Below are transcriptions of a selection of British newspaper cuttings about H.M.S. Acasta’s part in the Battle of Jutland. They are presented in order of date published.
Dumfries and Galloway Standard – Sat 3rd June 1916:
It is also known that the destroyers Tipperary, Turbulent, Fortune, Sparrow Hawk, and Ardent were lost, and six others are not as yet accounted for.
Aberdeen Press and Journal 5th June 1916:
ABERDEEN.
STORY OF THE FIGHT.
(By a Special Respresentative.)
Two detroyers arrived in Aberdeen on Friday night from the North Sea Fight. One of them – the Acasta – was among the first to enter the fight, to draw the German squadron which was cruising in the Skagerrack, but in less than half and hour, she was badly damaged, a shot passing through her engine room, store room, and other parts, and putting her out of action. This shot killed five of her crew, and a sixth, a signalman, who was forward, was struck on the back of the neck by a splinter from another shell and killed.
There was also a wounded man taken ashore, and in the case of this eighteen-year-old lad a story is told by his comrades of how a British navyman can behave when disabled. The doctor having succeeded in taking a piece of shrapnel from the lad’s back, the young fellow looked up with the request that he might have the piece of metal as a souvenir when he got better! Then he got a cigarette, and composed himself to have a smoke.
The vessel after being disabled was patched up as best the crew could, and had to lie practically helpless in the midst of a rain of shot, only one or two of which took effect, a big hole being made in her port bow well above the water line, while another carried away some of the deck fittings. It was while the vessel lay in this condition that the crew witnessed the inspiring spectacle of the Revenge rushing to the attack and practically blowing to bits two of the big German cruisers. This she did with shots from her great guns. One of the German vessels, according to eye-witnesses aboard the Acasta, was literally blown out of the water, and the other was thrown on her beam ends and sank. “It was a great sight,” remarked one of the men, “and what more damage this warship did we were not in the position of knowing, but we may hear soon, and we know now what she can do.”
Left alone, when the German vessels fled the Acasta was found by another British destroyer which took her in tow, and commenced the perilous voyage of about 400 miles to safety. About two leagues off Aberdeen the rescuing destroyer left the Acasta and came rushing through the water full speed for assistance, flashing her electric messages to the coastguard station. Three tugs were speedily dispatched from Aberdeen to the disabled destroyer’s assistance, and on reaching her towed her into port. Great crowds of people had assembled at the pier, Abercromby’s Jetty, and the dockgates to see the disabled vessel arriving. The Union Jack floating at half-mast high at the stern indicated that there were dead as well as living aboard. The work of transferring the bodies to the mortuary was speedily accomplished, the navymen setting the example of doffing their caps as the coffins were carried up the companion way and along the jetty at Matthews’ Quay.
ACASTA IN ACTION.
One of the men of the destroyer Acasta told the story of her part in the fight to a “Journal” reporter. The Acasta formed one of a flotilla of four destroyers that steamed into the Skagerrack shortly after four o’clock on Wednesday afternoon to decoy the German vessels, which were known to be there, into a chase. Almost immediately fighting began. The four destroyers attacked a German destroyer. A large number of German light vessels entered the fray, and a running fight began. A supporting squadron of light cruisers came into the fight, and the German light cruisers likewise engaged. Larger German vessels then appeared, and the fighting became general. In a short time a large number of German ships of great size- battleships and battle-cruisers- appeared on the scene, and for a period a very unequal conflict took place between about four British cruisers and the destroyers and practically the entire German fleet. The British battle-cruisers were then coming into action. The Acasta was heavily fired upon at long range by large German vessels, but the shooting was poor, and it was not until the Acasta got into comparatively close range that there was a hit. Shells were raining all around her, but failed to find the range.
At last a shell from one of the lighter guns of a German vessel struck the Acasta in a vital part, passing through the engine-room and store, killing outright five men. This shot put the Acasta out of action, as her engines were disabled, and she could not move. For the rest of the time that the fight raged in the vicinity the crew of the Acasta were spectators, as she tossed helplessly on the sea.
