Castles of Steel

by Robert K. Massie

  134 “Abandon ship”: Corbett, I, 175.

  134 “the sun shining on pink”: Hoehling, 50.

  134 “a terrific crash”: Ibid.

  135 “This time we were so bold”: Thomas, 24.

  135 “Aboukir and Hogue sinking”: Corbett, I, 174.

  135 “a sudden explosion”: Hoehling, 52.

  135 “Keep cool, my lads”: Ibid., 54.

  136 “Knowing where they were supposed to be”: Patterson, Tyrwhitt, 73.

  136 “It was very difficult”: Hoehling, 55.

  136 “They looked just like rows and rows of swallows”: Patterson, Tyrwhitt, 73.

  136 “men climbed like ants”: Thomas, 25.

  136 “She careened far over”: Gray, 36.

  137 “On 22 September”: Groos, II, 56.

  137 “It is well-known”: The Times (London), September 25, 1914, 8.

  137 “of no great value”: Churchill, I, 326.

  137 “We heard Aboukir crying out”: Beatty Papers, I, 136.

  138 “It was pure murder”: Fisher, FGDN, III, 61.

  138 “The disaster . . . followed”: Churchill, I, 326.

  138 “One would expect senior officers”: Ibid., 327.

  138 “a cruiser patrol”: Marder, II, 58.

  138 “were placed in a cruel position”: Ibid., 55.

  138 “that most of the officers concerned”: Churchill, I, 327.

  138 “If one ship is torpedoed”: Goldrick, 133.

  140 “indiscriminate and distinctly barbarian”: Marder, II, 72.

  140 “cowardly weapon” and “the weapon of the weak”: Ibid., 70.

  143 “We can only approve”: Scheer, 62.

  144 “It is suicidal”: Jellicoe Papers, I, 71.

  144 “rely to a great extent”: Ibid., 75.

  144 “This may and probably will”: Ibid., 76.

  145 “full confidence in your contemplated conduct”: Marder, II, 76.

  CHAPTER 8: “SHALL WE BE HERE IN THE MORNING ? ”

  146 “The Grand Fleet was uneasy”: Churchill, I, 380.

  148 “Don’t spend another penny”: Marder, Anatomy, 467.

  148 “I got Rosyth delayed”: Fisher, Memories, 193.

  148 “I have always been ‘dead on’ for Cromarty”: Ibid., 214.

  148 “of the utmost gravity”: Marder, I, 421.

  149 “a great seawater lake”: Hewison, 6.

  150 “The great majority of the men”: Ibid., 52.

  151 “Having to choose between the two”: Ibid., 57.

  151 “The Admiralty have been so frequently charged”: Ibid.

  152 “I often wondered”: Jellicoe, Grand Fleet, 29.

  153 “I can only imagine”: Ibid., 30–31.

  153 “It appeared to me”: Ibid., 30.

  154 “No one, we believed”: Churchill, I, 381.

  154 “prepare for a torpedo attack”: Hewison, 69.

  154 “No trace of a submarine”: Jellicoe, Grand Fleet, 118.

  155 “the fleet could not remain at a base”: Ibid.

  155 “I long for a submarine defense at Scapa”: Jellicoe Papers, I, 73.

  155 “Shall we be here in the morning”: Scott, 276.

  155 “I think it is right that you should know”: Churchill, I, 389–91.

  156 “Every effort will be made”: Ibid., 391–92.

  157 “In pre-war days”: Jellicoe, Grand Fleet, 79.

  157 “No one seriously contemplated”: Churchill, I, 381–82.

  157 “Reproach has been levelled”: Ibid., 383.

  158 “I interpreted my duty”: Ibid., 240

  160 “It seems to be impossible”: FGDN, III, 131.

  CHAPTER 9: PRINCE LOUIS DEPARTS

  163 “We are only playing at war”: Chalmers, 161.

  163 “Winston, I hear”: Beatty Papers, I, 118.

  163 “If he would either leave”: Marder, II, 83.

  163 “If we only had a Kitchener”: Beatty Papers, I, 144.

  164 “waving his stick”: Gilbert, I, 173.

  165 “undertake command”: Ibid., 176.

  165 “What we desire”: Ibid., 197.

  165 “I can’t tell you”: Asquith, Letters to Venetia, 274.

  165 “such a darned fool”: Marder, II, 85.

  166 “a remarkably nice boy”: Brough, 88.

  166 “stick it out a bit longer”: Hough, L and V, 66.

  167 “My dearest Georgie”: Ibid., 111.

