., ~ I\ ' ' "" ,, ~ ·r " ' •i · f.;IHJ'¥T\f 1l,.l~-!l1 MAY 26, 2019 I 55 5~ I MAY 26, 2019 THE SUNDAY TIMES OF MALTA THE SUNDAY TIMES OF MALTA LIFE&WELLBEING HISTORY Maltese casualties in the Battle of Jutland - May 31- June 1, 1916 .. PATRICK FARRUGIA .... .. HMS Defence .. HMS lndefatigab!.e sinking HMS Black Prince ... In the afternoon and evening·of .. May 31, 1916, the Battle of Jutland (or Skagerrakschlact as it is krnwn •. to the Germans), was fought between the British Grand Fleet, under the command of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and the German High Seas Fleet commanded by Admiral Reinhold Scheer. It was to be the largest nava~ bat­ tle and the only full.-scale clash between battleships of the war. The British Grand Fleet was com­ posed of 151 warships, among which were 28 bat:leships and nine battle cruisers, wiile the German High Seas Fleet consisted of 99 war­ ships, including 16 battleships and 54 battle cruisers. Contact between these mighty fleets was made shortly after 2pm, when HMS Galatea reported that she had sighted the enemy. The first British disaster occured at 4pm, when, while engaging SMS Von der Tann, HMS Indefatigable was hit by a salvo onherupperdeck. The amidships. A huge pillar of smoke baden when they soon came under Giovanni Consiglio, Nicolo FOndac­ Giuseppe Cuomo and Achille the wounded men was Spiro Borg, and 5,769 men killed, among them missiles apparently penetrated her ascended to the sky, and she sank attack of the approaching battle­ aro, Emmanuele Ligrestischiros, Polizzi, resi1ing in Valletta, also lost son of Lorenzo and Lorenza Borg 72 men with a Malta connection; 25 'X' magazine, for she was sudcenly bow first. Out of a crew of 1,275, cruiser SMS Derfflinger and four bat­ Virgilio di Mauro, Antonio Polato their lives. They were bandsmen of 33 Strada San Lorenzo, Vitto­ officers and 485 men wounded; and hidden in a cloud of smoke and 1,266 officers and men lost their tleships. Two salvoes crashed almost and Roberto Venturi were all born serving on HMS Black Prince, as riosa. He died in hospital on June 6 10 officers and 167 men taken pris­ flames. Mortally stricken, she was lives, including Carmelo Conti, immediately on HMS Defence, deto­ in Italy but had settled in Malta. were Angelo Formosa, Constantino and is interned in grave 1422, in oners. On the German side, 160 offi­ sinking by the stern, when anc·ther Albert Coster, Antonio Frendo, Ben­ nating her magazines, and with a In this same engagement, HMS Giunta, Lu~gi Grasso, Enrico Por­ Queensferry Cemetery, Scot~and. cers and 2,385 men were killed, and salvo struck her 'N turret. A blir.ding jamin Gale and Carmelo Nays, who flash she blew up and sank, taking Warrior was also badly stricken and toghese, Archimede Priori, Matteo The Battle of Jutland has provided 41 officers and 454 men wounded. flash and a huge volume of smoke were all born in Valletta. Carmelo with her 903 officers and men, sank later on, the whole surviving Rosmondo, Domenico Strano, Luigi an inexhaustible fund of controversy. After this battle, the High Seas appeared, and in a moment she Bruce was born in Senglea, while among them Joseph Bonnici, resid­ crew being taken off by HMS Enga­ Ungaro and Giovanni Urso. These It must be stated that whether Fleet never sought contact with the turned over and sank, taking with Frank Miller was a resident of Sen­ ing in Cospicua, Giosue Gaffiero dine. Anthony Alford, brother of were all Italian born but residing in right ot wrong, Jellicoe was carrying British Grand Fleet. Indeed, so low her 1,019 officers and men, leaving glea. Laurence Gatt, husband of from Sliema, Abele Giglio from Sen­ Elena, residing at Floriana, and Malta. There was also Giuseppe out the policy deliberately decided did its morale become that the men only two survivors. Matilda, resided in Portsmouth. glea and John Triccas from St Roberto Tanti from ttamrun, both Portoghese. who was born in Malta upon by the naval authorities - that threatened mutiny rather than face Among the men who lost The next loss occurred at around . Julian's. Gaetano Chircop and Angelo died on board HMS Warrior during but resided in Syracuse. of not risking unduly his capital · the peril of the Royal Navy. their lives in this disaster were 6pm. The destroyers HMS Shark, Magri from Valletta as well as Paolo the engagement. At 7.21pm. HMS Invincible, flagship ships. Winston Churchill was In my collection I have a souvenir Emmanuele Ch:rcop, Francis HMS Ophelia, HMS Acasta and HMS Patignott and Charles Rodgers from At around this time too, HMS of Admiral Horace Hood, HMS Inflex­ reported to have said that Jellicoe of this great