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[Page 132]
1916
below the water line the "New Zealands" port outer propeller had pierced the wing compartments with a hole about two feet in diameter. Both port propellers were badly damaged on coming into dock, due to an awkward cross wind causing our stern to drift on to the dock side when entering. These defects, it was anticipated, would take about 2 months to make good in the floating dock, and Admiralty officials decided that the work could be done more expeditiously in a Royal Dockyard. Accordingly, the Admiralty ordered the ship to be made temporarily seaworthy. When this had been done, and we had shipped two new propellers from "Indefatigable" & "Invincible", we were floated out of Dock, & sent on our way to Devonport.
May. 1.
To avoid any rough weather it was deemed advisable to send us down the East coast, although this route was strewn with danger for us in the shape of mines & torpedoes from submarines.
May 2.
However, we anchored in the Humber for the first night, & the following night we anchored at the Nore. No traffic was allowed down the East coast at night, owing to the difficulty of avoiding our own mined areas.
May 4.
After leaving the Nore, we ran into a heavy fog just as we entered the "gate" through the booms which enclosed the examination area, & where the anti-submarine nets stretch across the Channel. A German submarine, to get