Iles war diary, 1914-1919 / G. H. Iles - Page 211
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[Page 211]
time, by material picked up far inland on this day, - we also learned that two men only out of the approximate 900 souls were able to survive the explosion, these being picked up shortly afterwards and in a very dazed and wretched condition, and according to reports one of these men eventually died as a result
This great loss (altho not the first of its kind by any means) was very keenly felt; - such accidents cannot be misconstrued phsycologically speaking it was of course an accident, but as the old proverb teaches us; "Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof" and the man behind the gun had his opinion. The meaning, and also the sad reminder that this vacant space in the line of Battleships imparted to us one and all was inexpressible, and we could only gaze in that direction and think of all that lay beneath, brave and gallant men, many of whom had faced the clash of battle with the enemy, nobly, and valiantly, alas their duty nobly done "Nunquam Non Paratus" and there