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[Page 115]
1915
July. 10.
search for German light cruisers, which were believed to be supplying their own submarines somewhere off the Dogger Bank. A diligent search was made by the whole Fleet, but nothing was seen.
July. 13.
We then returned to Invergordon in Cromarty Firth, parting with the Fleet at sea, in order to dock & refit. At Invergordon we were docked in the floating dock, & for the next 10 days defects were made good, 4 days' leave given to each watch, & everything made ready for sea again.
July. 22.
We then proceeded to Scapa Flow, in the Orkney Islands, a journey from Invergordon of about 80 miles. Here were gathered all the latest battleships under the command of Sir John Jellicoe. Scapa Flow is a commodious harbour about 15 miles in width, accommodating almost any number of deep draught vessels. It is entirely landlocked with the exception of 3 small openings, each guarded by boom defence lines or blocked entirely by sunken German ships. Existence in this Fleet had long since reduced itself to dreary monotony. Leave was only granted to Flotta Island, where a very primitive golf course had been laid out, & which was necessarily overcrowded. Mails arrived thrice weekly. A feature of the ships congregated here was the "dummy" ships. These vessels were old merchant ships, built specially to resemble well known types of battleships. The turrets