A number of large battleships appeared out of the mist. At first the crew of the Acasta thought it was another portion of the German fleet, but they were happily soon undeceived. It was the head of Jellicoes’s battle fleet. As the leading vessel passed the Acasta, the men on the battleships, realising the galland part the little vessel had played in the fight, and seeing her disabled condition, gave her a rousing cheer, to which the men in the Acasta replied. The entrance of he British battle fleet into the fight had an immediate effect. The leading ship, with several well-placed shots from her 15-inch guns literally blew one German cruiser out of the water, and laid another on the beam-ends. The two cruisers were so badly battered that they sank in a very short time. The battle speedily passed out of the vicinity of the Acasta.
Dundee Courier 5th June 1916:
WARSPITE AND ACASTA SAFE.
The Secretary of the Admiralty announces, with reference to the German wireless message to the Embassy at Washington on Saturday containing a report of the speech of the President of the Reichstag;-
It is noted that the loss of the battleship Warspite is again officially affirmed. This is untrue, the ship having returned to harbour. The loss of the Alcaster (Acasta) is also announced. This is not true, that vessel having also returned to her base. The names of the three British destroyers not hitherto named, making the total of the eight lost which were reported in the official communique issued early on Saturday morning, are Nomad, Nestor, and Shark.
The statements in the same German wireless message as to three German vessels having been torpedoed without warning by a British submarine are without foundation.
Dundee Evening Telegraph 5th June 1916:
DESTROYERS WHICH WERE IN THE THICK OF THE FIGHTING
Put into Aberdeen.
Evidences of the North Sea fight were apparent by the arrival of four destroyers from the scene of battle at Aberdeen, one having aboard six dead and one wounded men.
The first to arrive was the Onslow, her sides pierced, but with no casualties. Later the destroyer Acasta appeared on the horizon with another destroyer. About two leagues off the later left the former, and steamed rapidly to port to get assistance, and three tugs were soon despatched, and towed the damaged vessel in.
In the course of the night the six dead men were taken to the city mortuary, and the wounded lad was conveyed in an ambulance to the Royal Infirmary. In connection with this lad, who is 18 years of age, it is told by his comrades that when the ship’s surgeon took a big piece of shrapnel from his back, where it had made a big flesh wound, he asked that he might have it as a souvenir to keep when he got better. The piece of metal is being preserved, as requested.
The shot which did the most damage to this vessel entered the engine-room, smashing some of the machinery, and ploughed its was through the ship’s stores, killing five of the men. The other casualty was to the signalman, who, at his post forward, had his neck hit by a flying splinter, and never rallied.
In addition to damage to engine-room and stores, the port bow was pierced by a shell well above the water-line however, and another shot caused some damage on the starboard side. It may be mentioned, however, that when the two damaged vessels were placed on the pontoon dock on Saturday the expert engineers stated that it would not be long before the vessels were again ready for service.
The vessel, after being disabled, was patched up as best the crew could, and had to lie practically helpless in the midst of a rain of shot, only one or two of which took effect, a big hole being made in her port bow well above the water-line, while another carried away some of the deck fittings. It was while the vessel lay in this condition that the crew witnessed the inspiring spectacle of the Revenge rushing to the attack and practically blowing to bits two of the big German cruisers. This she did with shots from her great guns. One of the German vessels, according to eye-witnesses aboard the Acasta, was literally blown out of the water, and the other was thrown on her beam ends and sank. “It was a great sight,” remarked one of the men, “and what more damage this warship did we were not in the position of knowing, but we may hear soon, and we know now what she can do.”
The Birmingham Daily Post, Tuesday, June 6. 1916:
ACASTA’S PART IN THE ENGAGEMENT.
IN THE THICK OF A RUNNING FIGHT.
SHELL IN ENGINE ROOM.
The Acasta, one of the British destroyers which the Germans claimed to have sunk, has arrived at an East Coast port. She came in under tow of another destroyer and assisted by three tugs, and her arrival in the falling darkness was an impressive picture. There was enough light left to show the scars of action, and the half-masted pennon indicating that she was bringing home her dead, six of them, from the great encounter on the other side of the North Sea. Another destroyer had come in before her with a big hole near the water line, but no casualties.
The Acasta was hit several times, and the shell that put her out of action killed five men. The signalman who was in the fore part of the ship was struck in the neck by a shell fragment, and died from his wounds. Two other members of the crew, severely wounded, are in hospital here. One of them, a lad of eighteen, had a piece of shrapnel removed from his back, and before the operation was performed asked that it should be kept for him, as he wanted it for a memento.
