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

ADM 137/3621C

1916

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

Listing continued from ADM 137/3621B.

Folios 61-98: Questioning of survivors of HMS Hampshire.

Petty Officer Samuel Edward Sweeney, 155874. Quartermaster of the Watch on the standard compass platform. Making 13½ knots, course N 30 E. Heard a rumbling explosion and a lot of smoke came out. Captain asked was it a mine or torpedo. Hand went to Abandon Ship stations. Steering gear had broken. Ship remained afloat for about 10 minutes. Got ashore from a raft. Did not see any military Officers. Might have hit a mine. No boats got away. They were about 2 miles off shore. Unable to say if attempt to steer by screws. All wireless communications were lost as dynamos were stopped. Fore part of ship was submerged and seemed to heel to starboard with screws turning, (folios 61-64)

Petty Officer Wilfrid Wessen, 201136. Standing by hammocks on the mess deck. Hear one explosion. Walked aft from amidship old casement, port side to the gun room flat. Saw Lord Kitchener go on deck but not afterwards. Got ashore on a Carley raft from which many were lost, (folios 65-68).

Leading Seaman Charles Walter Rogerson, 236059. Was going aft on main deck. Heard a loud report and the lights went out. Went to quarter deck and to Abandon Ship station, No.1 float amidships. Washed ashore on float but many lost. Had seen four military officers on the quarter deck. Saw Lord Kitchener go on deck, (folios 69-72).

Able Seaman Richard Simpson, R.N.V.R., 5589. Standing by hammocks, heard a faint explosion and got onto upper deck. Heard the Captain singing out for Lord Kitchener to go to the fore bridge to the galley [a ship's boat]. Did not see Lord Kitchener. Left on a float, (folios 73-74).

Shipwright First Class William Charles Phillips. On the half deck and hear one explosion. Saw military offices walking aft on the half deck before the explosion but not afterwards. Went to Abandon Ship station and left on a float from which many were lost. Left ship about 8 and landed on beach about 12, (folios 75-77).

Leading Seaman William Cashman, 228580. In the gun room flat and heard one loud explosion. Left on a raft but many others were lost. Those with life-saving apparatus on seemed to have floated to the beach but had died of exhaustion. Did not see any military officers. Thought it was a mine because of the terrible explosion, (folios 78-80).

Able Seaman Horace Buerdsell. In the Seaman's mess deck and it seemed like a double explosion. It was just abaft the bridge on the port side. Jumped overboard and got to a float. Got ashore and went to a farmhouse. Did not see any military officers, (folios 81-82).

Able Seaman John Robert Bowerman. In the Gun Room Flat and saw three military officers go up the hatch to the upper deck. He heard that one was Lord Kitchener. Left on a float but many lost. The explosion was a mine. None of the boats including the galley were got away from the ship, (folios 83-85).

Leading Stoker Alfred Ernest Read, K15762. In Stoker's mess on port side. Heard one explosion and thought it a mine. From upper deck pushed a float overboard and jumped in after it. Saw one military officer on the after shelter deck, (folios 86-87).

Stoker First Class Walter Charles Barnard, P18373. In the port engine room and heard one explosion. The Engineer Officer gave order to reduce speed. Ordered to go to Abandon Ship station and left ship in a raft. Did not hear of any military officers in the water. Saw the galley and a whaler lowered, (folios 88-90).

Stoker First Class Frederick Lot Sims, 113673. In the Stoker's mess and heard one explosion, a mine. The explosion was port side, forward. The gas was suffocating. Left in a raft. Saw one soldier, a private, in another raft. Ship's boats were not got off, (folios 91-93).

Mr. William Ernest Bennett, Warrant Mechanician. In the engine room and heard a report. The lights went out except the secondary lights. There were no telegraph orders from the bridge. Went topside to investigate. Saw no military officers but saw a Warrant Officer and a Clerk in the mess. Was the last man to leave the engine room and the telegraphs were at half speed but she was not making any way as the steam was falling. Went overboard and picked up by a Carley raft. Many dropped off the raft with exhaustion, (folios 94-98).

Folio 99: 1293/H.F.0021 from C-in-C to the Admiralty, 8 June 1916. Report of moored mines being discovered in locality in which HMS Hampshire was lost.

Folios 100-104: Reports by Colonel G.N. Harris R.M.A. and Captain F.M. Walker R.N. concerning action taken on loss of HMS Hampshire. Note from Rear Admiral Heath, Second Cruiser Squadron to C-in-C, 8 June (folio 100). Note from Rear Admiral Commanding Orkney & Shetland to Captain Henry Blackett, President of the Court of Enquiry, 8 June (folio 101). Report by Lieut. Colonel G.N.A. Harris R.M.A. About 9.20 p.m. received intimation that Vice Admiral wished me to proceed to Birsay where a 4 funnel cruiser was reported as having sunk about 8.20 p.m. Arrived there about 11.45 accompanied by Commander B.W.L. Nicholson. Gunner Angus, look-out at Birsay, saw two explosions the fore part of the ship. He reported to Corporal Drever who went to the Telegraph Office to report to Artillery Kirkwall. Angus said the ship sank about 20 minutes after the second explosion. A farmer, Robertson of Birsay rode down from Marwick Head and said he had seen 4 boats put off from ship and they were drifting to the south. Angus said he thought the ship was 1½ miles out between Marwick Head and Brough of Birsay. We then proceeded to Bay of Skaill arriving about 1.30 a.m. on 6 June, too late to assist survivors who had already been rescued by parties from Hoy Battery and the Western Patrol. Arrived back at Kirkwall about 4 a.m. Left for Skaill Bay about 9 a.m. taking 4 motor lorries and about 45 men to assist in work of removing bodies for identification, etc. The survivors were not seen by me (folio 102). Report by Captain F.M. Walker R.N., Wester Patrol. Received a wire from the NCO at Birsay that a four funnelled cruiser was in difficulties between Marwick Head and Birsay. I ordered yacht Jason II and trawler Cambodia to get away. Telephoned Vice Admiral, Long Hope and it was decided not to send out at present. The next telegram received about half an hour afterwards stated vessel down and I immediately sent out the Yacht and Trawler. The Vice Admiral ordered me to go out myself and send everything available out. Also to hire motor cars and send them out to the place. Went out in tug Flying Kestral and sent out two more trawlers and four destroyers passed me. The night was very rainy, a heavy sea, wind North force 7 to 8. Nothing was to be seen and difficult to see the shore. About 4 a.m. a lot of oil was observed and shortly afterwards dead bodies were picked up. At about 8 a.m. there appeared to be no more bodies so returned to harbour. I proceeded to Skail Bay to interview the survivors. Others who can give information are, Commander W. Forbes R.N. of Jason II, Lieut. J Polehampton of Cambodia, Corporal Drever, Territorials, Birsay and J.E. Davies, Master of the Flying Kestral, (folios 103-104).

Listing continued in ADM 137/3621D.

HSA 122 Admiralty 8 June 1916

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description