Brewster 'A Glimpse of War through a Private's Eyes', a retrospective account of experiences in World War I, 1915-1917 / John James Brewster - Page 619
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[Page 619]
increased their speed & darted ahead, then after circling round the ship which they did as if both the "Ayrshire" & "Durham Castle" had been anchored, squared away for home & dashed off at a terrific speed.
It was roughly calculated that what the two vessels had taken three days steaming to cover, the returning Destroyers will go back in less than one.
In about 6 or 7 minutes they disappeared below the distant horizon.
After the departure of the Destroyers a careful search was made of the waste of waters for a sign of an escort of any kind but without success, nothing was revealed and it was really difficult to repress a feeling that both steamers had been left to their fates
It would not have taken very much to have raised quite a scare amongst the men on both vessels that night, but next morning hopes were high & every one was cheered in spirit, for there out in her old place "in front" was the "good old Highflyer again.
With the departure of the Destroyers it was concluded that the "Danger zone had been passed so that from that time on the Cruiser could be looked to as the only support.
The disappearance of the Highflyer earlier in the day was no doubt due to the desire to "shoot" ahead & scour as large an area as possible before the Destroyers actually left & that the latter having left before the Cruisers return probably showed that the Commanders of each had been in wireless touch with each other, "showing no danger ahead".
Before leaving, earlier in the day the Destroyers were put through various manoeuvres, after which the men were shown how a smoke screen is produced. This display was very interesting. The smoke screen affords a vessel a splendid opportunity
[Signed at the bottom of the page:] John Brewster