Issue 5 Page 1

Brave Record

Castlerock link to major naval battle off Chile

St George’s Cathedral, Falkland Islands

The Battle of Coronel was fought on 1st November, 1914. Some 1,418 men were lost in HMMonmouth and HMS Good Hope, the flagship of Admiral Sir Christoper Craddock.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 2 The War Memorial in Castlerock Parish Church provides a Northern Ireland link with other memorials to this battle which are in Stanley Cathedral in the Falkland Islands, in the Anglican Church of St John in the Chilean city of Conception and in the 21st May Plaza Coronel.

The Castlerock link is a young Midshipman, Gervase Bruce, who was the grandson of Major Sir Harvey and Lady Bruce of Downhill, whose well-known estate is now owned by the National Trust and includes the Mussenden Temple. Gervase Bruce was only 15 years of age when he died for his King and Country. Sadly his mother, Lady Paget, had died when he was 10 years of age.

The Bruce family were descendants of Frederick Hervey, the 4th Earl of Bristol, and the C of I Bishop of Derry (1768 - 1803) who built Downhill.

Gervase’s great-uncle, Hugh Bruce, served with the navy at the Battle of Trafalgar. Hugh Bruce’s home was the second stately house to be built by the Earl Bishop. It was at Ballyscullion near Belllaghy. Admiral Hugh Bruce was one of the key figures in the planning and delivery of the Dreadnought programme in the early 1900’s. There is a memorial to him in St Tida’s Parish Church in Bellaghy.

Wrong ships, wrong place, wrong time

The Battle of Coronel was a classic case of the wrong ships being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Germany had created a powerful East Asiatic Squadron under the command of Von Spee, to project its influence. However when Japan entered the war on Britain’s side, Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 3 the balance of power as originally envisaged by Germany was altered significantly.

The German Squadron was ordered to close on the Pacific coast of South America to disrupt existing trading routes. Several ports in Chile were significant for vital supplies of coal and saltpetre. Having disrupted these the German plan was for the Squadron to enter the Atlantic and thus be close to the European theatre of war.

From the naval base in the Falkland Islands, Britain patrolled from the River Plate southwards along the Atlantic coast and northward on the Pacific coast at least as far as Valparaiso.

The battle in terms of ships and crews was uneven. Von Spee’s ships were modern and crewed by well trained personnel. Von Spee had personally selected the officers and crews. Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were armed with 8.2 inch guns and were renowned for their crack gunnery.

Craddock’ ships were old, ill-equipped, and staffed mainly by cadets and reservists. Ninety per cent of the crew of HMS Good Hope were reservists. Craddock’s force was also badly outgunned.

HMS Monmouth

Monmouth was a classic case of a ship built on the cheap. She was the first of ten cruisers (The County class), laid down in the closing months of the Victorian era, and designed to protect British merchant shipping in far flung corners of the globe. Some 9,800 tons, it had been launched in1901. It was armed with fourteen 6 inch, Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 4 nine 12 pounders and two 18in tt. When it joined Cradock’s force it was under command of Capt Frank Brandt.

The First Sea Lord, Jacky Fisher, wryly commented, “Sir. William White designed the County class but forgot the guns”. Not only were the guns less potent than the earlier Drake class, but they were sited so close to the waterline that they were of little use, if any, in heavy seas.

The demands of war pressed obsolescent and unfit ships into service in a European war which was expanding speedily into a global conflagration.

The Monmouth had long been replaced by more modern classes of cruiser. She had languished in reserve after being on the China Station for seven years. She was hurriedly reactivated and on the same day as Britain declared war against Germany, she and her hurried crew were despatched to join the 4th. Cruiser Squadron in the West Indies.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 5 Lloyd Hirst, an officer in the light cruiser Glasgow, wrote in his dairy, “She would have been practically condemned as unfit for further service, but was hauled off the dockyard wall, commissioned with a scratch crew of coastguard men and boys.

“She is only half - equipped and is not in condition to come 6,000 miles from any dockyard as she is only kept going by super human efforts”.

The Battle

It was late in the afternoon of November 1st. when Craddock’s force sighted Von Spee’s more numerous and faster ships. Craddock in his flag ship - even older than Monmouth - offered battle. The British ships were outlined against the setting sun and presented inviting targets. Even with night fall, the burning superstructures of Good Hope and Monmouth guided the German gunners.

Good Hope was engaged by Scharnhorst. Eight 8.2 inch guns versus two 9.2 inch. The third salvo put the forward 9.2 inch gun out of action and was followed by serious hits to the forepart, upper bridge and foretop. An internal explosion tore Good Hope. After less than an hour of battle she was gone.