One of the Acasta’s crew told the story of her part in the fight. She formed part of a flotilla that stormed into the Skagerack on Wednesday afternoon. The duty of these vessels was to draw on the enemy, and they were soon in the thick of a running fight, which rapidly developed. It was early apparent that the Germans were in great strength, and the British cruisers and destroyers were for a long time fighting against overwhelming odds. “I never thought,” said the sailor, “that the Germans had so many ships in one fleet. There were all kinds of them – battleships, battle-cruisers, light cruisers and destroyers – but at this stage of the battle, at all events, there were no submarines or Zeppelins about.
“It was a fair, ding-dong fight with the guns, only that the British guns were almost hopelessly outnumbered. It rained shells. They fell thickly around the Acasta, but the big gun shooting was rotten. Had the conditions been reversed, with the British big ships battering the German destroyers, the destroyers would have been scrap iron in ten minutes. We had been in the fight about forty minutes when a shell smashed into our engine room and through the stores, killing five of our men, This shell did for us; the Acasta being almost helpless owing to the damage. Shells still came from all quarters, and we thought we should soon be sent to the bottom. It was a case of the whole German fleet against four cruisers and half a dozen destroyers.
“Then out of the mist we saw other big battleships come rushing into the fight. We thought at first they were Germans, and that it was all up. But it was our own battleships, and a great sight they made as they came pounding along, blazing away with their 15in. guns. The men on the leading ship gave us a cheer as she passed. They saw we were disabled. Our battleships made splendid shooting. We saw one of them blowing two German cruisers to bits with a few well-directed shells from her big guns. One of the German vessels seemed to be almost lifted out of the water, and the other was thrown on her beam ends. In about twenty minutes the battle passed away from us.”
The Birmingham Daily Post, Tuesday, June 6. 1916:
The Bishop of London, at the meeting of the Church Reading Union, at Sion College, yesterday, said that people who allowed thoughts of the 5,000 bodies in the North Sea to dwell upon their minds were in danger of losing their mental balance.
The Birmingham Daily Post, Tuesday, June 6. 1916:
NEW ZEALAND’S ADMIRATION.
The following telegram from the Governor of New Zealand has been received:-
Please convey to his Majesty the King the following message:- New Zealand desires to express her admiration for the heroism of our sailors in the great fight, and extends her deepest sympathy to all who mourn the loss of so many gallant lives. -(Signed) LIVERPOOL.
Dumbarton Herald and County Advertiser, Wed June 7. 1916:
One of the many sad sights seen that day was that of a destroyer half a mile away. She had been badly hit, and she gave a message which a sailor does not like to see – “I am in a sinking condition.” It was pitiful, but there were none to help. Again, it is war.
And the sailors on a doomed ship. Bred in the school of chance, are the last to complain.
…
The sea, also, seemed to be stiff with fish, killed by the shells, bursting in the water. Cod, great and small, by the thousands floated listlessly here, there, and everywhere. What a harvest for fishermen!
Musselburgh News, 9 June. 1916:
The “Times” gives some striking details of the Jutland fight supplied by one of the ship’s company of a destroyer which claims to have sunk two vessels of the German Fleet, one of these being the Derfflinger.
“We left the east coast,” he said, “for a certain purpose. At any rate that was our understanding. There were five of us including the Shark, steaming on towards the Jutland coast. We suddenly sighted part of the German Fleet. The signal was given at once to engage, and we lost no time in coming to grips with the enemy.
There was some manoeuvring for position, our orders being to get between the German flotilla of destroyers and their bases. This we did, and attacked for all we were worth. Then came the surprise. Up came the main German Fleet, including some of their heaviest ships, and launched upon us a furious onslaught.
“Up to this point we were certainly making the more effective practice, but the heavy ships of the Main German Fleet seemed to have got the range of our lighter craft with extreme accuracy, and shells were falling round our ships on all sides by the dozen, and many hits were registered, inflicting serious damage. We were having the worst of luck, for it was exceedingly difficult fighting in the face of the sun to pick up our range with accuracy. We succeeded in manoeuvring for better position when the atmospheric conditions changed with startling suddenness. Down went the sun, and we hoped that with its disappearance the mellowed light would lend us an effective advantage. Our difficulties were not yet removed, for the enemy, while giving way, kept well into the land side, and, as everyone familiar with sea conditions knows, the visibility of shipping with the shore beyond is exceedingly treacherous.
DERFFLINGER HIT AMIDSHIPS.
