E.F. KNIGHT

AUTHOR OF "WHERE THREE EMPIRES MEET," "THE CRUISE OF THE 'FALCON,'" "THE 'FALCON' ON THE BALTIC," ETC.

HODDER AND STOUGHTON LONDON, NEW YORK, TORONTO MCMXIX

PREFACEToC

Recent visits that were made to Harwich for the purpose of writing a series of articles on the Harwich Naval Forces for the Morning Post suggested to me the amplification of these articles and their reproduction in the form of a little book. This does not profess to be anything more than a summary of the gallant doings of the Harwich Forces in the course of the war. The full history, no doubt, will be written some day. But this, I hope, may serve as a record that will enable many to realise better what Britain owes to the Navy, and what a great work was done by the light cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and auxiliary vessels that had Harwich as their base throughout the war.

For the purposes of this book I have referred to no official records. Conversations with those who were eye-witnesses of and participators in the events that I have here described have served as my sole source of information.

My thanks are due to the naval officers who so readily assisted me in my quest while I was in Harwich, and to the Morning Post for the kind permission which I have received to publish in book form my articles that appeared in that paper.

E.F.K.

CONTENTS

PAGE

Part I THE HARWICH FORCE

CHAPTER I

The Opening of the War 5

The light cruisers and destroyers—Harwich in war time—The Harwich Force goes out—The first shots of the naval war—Sinking of the Königin Luise—Loss of the Amphion.

CHAPTER II

The Heligoland Bight Action 23

The plan—The sweep by the Harwich Force—The destroyers in action—Arethusa's duel with the Frauenlob—Off Heligoland again—Action with German light cruisers—The Mainz sunk—End of the Arethusa.

CHAPTER III

Other Actions 45

The battle of the Dogger Bank—The sinking of the Blücher—The Lowestoft raid—The action off Texel.

CHAPTER IV

The Convoys 55

The Beef Trip—Escorting mine-layers—Encounters with enemy mine-sweepers—Sinking of the Meteor—The Centaur mined.

CHAPTER V

Escorting Seaplaness 73

The Cuxhaven raid—The Sylt raid—Enemy patrol boats sunk—Loss of the Medusa—The flagship rams an enemy destroyer—Saving of the Landrail.

CHAPTER VI

The Patrols 97

Raids on enemy trawler fleets—The unsleeping watch—Patrolling the Channel barrage—Patrolling the mine-net barrage—The patrols in action.

Part II THE HARWICH SUBMARINE FLOTILLA

CHAPTER VII

Composition of the Flotilla 113

The shore establishment—Heavy losses of the flotilla—Humorous incidents—Drowning the mascot—Bluffing the Huns.

CHAPTER VIII

Reconnaissance and Mine-Laying 127

The eyes of the Fleet—The Westphalen torpedoed—Mine-laying submarines—Destruction of U boats.

CHAPTER IX

Fine Submarine Records 145

Some narrow escapes—Sinking a Zeppelin—The doings of the E9—Sinking of the Prince Adalbert—The decoy trawler.

CHAPTER X

German Crimes 163

Loss of the E 13—Inhuman Hun methods—Stranding of the U.C. 5—German traps—Risky salvage work.

Part III THE HARWICH AUXILIARY PATROL AND MINE-SWEEPING FORCE

CHAPTER XI

The Royal Naval Trawler Reserve 181

Mine-sweeping trawlers—Captains courageous—Scotch drifters—The motor launches—Keeping open the swept channels.

CHAPTER XII

Work of the Auxiliaries 207

Mine-sweeping methods—Indicator nets—Heavy losses—Brilliant rescues.

CONCLUSION 231