The ship was left silent and dead in the water. Von Spee lost contact around 2000 and ordered his light cruisers to search for the two large British ships that were presumably damaged and to finish them with torpedoes, Good Hope was not found but went down around this time. Her end was not seen in the darkness and the driving rain; 926 lives were lost - 52 officers, 871 ratings Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 6 and 3 canteen staff. There were no survivors. On board were at least 3 from Northern Ireland. Gneisenau engaged Monmouth and stayed out of range of Monmouth's 6 inch guns and with devastating results. Monmouth’s foremost 6 inch turret was blown off and the forecastle was set on fire. Monmouth was hit by between 30 and 40 shells, many amidships. The after part of the ship went on fire and Monmouth tried to break away to the west. It was found around 2100 by the light cruiser Nürnberg which had just reached the area of battle. By then Monmouth was flooded, down by the bows and listing so far to port the port guns could not bear. Nürnberg stayed on that side and opened fire, then stopped to allow Monmouth to strike, she did not. Nurnberg closed on her and lit her up with searchlights. From a range of less than 2,000 yards, Von Schonberg, captain of Nurnberg, opened fire once more. Monmouth turned over, her Ensign still flying. She fought to the last. But it was indeed “a Black Day for the Black Prince”.

Monouth’s green crew of recruits and reservists had fought valiantly though ineffectively. With his ship burning and disabled, Monmouth's captain had ordered Glasgow to flee and warn Canopus, rather than attempt to tow his ship to safety.

When Monmouth capsized around 2120, 734 lives were lost - 42 officers and 692 ratings. There were no survivors except 4 men previously landed on Albrohos Rocks as lookouts who escaped the action. The seas were too rough for Nürnberg to lower boats. There were at least 14 on board Monmouth known to be from Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 7 The citizens of the region of Chile where the Battle of Coronel took place participated in one way or another in this event. The Battle was so close to the coast, that the flashes of the guns could clearly be seen from the beach and from the nearby hillsides. The citizens of Coronel had a really astonishing view of the whole event.

A few of the casualties were washed up on the beaches, most of them without any means of identification, except of course the known fact that they were British seamen. A number of them were buried in a specific corner of the cemetery at Coronel, and there is a version that states that some more were buried in a private Anglican cemetery at Quidico, further south from Coronel, where a British family owned a rural property.

At some time during the 1960s, British officials initiated negotiations for the repatriation of the remains of these casualties.

The strategic outcome of the battle

The Battle of Coronel was a tragic defeat for the British Squadron. Good Hope and Monmouth were lost with all hands. Glasgow and Otranto escaped with minor damage. The German Squadron was barely touched. Casualties at Coronel were one-sided. Cradock lost 1,654 killed and both of his armoured cruisers. The Germans escaped with only three wounded.

On the plus side, the German ships expended a serious amount of shells. Scharnhorst used up 422 of her 8 inch shells, leaving her with about 350, and Gneisenau

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 8 expended 244 leaving about 500. There was no way of replacement.

The most positive result was the reaction in Britain to this defeat. The defeat off Coronel was the first suffered by a British fleet at sea in a century and unleashed a wave of outrage across Britain. In order to deal with the threat posed by von Spee, the Admiralty quickly assembled a large task force under Vice Admiral Sturdee centred on the battlecruisers HMS Invincible and HMS Inflexible.

It was this force which finally faced Von Spee in the Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8th December, 1914.

This time the British fleet had the advantage. Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were sunk. Vice Admiral Maximilian Von Spee, his two sons and 1,800 fellow Germans were dead. Leipzig and Nurnberg were captured and only Dresden got away. It was eventually caught and scuttled by her crew. This was the end of the East Asia German Squadron.

There has been a long controversy over the reasons for Admiral Cradock engaging the superior German force that outgunned and out-manned his own squadron. The official communications of the time show some messages in which the wording is rather vague, and at times just plain confusing. Different historians have interpreted this information in different ways.

However, some points were quite clear:

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 9 • Any weakening or damage sustained by the German squadron, would be a point in favour of Britain’s interests. • It was understood that the protection of the commercial shipping routes was vital to the war effort. • If it were at all possible to increase the vulnerability of the German fleet, this was a goal worthy of the ultimate sacrifice.

Ballymena officer’s brave retribution

Lieutenant Charles Gage Stuart of Ballymena was in HMS Glasgow during the Battle of Coronel. He had served on the China Station during the Russo - Japanese War 1904 - 05. HMS Glasgow got away damaged from Coronel and joined Surdee’s fleet at the Battle of the Falklands, December 1914. Following this, Glasgow went in pursuit of Dresden which had made its presence felt after Coronel.

A contemporary report states that Lieutenant Stuart ”was presented on Wednesday, by the King at Buckingham Palace, with the Distinguished Service Cross for meritorious service in connection with the sinking of the German Cruiser Dresden on March 14th, 1915”

His brother Captain WBG Stuart MC was killed in action on 22/11/1917 aged 24. Another brother Lt Leslie Ian Stuart was in the army. They were the sons of William and Barbara Frances Stuart, Mount Earl, Ballymena, and nephews of Rear Admiral Leslie Stuart, CMG.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 10

Ongoing remembrance

A memorial donated by the people of the Falklands was dedicated at a service on 28/11/1914.

