Letter to Guy dated 2nd May 1915

My Dear Guy,

I may as well tell you about the lucky accident, which resulted my getting a slight scratch, which I proudly call a "wound". I was sitting in my boat, which was alongside the pontoon on the beach waiting for the wounded to come along.

Shrapnel was bursting all round us, several in fact, got into the boat. I was hit on the head by a shrapnel bullet and started bleeding like a pig. Luckily the thing was spent, and so, after being bandaged up at a field ambulance place, I was quite all right.

In his book "Gallipoli" by John Masefield, published in 1917, Reginald has annotated a mark on page 48:

"The boatmen and beach working-parties were the unsung heroes of that landing. The boatmen came in with their tows, under fire, waited with them under intense and concentrated fire of every kind until they were unloaded and then shoved off, and put slowly back for more, and then came back again."

Philip and his "wound" on his lighter ferrying troops and wounded - Anzac Cove, Gallipoli

15th May Gaba Tepe to Mudros. Triumph sunk by U 21.

Letter to Reginald in May 1915

My Dear Dad,

The submarine scare turned out to be quite a justifiable one after all. Several times we heard that there was one in the neighbourhood, whereupon we had closed all the water-tight doors (which meant that the Gunroom is inaccessible) and steamed about in circles keeping a sharp look out but it was not until yesterday that we actually saw the effects of it. The flap started at 7.30 am, so we were away all the forenoon. We were off Gaba Tepe at the time, but we were expecting to be relieved by the Vengeance some time during the forenoon after which we were going to Mudros to coal and ammunition. At about 10.00 am we sighted the Vengeance coming along to relieve us, but when she was about 5 miles away she suddenly altered course, and appeared to be steaming away from us. We wondered what was up, but presently she signalled to us that she had sighted a submarine and fired a torpedo at her, which had barely missed. The scare immediately got worse, and all ships which were anchored, weighed, and we were all cruising about independently. By that time, the Vengeance was close to us, but our Captain being the senior NO out there, shifted over to the Vengeance, while we cleared out for Mudros without him and with a destroyer escort.

At 12.30, I was standing on the Quarterdeck with several other people, when someone shouted "They've bagged the Triumph" we all looked at her through our glasses (we were about 4 miles away) and saw her heeled over at an angle of 60 degrees. She was actually struck at 12.26 and soon sank after 12.30. All the torpedo craft and trawlers immediately dashed to her aid and about 700 survivors were picked up, which was very good work indeed, as it means that very few people were lost.

Still, it is a very great disaster, as besides the loss to the Navy, one has to consider the effect it will have on the Turks bucking them up considerably .In fact some Turkish Officers who were captured said that the Turks would have chucked up the sponge long ago had it not been for the sinking of the Irresistible, Ocean and Bouvet on March 18th.

The Triumph was a pre-dreadnought battleship, a sister ship to the Swiftsure both of which were purchased by us from Chile. She carried four 10 inch guns and fourteen 7.5 inch beside several smaller ones. The Swiftsure is also out here. The Triumph was engaged in the capture of Tsing-Tao at the beginning of the war, and had not been home for 3 years, so it was especially hard luck for the people of those who were drowned.

I think the Canopus is about the luckiest ship in the service (touch wood) whenever a disaster occurs we always seem either to miss it or to clear out just in time e.g.

1) off the coast of Brazil where we were nearly torpedoed by the Karlsruhe
2) missing the Coronel Action
3) Admiral Sturdee's fleet turned up just in time to save us from Von Spee at the Falkland Islands.
4) Missing the TB, which sank the Goliath, by 10 minutes.
5) Missing the submarine, which sunk the Triumph by a hair's breath.

Still we are not out of the wood yet.

With much love to you all
Your affectionate son
Philip

23rd May	Canopus tows Albion off Gaba Tepe after it had run aground. Canopus hit a good many times. 1 killed and 10 wounded.
11th June	At Malta for repairs Lots of French ships in the harbour.
23rd June	At Malta
3rd July	At Mudros
13th July	At Meteline - Port Iero
28th July	The Admiral has been down in Chatham, Euralus and Canopus. Preparation for a landing.
3rd August	At Meteline - Port Iero
16th August	At RN Chatham
5th September	Returned to Canopus. New Commander GD Stevenson Their sub AEB Giles awarded the DSO for saving Inflexible.
3rd October	At Meteline - Port Iero. Making ready for winter. Concrete piers. Rattlesnake mentioned in despatches.
11th October	At Meteline - Port Iero Olympia dwarfs all other ships
19th October	At Suvla Bay. Glory struck 3 times before Canopus arrived. Are they going to wind up the show?

 

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