naval battle -a Christ­ Mamo, Carmelo Micallef, Carmelo Christopher were attacking the Vittoriosa also lost their lives. · Black Prince was engaging the Ger­ ible and HMS 1 ion were engaging SMS was "the only man on either side who mas card for the year 1916, measur­ Munrho, John Rogers and Giovanni German cruisers when they were man battleship SMS Rheinland, Lutzow, Admiral Hipper's flagship, could lose the war in an afternoon". ing 15.25by10.8cm. The National Spiteri, residents of Valletta. Three quickly smothered by fire from the when she was caught in the search­ SMS Seydlitz.and SMS Derfflinger. Two From a material point of view, the Museum of the Royal Navy also has were residents of Cospicua - Joseph German squadron. HMS Shark was "The Battle lights and fire of up to five other of the German battlecruisers concen­ Battle Jutland may be considered as a similar item in its collection. It Darmanin, Giuseppe Farrugia and disabled, and although HMS Acasta Jutland may be battleships. She was hitby several trated their fire on HMS Invincible a German victory. On the British side seems this was produced by the Salvatore MicalleE Antonio Borda rushed in to take her in tow, she was heavy shells and sent to the bottom when a 12-inch shell struck her 'Q' tur­ the following ships were sunk three ship's photographer, and was sold and George Vella resided in Kalkara, ordered·away. A number of German considered as a with the loss of all hands {857 offi­ ret, detonating the magazines below, battle cruisers - Invincible, Indefati­ to the crew. while Salvatore Cachia and James destroyers dispatched by Hipper cers and men). causing her to blow up and sink. All. gable and Queen Mary; three cruisers The card is enclosed by a cover, on Long resided in Senglea. Carmelo sent HMS Shark to the bottom of the German victory" Giuseppe Abela, Giuseppe Chetcuti l:Jut six of her crew of 1,032 officers - Black Prince, Defence and Warrior; the front of which is a golden Camilleri, Giuseppe Storace and sea with the loss of 82 men out of a and Lewi.s_Vassallo from Cospicua, and men, including the admiral, were and eight destroyers - Ardent, For­ coloured ribbon with the words Publius Viscoso resided inltamrun, crew of 92. The only Maltese man The following, who were mem­ Carmelo Baldacchino and Edgar kiile~ . Only one man with a Malta tune, Nestor, Nomad, Shark, Spar­ 'Souvenir of The Great War'. Below, itself. There is also an insert with a Floriana and Msida respectively. who lost his life in the sinking of this bers of the band and were residing Borg from Senglea, and John Cauchi connection died on board this ship. rowhawk, Tipperary and Turbulent. also in gold, are the following words: short narrative of the battle. At about 4.25pm, the second dis­ ship was Paolo Attard, son of S~verio in Malta, perished too - Alberto and John Micallef, both from Flori­ This was William George Downer, son The Germans lost one battleship, 'The Great British Naval Victory of This card was brought by my aster hit the British fleet. SMS :>erf­ and Katerina Attard of·33, Strada .Baldacchinq, William Minardi and ana, were killed in this' tragedy. ofUriah and Louisa Downer of Ames­ Pommem; one battle cruiser, Lutrow, Jutland Bank. May 31, 1916. With mother's uncle, George Vella flinger and SMS Seydlitz. were heav­ Xandriku, Nadur. Carmelo Montesin lived in Val-· Robert Scott, born in Liverpool but bury, Wiltshire. William Downer was }our light cruisers - Elbing, Frauen­ Best Wishes from HMS Indomitable'. (360833), who was an officer's cook ily engaging HMS Queen Mary, Ships of the 1st Light Cruiser letta; Alfredo Ronsisvalle hailed .residing in Valletta, John Vella froni born in Malta. lob, Rostock and Wiesbaden, and five The ribbon is around a shackled with the Royal Navy, and served on when a salvo crashed on her for­ Squadron, among them HMS from Senglea, while Enrico Po.rtelli Valletta, as well as Joseph Magarity In this action, HMS Malaya sus­ destroyers, 535, V4, V27, V29 and V48. anchor with two branches of laurels HMS Indomitable during the Battle of ward magazine, and a moment Defence and HMS Warrior were was from Floriana; Nunzio from Vittoriosa and Emanuel Cachia' tained severe damage, resulting in In terms of personnel the British and topped with the King's crown. Jutland. He perished on January 21, later a heavy explosion rent her attacking the disabled SMS Wies- Carmando, Agustino Gavallazzi, from Kalkara perished too. 63 dead and 33 wounded. One of casualties amounted to 328 officers The ribbon also features on the card 1918, in the sinking of HMS Louvain. HMS Invincible HMS Indefatigable HMS Queen Mary ..., t j Admiral Sir David Beatty .