“Despite the fierce attack by heavier German ships the British destroyers and cruisers did not relax their grip. So far as our own ship was [concerned?] two of our torpedoes were discharged without hits, but the third went home. It got one of the biggest vessels in the enemy fleet right amidships. According to our look-out officer, whose glass was trained on our target, it was the Derfflinger, and she went down in a cloud of steam and spray. Our start was now in the ascendant, for with our fourth and last torpedo we as suddenly and effectively sent an enemy destroyer to the bottom.
“Just then we got completely winged by a shell from one of the large German battleships. We were knocked stupid, and could only allow ourselves to drift out of the danger zone. The situation still looked blue when a hope-inspiring development occurred. It was the arrival of Sir John Jellicoes’s fleet under full steam, and a tornado of shot from the great guns of the Grand Fleet brought consternation to the hearts of the enemy. Unfortunately a thick haze began to settle on the scene, and recognising that discretion was the better part of valour, the remnants of the battered German High Seas Fleet at once began to scuttle for home.
“In order to obscure their movements the German ships belched forth dense clouds of black smoke, and, putting on full steam for Heligoland, they made good their escape.”
South Wales Evening Post, 9 June. 1916:
ACASTA CLAIMS ONE HUN.
Seaman Harry Gann, Ivor House, Mynydd Sylen, near Llanelly, who was on the destroyer Acasta, which the Germans claim to have sunk, has arrived home, having escaped without injury. He claims that his ship accounted for at least one German boat. Of the men on the Acasta six were killed and one wounded. Gann has been in the Navy 20 years.
Birmingham Daily Gazette, 10 June. 1916:
BELIEVED TO BE DEAD
After having participated in the naval engagement at Jutland, Stoker John Ladkin walked into his home at Earl Shilton and gave his parents a pleasant surprise. His parents believed that he had gone down with his ship, a torpedo-boat destroyer. His box, containing all his belongings, is at the bottom of the sea.
Daily Express, 10 June. 1916:
An interesting diary kept by a yeoman of signals in one of the ships is published by the “Glasgow Herald.” Among the entries are the following:-
6 p.m. – Passed the Acasta. Funnels and bridge down; great rents in the stern and starboard side. First glimpse of what modern shell fire can do.
Tamworth Herald 10 June 1916:
THE GERMAN VERSION
The German version of the encounter is contained in the following Berlin official message, sent to Amsterdam:-
On May 31 the German Fleet encountered the much stronger main detachment of the British Fleet. During the afternoon and the night a series of heavy engagements developed between Skager Rack and the Horns Reef, which took a course favourable to the Germans. The Germans destroyed, as far as is at present known; The battleship Warspite, the battle cruisers Queen Mary and Indefatigable; two armoured cruisers, probably of the Achilles class; one small cruiser; the ships Turbulent, Nestor, and Acaster. A great number of torpedo-boat destroyers, one submarine, and a further number of big British battleships were damaged. Among others, the big battleship Marlborough was struck by a torpedo. Part of the crew of the lost ships, including the only two survivors of the Indefatigable, have been rescued. The enemy sank the small German cruisers Wiesbaden and Pommern. At present it is not known what has become to the Fraulenlob and some torpedo-boats. The fleet returned to harbour to-day.
Evening Star, 14 June. 1916:
Chief Petty Officer A.D. Reid, of the destroyer Acasta, in a letter published in “The Times,” describing the battle of Horn Reef, says:-
“The order was given that every bit of steam we could raise would be required. At four o’clock we sighted the enemy – a thing we had been looking for for a year. I should say there were between 30 and 40 big ships. We put on all the speed we had and steamed direct north, coming within about three knots of the Danish coast.
“At 5.45 out Fleet challenged the Germans, and immediately a terrible battle commenced. At the beginning of the firing we were ten miles or more apart, and as we fought we got nearer and nearer, till some of us were within a few hundred yard of each other. The shells were exchanged furiously, every gun, small and great, on both sides belching away as fast as loading would allow.
“At six o’clock, fifteen minutes after we had got into action, I had to go below to take up my watch at the valves. About that time one of our destroyers was sinking rapidly, and at last went down firing her aft gun to the very end. We were then ordered to take her place in the battle line, and we then got it hot and fast. I could hear the fragments of shells piercing the body of our destroyer, and other shells wide of their mark whistling overhead.