A memorial service for the 1,148 men lost was held on board HMS Australia in February 1915 at the site of the sinkings.

Ever since the defeat of Van Spee’s Squadron, Falklanders have remembered December 8 as Battle Day and the Royal Navy and Royal Marines when possible have participated. The event was re-invested with esteem after the recovery of the islands which commenced in May 1982.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 11

Falkland Islands - Sea Cadets Remembrance Day

Sir Christoper Craddock - Craddock joined the navy aged 13. He fought ashore in Egypt, was involved in

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 12 suppressing the Boxer Rebellion in China, and served on the Royal Yacht. The author of three books, he was an experienced and brave officer, popular with his crews and fellow officers, and held in high esteem by his superiors. He could have avoided the battle which cost him his life.

Vice Admiral Maximilian Von Spee - Born in Copenhagen to a German family. Entered the Imperial German Navy in 1878. He was a gunnery specialist. At Coronel he inflicted on the Royal Navy its first defeat in over a hundred years. After Coronel he took the risky decision to raid the British naval base at the Falklands Islands. The consequent battle lost Spee his life and that of his two sons who were serving in other warships of the East Asiatic Squadron.

HMS GOOD HOPE ROLL OF HONOUR

McTEER, John RN. Stoker. HMS Good Hope.

McVEY, James RM Artillery. Gunner. RMA/11428. HMS Good Hope. Died 1/11/1914 . Age 25. Born Belfast 1896. Son of Robert and Elizabeth McVey, Burmah Street, Belfast. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 5. Crescent - Presbyterian Church RH

SCHOFIELD, Thomas RN. AB. SS/186. HMS Good Hope. Died 01/11/1914. Age 27. A father and husband to Annie Schofield, Ballymagee St.,Bangor. Bangor Grammar School archives. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 2. Bangor - Trinity Presbyterian Church WM

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 13 HMS MONMOUTH ROLL OF HONOUR

BLEAKLEY, John RN. Stoker 1st Class. 213143. HMS Monmouth. Died 1/11/1914. Age 33. Born Belfast. Son of Robert Bleakely, Ballynure St., Belfast. Plymouth Naval Memorial.

BRUCE, Gervase Ronald RN. Midshipman. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Age 15. Son of Major Percy R. Bruce and of Lady Paget, Eaton Square, London and Grandson of Sir Harvey & Lady Bruce, Downhill, WM St John’s Parish Church, Castlerock where the family worshipped. Plymouth Naval Memorial.

CAMPBELL, Herbert RN. Leading Seaman. 213144. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Age 28. Born Ballymacarrett. Son of John and Marguerite Campbell (nee Peters), Belfast. Plymouth Naval Memorial.

CONNELL, William RN. Boy 1st Class. J23481. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Age 17. Born Schull, County Cork. Son of John Connell (ex C.O.C.G.) and Mary Jane Connell, Fitzroy Avenue, Belfast. Plymouth Naval Memorial.

DICKSON, Samuel James J8265 Able Seaman HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Age 20. Born Belfast. Son of Matilda Dickson, Rosebank St., Belfast, and the late Robert Dickson. Plymouth Naval Memorial.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 14 JOHNSTON, Samuel RN. AB. 192792. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Victoria Terr., Donaghadee. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 1. Donaghadee Methodist Church WM

McMULLAN, John RN. AB. 214958. HMS Monmouth. Coronel. Died 01/11/1914. Age 30. Born Downpatrick. Son of George and Rose McMullan, Downpatrick. Brother of Alex McMullan, Albert V. McMullan, Petty Officer HMS Watchman; Frank M. McMullan, P.C. Re-mount Depot (late R.E.,) Alex McMullan, jun., Re-mount Depot, Ormskirk, Liverpool (late Royal Irish Rifles); Wm. G. McMullan, 2nd Royal Irish Rifles. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 1. Downpatrick WM

MOLLOY, Michael RN. LS. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Ardglass

MORROW, Adam RMLI . Private. PLY/13542. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Age 28. Native of Parkmore, Belfast. Son of James and Margaret Morrow, Issbawn, Cushendall. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 5. Cushendall Parish Church.