  167 “I hate the idea”: Marder, I, 406.

  168 “German princeling” and “court favorite”: Hough, L and V, 161.

  168 “I am sure you must miss”: Ibid., 163.

  168 “She hopes and expects”: Ibid., 171.

  168 “perhaps the outstanding officer”: Chatfield, 84.

  169 “There are literally hundreds”: Marder, I, 407.

  169 “He is the ablest officer”: Randolph Churchill, II, 534.

  169 “more English than the English”: Fisher, FGDN, II, 398.

  169 “if his name had been Smith”: Randolph Churchill, 534.

  169 “There is no one else”: Hough, L and V, 301.

  170 “All my experience at the Admiralty”: Randolph Churchill, II, 630.

  170 “unworthy of the royal mind”: Gretton, 88.

  170 “We met every day”: Churchill, I, 241.

  170 “It happened in a large number of cases”: Ibid.

  170 “I accepted full responsibility”: Ibid., 240.

  171 “Quite concur”: Marder, II, 88.

  171 “court favorite”: Hough, L and V, 88.

  171 “I heard by chance”: Marder, II, 86–87.

  171 “I have never known more malignant rancour”: Hough, L and V, 196.

  172 “Should a German boss our navy”: Ibid., 246.

  172 “to live more in England”: Kerr, 126.

  172 “never understood”: Ibid., 335.

  172 “Sir, when I joined the Royal Navy”: Churchill, I, 90.

  173 “whether it was true”: Hough, L and V, 301.

  173 Germhun: Ibid., 302.

  173 “The latest rumor”: Ibid., 300.

  174 “the conversation having turned”: Ibid., 303.

  174 “In time of war”: Ibid.

  174 “Dear Lord Charles Beresford”: Ibid., 304.

  175 “Prince Louis was a big man”: Marder, I, 407.

  175 “you must not ever consider leaving”: Hough, L and V, 305.

  175 “Winston has been pouring out his woes”: Ibid.

  175 “grave doubt is expressed”: Gilbert, I, 215.

  175 “Blood is said to be thicker than water”: Marder, II, 86.

  175 “Winston came here”: Asquith, Letters to Venetia, 287.

  176 “Poor Louis B’s resignation”: Hough, L and V, 307.

  176 “Louis behaved with great dignity”: Asquith, Letters to Venetia, 290.

  176 “I have lately been driven”: Churchill, I, 435.

  176 “I beg you to release me”: Gilbert, I, 225.

  176 “There is no more loyal man”: Nicholson, 251.

  176 “profound sorrow”: Kerr, 258.

  176 “mean and contemptible slander”: Ibid.

  176 “a national humiliation”: Ibid., 256.

  176 “It was an awful wrench”: Goldrick, 155.

  176 “up to the end”: Marder, II, 87.

  177 “On one day”: Haldane, 302.

  177 “before the war ended”: Ibid., 306.

  177 “he started and grew pale”: Nicholson, 309.

  177 “George Rex”: Hough, L and V, 319.

  177 “Arrived Prince Hyde”: Kerr, 289.

  177 “to right a great wrong”: Kerr, 285.

  CHAPTER 10: ADMIRAL VON SPEE’S VOYAGE

  179 “to keep the native population”: Hough, Pursuit, 29.

  180 “We must take advantage”: Ibid., 27.

  180 “Thousands of German Christians”: Balfour, 209.

  181 “as if he had swallowed a broom handle”: Hough, Pursuit, 20.

&n
bsp; 181 “The women seemed”: Ibid., 32.

  182 “To my shame”: Ibid., 33.

  183 “I do not think we were far wrong”: Pochhammer, 16.

  183 “Very nice place, indeed”: Ibid., 22.

  183 “alone of the Marianas”: Ibid., 36.

  184 “a glorious sight”: Ibid., 42–43.

  184 “Strained relations”: Bennett, Naval Battles, 53.

  185 “threatened state of war”: Poch-hammer, 49.

  185 “The whole beautiful world”: Ibid., 51.

  185 “the British had elected”: Ibid., 55–56.

  185 “The monotonous noise”: Ibid., 60.

  186 “Von Spee was a cut flower”: Churchill, I, 295.

  187 “In event of a war against Great Britain”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 46.

  187 “It is impossible to judge from here”: Ibid., 64.

  190 “If coaling the whole squadron”: Ibid., 62.

  190 “We wish you success”: Pochhammer, 68.

  190 “I thank Your Excellency”: Hohenzollern-Emden, 39.

  190 “I shall proceed to Chile”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 63.

