Transcript of Chapter VI.
"Windy Corner" : The Wrecking of Arbuthnot's Cruiser Squadron.
"They pressed forward with great impatience."
from 'The Fighting at Jutland' (abridged edition)
edited by H.W. Fawcett, Royal Navy & G.W.W. Hooper, Royal Navy.
Published 1921

Narrative of H.M.S. "Warrior." continued
(first page of 3,HERE)

(Continuation of the Narrative of the Commanding Officer.)

It grew dark about 9.30 p.m., and the barometer then started falling rapidly, so that our prospects of getting home were none too bright, but all hands worked with a will at stopping leaks and at shoring up bulkheads. After dark I made a personal examination of our damages, and of the steps that had been taken to cope with them. I felt that, if the weather remained fine and the sea smooth, there was a sporting chance of saving the ship, and that at any rate she would keep afloat during the dark hours; we intercepted wireless signals reporting that tugs were on their way out from Cromarty to assist us.

Every two hours the amount that the water had risen in the engine-room was reported to me. It ceased to rise from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m., but after 4 a.m. the wind and sea rapidly got up and the water gained fast. At 6 a.m., and again at 7.15 a.m., I made a tour below, as a result of which I was forced to the conclusion that nothing we could now do would save the ship. The water was gaining beyond our control, and the ship was no longer answering to the motion of the sea but was beginning to roll in a way that showed her stability was fast disappearing, due to the huge quantity of water on the main deck. I ordered the Engineer Commander, the Commander, and the Senior unwounded Lieut.-Commander to go round below and report to me their opinion of the prospect of being able to keep the ship afloat. They all agreed that at any moment she might sink, and that she could not last more than a couple of hours. The barometer was falling fast and the wind and sea were rapidly rising, so I hoisted the signal which I had previously arranged with 'Engadine', to indicate to her that she was to cast off the tow and come alongside the 'Warrior' for us to abandon ship.

7:30pm

All the wounded were got up in cots or stretchers; the ship's company were fallen in by divisions, and after all the wounded had been transferred to the Engadine, the men clambered on board her, one division at a time. One of the wounded was lost overboard between the two ships, but his body was recovered by Flight-Lieut. Rutland, of 'Engadine', in a most gallant manner, for which action Rutland was later rewarded the Albert Medal. It was this same officer who had reported the enemy's movements from a seaplane the previous day.

Finally the Commander reported all hands were on board the 'Engadine', and he and I then jumped on board, and the 'Engadine' went astern to clear the sinking ship. As we left the old 'Warrior' we gave her three hearty cheers. Every big sea washed over her decks, and water poured down through the huge rents in the upper deck on to the main deck. As all the steam pumps and all but two of the hand pumps had been destroyed by enemy shells, we had no means of coping with the volume of water pouring into the ship, and the upper deck was now only about 2 to 4 feet above water. The whole main deck was flooded, and the ship was very much down by the stern. ·

The behaviour of ofhcers and men had been splendid throughout. All had worked, not only with the utmost zeal, but most cheerily, and even as if they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. As we had passed out of action and had seen our battle fleet firing with rapid regularity, we had all felt that the German fleet was going to be destroyed, and that the loss of the 'Defence' and 'Warrior' would be a small item compared with the loss that the German fleet would suffer. We felt that the old 'Warrior' had made a gallant fight against great odds, and had disabled and almost certainly destroyed one enemy ship before she herself was disabled.

So we left the old ship with three hearty cheers, and the 'Engadin'e shaped course for Rosyth.

HMS 'Engadine' & Seaplane at the Battle of Jutland 1916

The following account by one of "Engadine's" officers describes the abandoning of the "Warrior," and tells in detail for the first time of the disciplined courage displayed by the crew of the "Warrior " on this occasion.¹

The Abandoning of H.M.S. "Warrior"

A Narrative from H.M.S. "Engadine."

During the night a sea got up, and the 'Warrior' had taken in so much water that it was decided to abandon her. The sea was bad : the little 'Engadine' bobbed about like a cork, and the 'Warrior' was moving in every direction as if she was loth to give up the fight, but knew that she was doomed. Her crew were fallen in on her deck, well back from the ship's side against the funnel casing, looking as indifferent to their danger as men possibly can. They had been like this all the time overnight, working for the several hours it took to get the ship in tow as calmly as if it was all an exercise, although the ship at that time was still on the battlefield open to attack by surface ship or submarine, and with all her damage from shell fire was liable to founder at any time.

The risk of 'Engadine' going alongside 'Warrior' to take off the crew was tremendous, but there was no hesitation on the part of the Captain, and the crew were with him to a man. The starboard side of 'Warrior' was tried first, but looked too bad : so the port side was then tried, but it looked worse. The 'Engadine' then lay off the starboard quarter of 'Warrior', which must have taxed the nerves of the Warrior's crew to the uttermost seeing, after all they had gone through, that apparently they had now either to swim through this seaway to the 'Engadine' or else go down with the ship. Those that had collected pieces of enemy shells as souvenirs, I was told, quietly placed them on one side, in order that they might have less weight to carry on their swim.

The 'Engadin'e, however, was only waiting for the 'Warrior''s yawing from side to side to steady a little before attempting to get alongside her again on the starboard side, the side which had been looked at first. After a few minutes, which must have seemed hours to the 'Warrior's' men, the 'Erigadine' was placed alongside, in a manner which I think was agreed by all to be a wonderful piece of seamanship. The ships were made fast together, but worked against each other most viciously; yet all the 'Warrior's' men remained steady waiting their Captain's order to abandon ship. Then the Captain gave the order, and things moved. Each man's ration of bully beef and bread was hurled on board us, and one large mass of men poured over the nettings into the ship.

At this moment the Captain considered that there was too much haste and he ordered the bugle "Still" to be sounded. The result was wonderful. Not a single man passed from the 'Warrior' to the 'Engadine' after this bugle was sounded, but every man fell back from the ship's side against the funnel casing, just as they would have done if the bugle call had been sounded at drill. It was a wonderful sight - an inspiring sight; a triumph of organisation, discipline, and courage combined. I am not ashamed to say it brought tears to my eyes. Every man in the 'Warrior' must feel proud of· being one of such a ship's company.

When the "Carry On" was sounded, all those still left in the 'Warrior' hastened to abandon ship. The wounded were got across, and finally the officers, and lastly the Captain, all of whom kept up the highest traditions and the highest standard of courage.

Three cheers were given for their old ship as we parted, and the 'Engadine' left with only a small hole in the engine-room, and the boat deck a little damaged by the 'Warrior's' guns and davits. The thing that impressed me most, both during and after the action, was the wonderful morale of the ofhcers and men.

¹ This account inevitably recalls the story of the sinking of the Birkenhead in 1852. But how strangely Time rings in her changes. The then King of Prussia caused the account of the British soldiers' and sailors' discipline to be read aloud to every regiment in Prussia as an example of true soldierly bearing in the face of great danger.

Previous page of narrative

First page of Narrative

HERE to return to 'Battle of Jutland' Menu page

HERE to return to WW1 Menu page