“The officer on the bridge gave me the signal on the indicator that he required more revolutions. We were doing 500 “revs” and this was not fast enough. I gave the order to the men in the engine room to stand by the gear.
“Our men had kept their posts at the guns and we had fired one torpedo which had done its work. We are sure this was the Derfflinger, for as soon as we had fired she heeled over and sank.
“When we had found out our casualties we then set to work to save the ship. At 8.30 on Thursday morning we were picked up by one of our ships and taken in tow and were able to reach port. We were received by a host of admirers and acclaimed as heroes. We were dreadful-looking objects and were in no particular humour to be made a fuss of. We were all imbued with one object, and that was to rush off to the post-office and send wires to friends and kin.
“My home is in Australia, but that didn’t matter. I couldn’t let expense stand between my joy of being alive and my mother’s anxiety, so I sent a cablegram. It is a glorious thing to have been in this great battle, I am glad I joined the Navy!”
The Birmingham Daily Post, 7 July. 1916:
At 6p.m. Canterbury (Capt. Percy M. R. Royds), which ship was in company with the Third Battlecruiser Squadron, had engaged enemy light cruisers which were firing heavily on the torpedo-boat destroyer Shark (Commander Loftus W. Jones), Acasta (Lieut.-Commander John O. Barron), and Christopher (Lieut.-Commander Fairfax M. Kerr); as a result of this engagement the Shark was sunk.
Evening Post, 29 July. 1916:
DAMAGED SHIPS.
The destroyers on both sides naturally “caught it hot.” … Then there was the Acasta, which had a shell in her engine-room, yet only lost five men through it. She got into port safely enough, though the Germans declared they had sunk her.
…
THE FORLORN-LOOKING CRAFT.
The appearance of these boats limping back caused some sensation among those who saw them who were unused to the sort of thing. But to those who know what destroyers are, there was nothing terrible in the swept decks, the litter of shattered gear, and the general untidy, forlorn look of craft which are usually so smart-looking and business-like. Torpedo vessels are frail affairs, and easily crumple up. The Navy makes nothing of a few feet of wrecked stern and the loss of deck gear. It has a term for such damage.
When a destroyer piles itself up against a dock wall or another boat in a night practice and its bows go in like an opera hat, it is only “concertinaed.” As they are easily knocked about they are easily repaired, and the worst of the lame ducks docked at the beginning of June justified herself by getting back, never mind her disorder after giving the German fleet such wounds as were dealt it in the lurid night which followed Beatty’s glorious struggle.
Hampshire Telegraph 25 May 1917:
Adm. G. A. Callaghan, Chairman of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla Memorial Fund, writes to announce that it is proposed to dedicate on May 31st, the anniversary of the Jutland Battle, as a memorial to the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, a ward for sailors’ children in the Lord Mayor Treloar Hospital at Alton, in memory of officers and men of the Tipperary, Shark, Ardent, Fortune, Lynx (after the above five destroyers cots are being named), the Broke, Acasta, Spitfire, Sparrowhawk, and Porpoise, of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla. Cots are also being endowed to commemorate the Turbulent, Ninth Flotilla, and the Nestor and Nomad, of the Thirteenth Flotilla. The names of those lost are being inscribed in the ward.
Hinckley Times 6 October 1917:
A.B. J. Ladkin, who was on H.M.S. Acasta in the Battle of Jutland, supplies the following recollection of events connected with that greatest of all sea fights:- On the afternoon of Friday, June 2nd, at a time when rumours were rife of something big having happened in the North Sea, grim confirmation was given when a certain destroyer came slowly up the channel of Aberdeen harbour with a shell hole in her starboard side, and her White Ensign showing another shell hole through its fabric. From off her several wounded sailors were taken to the Royal Infirmary. A few hours later another destroyer arrived direct from the scene of battle. She was unscathed, and steamed briskly to a berth in the harbour. A huge concourse of townsfolk assembled along the North Pier on the outlook for other arrivals from the fight. Before long, in the offing, two destroyers were sighted, one in tow of the other. Three tug-boats splashed out to sea. The two warships in the bay were seen to separate, and one made shorewards with great rapidity. She also was undamaged, and as she passed up the channel the the crowd along the pier raised a great cheer, which was re-echoed by the men on the destroyer. More than an hour passed. Then at the greying dawn of the day the tugs made the entrance to the harbour, conveying to a haven of safety the Acasta, which the inaccurate, vaunting German communique termed “the new destroyer leader Alcaster,” and claimed as a victim sunk by its fleet. At the time the censor permitted something to be told of the thrilling part the Acasta played in the fight, and how she drew the enemy’s fire off the renowned but ill-fated Shark. Thousands of the citizens of Aberdeen saw one of the most moving spectacles of their lives in the arrival of the Acasta on that far-spent evening of June 2nd, 1916. Her hull was scared with battle. Her ensign flew at half-mast, and, lying on the quarter-deck, covered by the Union Jack, lay a number of her crew, dead. Women wept at the sight at once so tragic and so eloquent of British valour and devotion to duty, men folk among the civilians on shore bared their heads, and soldiers stood to attention and saluted as the destroyed moved lamely past. Such an association with the aftermath of the Battle of Jutland will for long remain fresh in the memory of Aberdeen and the story of it to be told in future years.