  191 “The seemingly limitless desert”: Pochhammer, 83.

  191 “In the evening”: Hough, Pursuit, 58.

  193 “If no enemy ship approaches”: Hirst, 72.

  194 “vastly to his astonishment”: Spencer-Cooper, 46.

  194 “to gaze at the outside”: Hough, Pursuit, 78.

  195 “in glorious sunlight”: Pochhammer, 135.

  196 “furniture removal”: Hohenzollern-Emden, 78.

  196 “we had five or six vessels collected”: Bennett, Naval Battles, 55.

  196 “The Emden’s company”: Ibid., 59.

  196 “the chief reason”: Marder, II, 104.

  197 “It is almost in our heart”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 72–73.

  CHAPTER 11: ADMIRAL CRADOCK’S VOYAGE

  198 “The map of the world”: Churchill, I, 296.

  198 “we could not be”: Ibid., 295.

  198 “as the days succeeded one another”: Ibid., 408.

  201 “Probably Scharnhorst, Gneisenau”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 54–55.

  203 “She was the fastest”: Chatfield, 47.

  203 “the guns . . . on the main deck”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 17.

  203 “It certainly is the limit”: Ibid.

  203 “Sir William White”: FGDN, II, 432.

  204 “Sighted Monmouth”: Hirst, 15.

  204 “Later on, when leave could be taken”: Ibid., 6.

  208 “It is advisable to operate”: Ibid., 57.

  208 “Gneisenau and Scharnhorst”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 80.

  208 “No certain information”: Ibid., 81.

  209 “Few can steam well”: Jane’s Fighting Ships—1914, 53.

  209 “If she did not break down”: Marder, II, 106.

  210 “Situation changed”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 82.

  211 “I have a feeling”: Sweetman, 79.

  211 “urgent importance”: Ibid.

  212 “it blew, snowed, hailed”: Spencer-Cooper, 22–23.

  212 “We finally got past caring”: Ibid., 23.

  212 “It seemed to both the captain”: Chatterton, Gallant Gentlemen, 70.

  213 “a good square meal”: Hirst, 52.

  213 “snug as a bug”: Ibid., 54.

  213 “She has already been condemned twice”: Ibid.

  213 “It appears that Scharnhorst”: Churchill, I, 410.

  213 “Does Defence join my command”: Ibid., 411.

  213 “regulations of the Panama Canal Company”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 91.

  215 “It always appeared to me”: Chatterton, Gallant Gentlemen, 71–72.

  215 “It would be best for the British ships”: Churchill, I, 411.

  215 “Settled”: Ibid.

  215 “I understand from our conversation”: Ibid., 411–12.

  216 “a citadel around which”: Ibid., 414.

  216 “entirely a contrary opinion”: Hirst, 94.

  217 “I trust circumstances”: Ibid., 93.

  217 For William Denbow, see: Hough, Great War, 96.

  217 “It is clear that”: Ibid., 412.

  218 “Good Hope left”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 95.

  218 “shining with that special, well-groomed”: Sweetman, 74.

  218 “would come wandering up”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 14.

  218 “one of our very best officers”: Fisher, FGDN, II, 101.

  218 “the navy was not”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 15.

  219 “When a hammock is being used”: Ibid., 14.

  219 “fought hard, played hard”: Hough, Pursuit, 86.

  219 “Engage the enemy more closely”: Sweetman, 74.

  219 he hoped when his time came: Dreyer, 90.

  219 “That ribbon”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 26.

  219 “Cradock thought his chances were small”: Marder, II, 111.

  219 “only in case”: Ibid., 112.

  219 “I will take care”: Ibid., 111.

  219 “The admiral was a very brave old man”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 92.

  219 “He knew what he was up against”: Ibid., 95.

  219 “With reference to orders”: Churchill, I, 416.

  220 “gravely preoccupied” and “This telegram is”: Ibid.

  220 “Defence is to remain”: Ibid., 417.

  221 “The words ‘sufficient force’ must have seared”: Hirst, 96–97.

  221 “tired of protesting”: Ibid., 97.

  221 “I am going to attack the enemy now”: Ibid., 29.

  221 “I am sure I should”: Churchill, I, 416.

  221 “Speaking of Admiral Cradock’s position”: Ibid., 418.

  221 “Two of the lieutenant commanders”: Hirst, 99.

  221 “Monmouth, Good Hope and Otranto coaling”: Churchill, I, 417–18.

  222 “alone this time”: Chatterton, Gallant Gentlemen, 72.

  222 “that we expected to sight the enemy”: Ibid.

