Fullbore. Having been fortunate enough to have operated in that part of the world, these distant yet critical battles were not far from my mind. Of note, in recent years there have been several exceptional documentaries on the subject: https://youtu.be/lViz_siltm0?si=fJtATqJVFjYYqgdI
I attended the Naval Heritage program about the 15th anniversary of the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama at Surface Navy Association the other night. One theme that came through was trust in your subordinates. One example was the CO of the Bainbridge who put two RIBs in the water to keep the lifeboat in international waters. Each had an Ensign in charge (although the CO said there was also a CPO to make sure the Ensigns didn't screw up).
Canaris was definitely one of the unsung heroes of Germany from WWII.
We have him to thank for Franco keeping Spain out of the war, for Britain's sudden postural change to be ready for war in France, and many other issues.
He was a man of principle, who paid the price for those principles at the end of a rope. One of the final acts of petty defiance by Hitler's inner circle, Canaris was executed mere days before Germany surrendered
A fine series. But if you bring up Lord Fisher's unwarranted criticisms of Sturdee, you shouldn't neglect the decisive part Fisher played in retrieving the post-Coronel situation. After sinking Cradock Nov. 1, von Spee had various alternatives open: the Pacific, the Panama Canal, the Plate, German Africa. Fisher had only just become First Sea Lord, replacing Battenberg on Oct. 31, and he and Churchill did not learn of the Coronel disaster till Nov. 3. The following day he determined to strip two Invincible-class dreadnought battlecruisers from Jellicoe's fleet and send them under Sturdee to South America, with a third later to cover Panama. The Devonport dockyard was peremptorily ordered to dispatch the Invincibles by Nov. 11 whether repairs were complete or not. They sped south in radio silence, joined the Montevideo squadron at Abrolhos off Brazil, and reached the Falklands late Dec. 7, where von Spee ran up on them and was sunk the next day. This lightning riposte, sending a force that after a 7500-mile passage arrived in the nick of time at the exact spot to strike and annihilate an enemy squadron, was a master stroke that went far towards solving Britain's worldwide naval problems as of late 1914. Fisher is more famous as a technical and administrative innovator than as a fighting sailor, and he was 73 years old in late 1914, but the Falklands victory demonstrated that he knew how to employ the fast dreadnoughts he had introduced and developed.
Yes. Churchill's handwritten order to Devonport to send the Invincibles off two days ahead of schedule is reproduced in facsimile in "The World Crisis."
That was a tale of a very smart escape and evasion and final end of a great ship, an good crew and a fine LT.
Fullbore. Having been fortunate enough to have operated in that part of the world, these distant yet critical battles were not far from my mind. Of note, in recent years there have been several exceptional documentaries on the subject: https://youtu.be/lViz_siltm0?si=fJtATqJVFjYYqgdI
I attended the Naval Heritage program about the 15th anniversary of the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama at Surface Navy Association the other night. One theme that came through was trust in your subordinates. One example was the CO of the Bainbridge who put two RIBs in the water to keep the lifeboat in international waters. Each had an Ensign in charge (although the CO said there was also a CPO to make sure the Ensigns didn't screw up).
Canaris was definitely one of the unsung heroes of Germany from WWII.
We have him to thank for Franco keeping Spain out of the war, for Britain's sudden postural change to be ready for war in France, and many other issues.
He was a man of principle, who paid the price for those principles at the end of a rope. One of the final acts of petty defiance by Hitler's inner circle, Canaris was executed mere days before Germany surrendered
Truly a hero and FullBore
WWI naval battles were never a high interest subject of mine.
FbF Friday's changed that. Thank you.
Thank you, CDR. I enjoy reading your thoughtful posts - and the comments - but my don’t-miss is certainly Fullbore Friday. Fullbore yourself!
A fine series. But if you bring up Lord Fisher's unwarranted criticisms of Sturdee, you shouldn't neglect the decisive part Fisher played in retrieving the post-Coronel situation. After sinking Cradock Nov. 1, von Spee had various alternatives open: the Pacific, the Panama Canal, the Plate, German Africa. Fisher had only just become First Sea Lord, replacing Battenberg on Oct. 31, and he and Churchill did not learn of the Coronel disaster till Nov. 3. The following day he determined to strip two Invincible-class dreadnought battlecruisers from Jellicoe's fleet and send them under Sturdee to South America, with a third later to cover Panama. The Devonport dockyard was peremptorily ordered to dispatch the Invincibles by Nov. 11 whether repairs were complete or not. They sped south in radio silence, joined the Montevideo squadron at Abrolhos off Brazil, and reached the Falklands late Dec. 7, where von Spee ran up on them and was sunk the next day. This lightning riposte, sending a force that after a 7500-mile passage arrived in the nick of time at the exact spot to strike and annihilate an enemy squadron, was a master stroke that went far towards solving Britain's worldwide naval problems as of late 1914. Fisher is more famous as a technical and administrative innovator than as a fighting sailor, and he was 73 years old in late 1914, but the Falklands victory demonstrated that he knew how to employ the fast dreadnoughts he had introduced and developed.
Quite right. I believe that Churchill had something to do with all that also.
Yes. Churchill's handwritten order to Devonport to send the Invincibles off two days ahead of schedule is reproduced in facsimile in "The World Crisis."