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[Page 137]
1916.
the excitement of the recent action.
June. 4
We suddenly learnt that H.M.S. Hampshire had struck a mine, whilst conveying Lord Kitchener & his staff to Archangel. There were only 12 survivors. I had seen Hampshire leaving in the evening about 6.30.p.m., the weather being very rough, but I did not know that Lord Kitchener was on board. His presence among us was kept very quiet. The "Hampshire" sunk about 8.30 p.m., two hours after leaving harbour. It appears that destroyers were to have taken Lord Kitchener across to Norway. That was the original intention. The weather conditions, however, became so bad on the day appointed, that it was not considered advisable to allow Lord Kitchener to proceed in a destroyer. At the last moment "Hampshire", a large cruiser, was ordered to take the distinguished soldier to Archangel, and as the wind was blowing fiercely from an Easterly direction, "Hampshire" was ordered to proceed round the west side of the Orkney Islands in order to take advantage of the lee of the land, rather than take the usual easterly course. Shortly after "Hampshire" left Harbour the escorting destroyers were compelled to return, as they were unable to weather the seas at the high speed at which "Hampshire" was proceeding. It must have been shortly after the escorting destroyers left her that she struck the mine Thus we suffered the gravest misfortune,