  224 “Clear the decks”: Pochhammer, 138.

  224 “Maneuver well executed”: Hirst, 101.

  224 like a haystack: Pitt, 5.

  CHAPTER 12: THE BATTLE OF CORONEL

  225 “in a quarter of an hour”: Pitt, 57.

  225 “Does my smoke”: Pochhammer, 141.

  225 “When the sun was sufficiently low”: Ibid, 141–43.

  226 “We had in sight”: Chatterton, Gallant Gentlemen, 74.

  226 “But when we saw those damned four funnels”: Copplestone, 236.

  227 “We all thought he would leave Otranto”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 38.

  227 “I cannot go down and engage”: Ibid.

  228 “Follow in the admiral’s wake”: Pitt, 8.

  228 “I am going to attack”: Hirst, 105.

  228 “And now began the saddest”: Churchill, I, 422.

  229 “the most rotten show imaginable”: Marder, II, 113.

  229 “The waves rose high”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 31.

  230 “The enemy had the range perfectly”: Hirst, 106.

  230 “As the two big enemy ships”: Copplestone, 143.

  231 “her funnels illuminated”: Hickling, 47.

  231 “She looked like a splendid firework display”: Copplestone, 143.

  232 “The moon was rising”: Chatterton, Gallant Gentlemen, 77.

  232 “Are you all right”: Hirst, 109.

  233 “I want to get stern to sea”: Ibid., 110.

  233 “I felt that I could not help her”: Chatterton, Gallant Gentlemen, 78.

  233 “It was obvious”: Hirst, 110.

  233 “It was awful having to leave”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 35.

  233 “utterly dispirited”: Hickling, 50–51.

  234 “Both British armored cruisers”: Bennett, Coronel an
d the Falklands, 36.

  235 “I fired until the Monmouth”: Sweet-man, 72.

  235 “It was terrible to have to fire”: Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands, 37.

  235 “Have sunk enemy cruiser”: Ibid.

  235 “Bravo, Nürnberg”: Pochhammer, 154.

  235 “With God’s help”: Ibid., 157.

  236 “The creature just lay there”: Copplestone, 145.

  236 “Good Hope, though bigger than Scharnhorst”: Pitt, 65.

  236 “pretty, black-eyed women”: Pochhammer, 163.

  237 “When I went ashore”: Pitt, 64.

  237 “drunken, mindless idiot”: Ibid., 66–67.

  237 “I drink to the memory”: Ibid.

  237 “They will do nicely for my grave”: Ibid.

  237 “I am quite homeless”: Hough, Pursuit, 116.

  237 “Defence has been ordered”: Churchill, I, 419.

  238 “We were already talking to the void”: Ibid.

  238 “The Admiralty have no official confirmation”: Official Naval Dis-patches, 32.

  238 “a belligerent warship”: Ibid., 33.

  238 “Can you imagine”: Marder, II, 115.

  238 “the British have allowed their old cruisers”: Sweetman, 73.

  238 “Poor old Kit Cradock”: Beatty Papers, I, 159.

  239 “He had no clear plan”: Marder, II, 110.

  239 “I fear he saw red”: Chalmers, 180.

  239 “let himself be caught”: Marder, II, 110.

  239 “I cannot accept for the Admiralty”: Churchill, I, 414–16.

  239 “It ought not to be necessary”: Ibid., 424.

  240 “we could instantly concentrate”: Ibid., 414.

  240 “The Defence had been refused him”: Marder, II, 111.

  240 “I will take care I do not suffer”: Ibid.

  241 “We are of the opinion”: Churchill, I, 426.

  241 “Why did . . . [Cradock] attack”: Corbett, I, 356–57.

  242 “by attacking the memory”: Bennett, Naval Battles, 102.

  242 “Not under control”: Hirst, 124.

  CHAPTER 13: “VERY WELL, LUCE, WE’LL SAIL TOMORROW”

  244 “Carnarvon, Cornwall should join”: Churchill, I, 469.

  245 “But I found Lord Fisher in a bolder mood”: Ibid., 465.

  245 “Order Invincible”: Ibid., 466.

  245 “Sir John Jellicoe rose to the occasion”: Ibid.

  245 “important not to weaken the Grand Fleet”: Jellicoe Papers, I, 82.

  246 “Once ships fall into dockyard hands”: Churchill, I, 473.

  246 “The earliest possible date”: Ibid.

  246 “Friday the thirteenth”: Ibid.

  246 “Invincible and Inflexible are needed”: Ibid., 475.