[Recollection of Stoker First Class John Thomas Ladkin]
Extract from the Official History; ” Naval Operations” by Sir Julian S. Corbett. 1923
……….When Admiral Hood turned to the rescue of the Chester his four destroyers were left on his port quarter, and they soon caught sight of the German cruisers running towards them south-east, half hidden by shell splashes. The division was led by Commander Loftus Jones in the Shark, the same intrepid officer who by his resolute dogging of Admiral von Ingenohl’s cruiser screen at dawn on the day of the Scarborough raid had caused the whole High Seas Fleet to turn back to its base. Seeing the excellent chance that had fallen to him, he led off to make the most of it, followed by the Acasta (Lieutenant-Commander J. O. Barron), Ophelia (Commander L. G. E. Crabbe)—both officers had been with him in his previous exploit—and the Christopher (Lieutenant-Commander F. M. Kerr).As they approached they could see that ahead of the flying cruisers a number of enemy destroyers were evidently developing an attack on Admiral Hood, but as soon as the Germans were aware of the Shark’s direction they turned to protect Admiral Boedicker. A very hot engagement was the result. The Shark got off a torpedo at one of the cruisers, but she was quickly smothered with the fire of the squadron and its destroyers, and by the time Commander Jones knew he had frustrated the attack on Admiral Hood and had turned back, his boat was brought to a standstill. His old comrade, Lieutenant-Commander Barron, rushed up to take him in tow, but he would not hear of the Acasta, which was also badly damaged, being sunk for him, and ordered her to leave him. At this moment Captain P. M. R. Royds in the Canterbury appeared coming up to the rescue from the southeast. By turning to the southward he enticed the cruisers to chase, and for a while the Shark was left in peace. Presently, however, more destroyers, which Admiral Hipper had ordered to attack Admiral Hood in order to cover his retirement, came up and poured in a merciless fire.In a moment her after gun was hit, and its crew killed, and Commander Jones, who was himself controlling its fire, had a leg shot away at the knee. Yet he continued to encourage his men to fight the only gun he had left, when the Shark went down with her flag still flying.
Southern Daily Echo Tuesday 12 November 1929:
TRUE STORIES OF THE WAR.
More Readers Relate Their Adventures.
THE PRIZE WINNERS.
2nd (10/-) – John Williams, formerly Able Seaman, H.M. Destroyer “Acasta”
BEARING THE BRUNT.
TWO destroyers, Shark and Acasta (attached 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron). The enemy just visible – grey line two points off our port bow!
The Admiral had signalled prior to opening fire ordering destroyer commanders “full discretionary powers,” and some of us wondered why we kept our exposed position on the engaged bow of the flag ship. We soon knew.
Suddenly altering course, the little Shark led us full-speed for the enemy’s line, and my greatest thrill had come. As we raced nearer, two destroyers against a line of ships, the inferno became indescribable. The roar of explosion, the awful concussion, the scream of tearing, twisting metal – and worse…
The Shark was the first to be knocked out – we never saw her again.
We were on fire fore and aft, had lost our steering-gear, main steampipe, dynamo, oil tanks, and many important ratings. Yet our appearance saved us, for, leaving us to Davy Jones, the fight moved on.
Little remains. We were days struggling to port, and thankful to be alive. But, ah! if we had only known that we spoiled the enemy’s torpedo attack on our big ships.
We received many decorations, but best of all was the V.C. given to the gallant little Shark. – JOHN WILLIAMS, Able Seaman, H.M. Destroyer Acasta, 4th Flotilla, Grand Fleet.