[Note: ADM 137/3621A-3621E are produced as a single document: order as ADM 137/3621...

[Note: ADM 137/3621A-3621E are produced as a single document: order as ADM 137/3621].

Listing contined from ADM 137/3621A.

7. I have telephoned portions of this information to you personally but think it desirable to send this short report in writing. The ship was about 1½ miles from the shore when two explosions occurred. The wind along the coast is reported as being strong from the N.N.W. and it is possible that the boats might come ashore in Skaill Bay or Stromness. Further north the wind is reported as Force 9.

8. I have ordered no communication with the Fleet Mail Steamer and have stopped all other mail leaving the Orkneys until further notice. P.S. With reference to paragraphs 2 and 4, all available motors have been sent with Territorials and ropes to the positions where the road approaches the coast.

Folios 50-52: Letter, 6th June SECRET from Vice Admiral Commanding Orkney & Shetland to the C-in-C Grand Fleet (folio 50). Précis of statements made by survivors from HMS Hampshire relative to explosions and knowledge of movements of Military Officers who were on board. (Received by telephone from Officer Commanding Western Patrol 2 p.m. 6 June 1915).

1. Samuel Sweeny, Petty Officer. Quartermaster on watch on fore bridge. Two explosions and ship began to settle. Steering gear broken. Ship floated about 10 minutes. Saw no Military Officers.

2. Alfred Earnest Read, Leading Stoker. On stoker's messdeck. Heard one explosion on port side. Mess deck filled with chocking smoke. Saw one Military Officer on after shelter deck.

3. Fredrick Sims, Stoker. On stoker's messdeck forward. Heard one explosion. Many men singed or burned. Ship went down by head in about a quarter of an hour. Saw nothing of Military Officers.

4. Walter Varnden, Stoker. Was on watch in port engine room. One big explosion about foremost stokehold. Remained in engine room about 5 minutes. Saw nothing of Military Officers.

5. Wilfred Wesson, Petty Officer. Was on messdeck. Explosion not very loud. Saw Lord Kitchener in the gun room flat with a naval officer; they both went up hatch before him. Naval Officer shouted to make way for Lord Kitchener. Saw no other Military Officers or any more of Lord Kitchener after getting on deck.

6. Horace Duerd (or Duerdsell), A.B. On seamen's messdeck. Explosion sounded double and was right forward on port side. Saw no Military Officers.

7. Charles Rogerson, Leading Seaman. Heard one explosion forward. Saw four military officers in khaki and one in blue suit on quarter deck.

8. R Simpson, A.B. Explosion not loud, forward on port side. Saw no Military Officers.

9. J.R. Bowman, A.B. Was down below. Heard only one explosion. Three Military Officers came up hatch before him but he saw no more of them.

10. William Phillips, Shipwright 1ST Class. Heard one explosion under foremost stokehold. Knows nothing about what happened to Military Officers. Considers explosion due to a mine.

11. William Chasman, Leading Seaman. One explosion about foremost stokehold. Knew nothing about military officers.

12. William Bennett, Warrant Mechanician. Officer of the watch in the engine room. There were two or more explosions the first probably by a mine. Assisted putting out a fire by foremost magazine. Saw nothing of Military Officers.

Folio 53: List of survivors and bodies picked up, 12.25 p.m. 6 June 1916.

Folios 54-57: No. 1281/H.F.0021, 7 June 1915 from C-in-C Admiral John Rushworth Jellicoe, HMS Iron Duke, to Admiralty.

1. Confirm report of loss of HMS Hampshire on the evening of 5 June whilst on passage to Archangel conveying a mission consisting of Field Marshal the Earl Kitchener, Brigadier General Ellershaw, Sir F. Donaldson, Colonel Fitzgerald, Mr. O'Beirne of the Foreign Office, Second Lieutenant Macpherson and six servants.

2. Party had arrived at Thurso about 11.00 a.m. on 5 June and crossed in HMS Oak to lunch on Flagship Iron Duke. Left about 4.0 p.m. for HMS Hampshire. HMS Hampshire proceeded at a quarter to five westward of the Pentland Firth and close to the west coast of Orkney.

3. Route selected to provide shelter from heavy north-easterly gale.

4. This route had been used by mercantile auxiliaries.

5. Two destroyers escorted Hampshire until detached by her Captain at 7.00 p.m. due to heavy seas.

6. Shortly after 8.00 p.m. Captain Walker commanding the Western Patrol, telephone Vice Admiral Brock commanding Orkney and Shetland, that observers from Birsay had reported a cruiser in difficulties.

7. Yacht and trawler at Stromness held in readiness once position of cruiser known.

8. At 8.35 p.m. report that the cruiser was down and all available vessels to proceed to the scene.

9. Captain Walker ordered to proceed to scene and all available motor vehicles to work along coast.

10. From survivors' statements it appears that the explosion occurred shortly before 8.00 p.m. and the ship sank in 10 to 15 minutes.

11. Destroyers were immediately ordered to the scene.

12. Four boats were seen to leave the ship but wrecked in the heavy seas, and the 12 survivors got ashore from a raft.

13. Lord Kitchener was seen in the gun room flat after the explosion and four military officers seen on the quarter deck.

14. The destroyers and patrol vessels recovered a large number of bodies.

15. None of the members of the mission survived and Lord Kitchener's body has not as yet been recovered.

16. Trying to recover any secret documents. The heavy seas prevent any sweeping operations. The heavy seas would have made a successful submarine attack prohibitive so the conclusion is that HMS Hampshire struck a mine.

17. An enquiry is being held.

Folios 58-98: Enclosure to Submission 1293/H.F.0021. Finding of the Court of Enquiry on the Loss of HMS Hampshire, 7 June 1916 reporting to the C-in-C.

1. Having examined the twelve survivors, we have concluded:

2. That the ship struck a mine somewhere forward and sank in 15 minutes, in a position 1½ miles off the shore between the Brough of Birsay and Marwick Head, between 7.30 and 7.45 p.m. on 5 June 1916.

3. No boats were launched and survivors reached the shore in Carley floats.

4. The ship's course at the time of the explosion was N 30 E, making 13½ knots, wind N.N.W. Force 9.

5. Every effort seems to have been made to get the boats out and keep the ship afloat.

6. The cold and high seas caused few men to reach the shore. More might have been saved if more Carley floats had been carried.

7. Nothing was seen of Lord Kitchener after he was taken up on deck by a Naval Officer.

Signed by Captain Henry Blackett, HMS Duke Of Edinburgh, Commander Harold Brisbane Bedwell of HMS Duke of Edinburgh and Commander (N) of HMS Minotaur (folio 59). Copy of signal 7 June 1916 ordering the Court of Enquiry (folio 60).

Listing continued in ADM 137/3621C.