the 24th the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron also proceeded from Rosyth to search the North Sea, down to the vicinity of the Dogger Bank, thence towards the Little Fisher Bank, and back to Rosyth. No enemy vessels were sighted. The weather in the North Sea at this period was very severe, and the Sappho, which was supporting the armed trawler patrol to the north-eastward of Peterhead, lost her rudder in a heavy sea.
On the 30th the 3rd Cruiser Squadron and 1st Light Cruiser Squadron, with destroyers, left Rosyth and carried out a sweep to the south-eastward, returning on the 31st.
On the same day, a lamentable disaster occurred, the cruiser Natal (Captain Eric Back) being blown up in Cromarty harbour with great loss of life. Captain Back was amongst those who lost their lives. It was reported by adjacent vessels at 3.25 P.M. that the ship was on fire, and at 3.30 P.M., before any action could be taken, the ship blew up and sank, the explosion taking place in her after magazines. Steps were taken to deal with the situation in case the explosion had been caused by an enemy submarine having entered the harbour, but it soon became evident that this was not the case. Examination of the wreck by divers later showed no signs of any external explosion. A court-martial was subsequently held at Chatham to investigate the causes of the disaster, but the conclusions were not made public.
During the month of December independent exercises from the Fleet bases were continued, as well as target practice from Cromarty. As to the latter, an interesting practice was carried out by the Iron Duke at the range, and under the conditions of battle practice before the War, in order to ascertain, by examining the actual hits made on the canvas of the target, whether the pre-War standard of shooting was being maintained. Some uncertainty existed owing to the great increase in the ranges at which practices were carried out during the War, namely, 16,000 to 19,000 yards, as compared with the 9,500 yards, which was the maximum peace range. The result was very satisfactory and indicated a most decided advance on pre-War accuracy of fire.
On December 13th the first target practice was carried out in the Pentland Firth. This was in the nature of an experiment and, being successful, practice in this locality was later substituted for practice in the Moray Firth; it was far more convenient for the main Fleet base and much less extravagant in the use of screening and protecting destroyers.
On December 16th Vice-Admiral Sir Martyn Jerram, K.C.B., relieved Vice-Admiral Sir George Warrender, Bart., in command of the 2nd Battle Squadron, on the termination of the latter officer’s three years’ command.
During December patrols seaward of the bases were strengthened and considerably extended during the first and fourth quarters of the moon in order to frustrate any attempted mine-laying on the part of the enemy. This “dark night” patrol subsequently became a matter of routine.
The 10th Cruiser Squadron’s weekly average showed: Ships intercepted, 35; sent in, 14; number of ships on patrol, 12; number at bases or en route, 7; number on special service, 2.
The long nights and bad weather were responsible for the reduction in the number of vessels intercepted. During December fog or mist were experienced at Scapa on the 15th, 22nd, 25th and 26th; gales on the 6th, 8th and 23rd; and snow on the 3rd, 4th, 8th and 12th. Although the weather at Scapa Flow was fairly good, gales in the North Sea and to the westward of the Orkneys were frequent and violent during the month.
Before turning to the events of 1916 it is of interest to notice the work of the “decoy ships,” known later by the name of “Q” ships, fitted out at Scapa during the year 1915. These vessels, five in number, were designed to sink enemy submarines by inducing the latter to close them for the purpose of attack by gun fire or by torpedo. The same system was employed in southern waters, and was developed greatly during the year 1917. At Scapa in 1915 and 1916 the ships were manned principally by volunteers from the Grand Fleet, or from the depôt ships at the base. Colliers or store-ships were selected for their size and general suitability for the work, and they were fitted with a very carefully concealed armament, which was kept hidden until the submarine was within point-blank range, so that fire opened on her must be immediately effective; unless the submarine was holed in less than a minute after fire was opened on her she could submerge and escape, and probably torpedo the decoy ship as well. The five ships, the Prince Charles, Vala, Duncombe, Penshurst and Glen Isla, were fitted up by Captain Farrington of the Cyclops, under the direction of Admiral Sir Stanley Colville and were marvels of ingenuity. Their usual cruising-ground was in the vicinity of the Orkneys, Shetlands, or Hebrides, or towards the Norwegian coast, or the White Sea, or down the east coast of Scotland. They worked on a route that was freely used by merchant-ships and altered their appearance according to their route so as to give them the look of vessels usually trading on that route.
Many stories of the “Q” ships have been told in the Press and need not be repeated here, but a high tribute must be paid to the extreme gallantry and splendid discipline of the officers and men who manned these vessels. I had personal knowledge of the work of the vessels operating from Scapa. Their opportunities for engaging submarines successfully were rare, and the work in the small ships in the heavy seas encountered in northern latitudes was very arduous; there was never any lack of volunteers for the duty, the difficulty always being that of selection from the large number of officers and men anxious to serve. It is satisfactory to record that the first submarine sunk by a decoy ship fell a victim to a vessel working from Scapa Flow.
On July 25th, 1915, the Prince Charles (Lieutenant W. P. Mark-Wardlaw—of Admiral Colville’s staff—in command) sighted, near North Rona Island, the Danish steamer Louise, stopped and with a submarine close to. When the submarine sighted the Prince Charles she proceeded at full speed towards her and opened fire at 5,000 yards’ range. Lieutenant Mark-Wardlaw stopped his engines and went through the usual process of lowering boats in a great hurry. The submarine, which was the U 36, closed to within 500 yards, still on the surface, and at that range the Prince Charles revealed her true character, unmasked her guns, and opened a most accurate fire with her two 6-pounders and two 3-pounders. The U 36 was immediately holed, and two men killed in the conning tower. She was unable to dive and sank stern first; 4 commissioned officers, 2 warrant officers, and 9 men were saved by the Prince Charles.