O’HEA, Albert Henry RN. AB. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 2. Londonderry, The Diamond WM

PATTON, George Henry Able Seaman. J6183. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Born Belfast. Son of George H. and Christina Patton, Everton St., Belfast. Plymouth Naval Memorial.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 15 PRENTICE, David Able Seaman. 231155. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Age 29. Born Belfast. Son of William Prentice, Gallows St., Dromore. Plymouth Naval Memorial. Dromore, Co. Down WM

RODGERS, Alexander Able Seaman. 232035. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Age 26. Born Belfast. Son of Nathaniel Grant Rodgers and Ellen Jane Rodgers, Bentinck St., Belfast. Plymouth Naval Memorial. Macrory Memorial - PCI RH

WILSON, William A J RN. AB. J4776. HMS Monmouth. Died 01/11/1914. Age 19. Born Belfast. Son of William Robert and Mary Wilson, of Plumas, Manitoba, Canada. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 2.

Continuing links with HMS Monmouth

Belfast was the final destination in 2013 of the current HMS Monmouth prior to a year long extensive refit in Devonport. The frigate was under command of Cdr. Gordon Ruddock from Newtownards.

Educated at Methodist College Belfast, Gordon Ruddock embarked on his career in the Royal Navy in 1991. Initial sea training in HM Ships Bristol, Peacock, Avenger and Active beckoned and following completion of professional courses in 1993 he joined HMS Brilliant for his first complement appointment as an Officer of the Watch. During this time the ship conducted operations in

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 16 the Adriatic Sea enforcing the UN embargo against the former Yugoslavia.

Appointed to HMS Gurnsey in 1995 as Navigation Officer, he saw duty in all parts of the UK Fisheries Zone, but most significantly spent a large proportion of time in the far South West approaches policing the ‘Tuna War’.

This was followed by an appointment as Flag Lieutenant to Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland, under the command of Rear Admiral J G Tolhurst and then Rear Admiral M Gregory, during which he was involved in the planning and execution of the ceremonies for the Return of the Stone of Scone to Scotland.

Returning to sea in 1998 and following a short appointment to HMS Northumberland, he navigated HMS Exeter, conducting Maritime Interdiction Operations in the Northern Gulf.

On completion of Commanding Officer’s Designate Course in 2000 he was appointed to command of HMS Puncher and the University of London Royal Naval Unit, where he spent the next two years introducing university students to the business of the Royal Navy and the maritime environment.

On completion of the Principal Warfare Officer’s course he joined HMS St Albans as Gunnery and Operations Officer, during which time the ship deployed in the Horn of Africa and became the first Type 23 to embark an operational Battle Staff.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 17 Qualifying as an Air Warfare Officer in late 2005 he joined HMS Gloucester in November of that year and was the Operations Officer when she conducted the non- combatant evacuation operation in the vicinity of Lebanon in July 2006.

HMS Monmouth

This was followed by a rewarding eighteen months as Senior Warfare Officer in HMS Ark Royal, during her time roled as a Landing Platform Helicopter.

Further sea command beckoned and he assumed command of MCM2 Crew 8 in 2009, conducting two deployments in HMS Atherstone in the Gulf and recovering her to the UK. This appointment also included a short period in command of HMS Ledbury between East of Suez tours.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 18

Cdr. Gordon Ruddock from Newtownards revisited Methodist College, Belfast, with a group from HMS Monmouth, who are pictured here with the Principal, Mr Scott Naismith

In 2011, short appointments to the staff of Flag Officer Sea Training in Faslane, as Deputy Commander Sea Training, and the Joint Services Command and Staff College, as Directing Staff in the Royal Navy Division, gave him a taste of the broad spectrum of training and education in the Armed Forces.

Promoted to Commander in Jan 2012, he took command of HMS Monmouth in May 2012.

Also on the visit to Belfast were Weapon Engineer Steve Gilmore rom Saintfield and Petty Officer, marine engineer, Paul McCann from Moira.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 19

Acknowledgments - Rosalind Davies; Stephen Price, “The Earl Bishop”, Navy News, The Diamond Project, Methodist College, Belfast

BRAVE REPORT

Aims - 1. to remember those from Northern Ireland who served in the Royal Navy, reserves and related naval forces in times of war and 2 to further the compiling of Rolls of Honour of those who died, those who served and returned and where possible to record the contribution they made to civil society.

Circulation - is by e-mail to serving and ex-service members of the armed forces, regular and reserve,

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 5 Page 20 members of RNA and RBL. To obtain copies when pubished, E-mail to [email protected] with Brave Record in message bar. Please give forces connection and your present location.

Please note all the material in Brave Report is copyright.

It is collated and published by The Very Rev. Dr Houston McKelvey, OBE QVRM TD.

Dr McKelvey served as chaplain for 29 years with 102/105 (Ulster & Scottish) Regiment, Royal Artillery TA; for 20 years as Chaplain to the RBL - Northern Ireland Area, and for a period as chaplain to the Belfast Branch of the Burma Star Association. He was involved in the life of HMS Caroline and HMS Hibernia.He was appointed an Honorary Chaplain to the RNR. He is a Past President of QUB Combined Services Club.

Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance