Iles war diary, 1914-1919 / G. H. Iles - Page 290
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[Page 290]
on, and the display was admirable, - there were very many merchantmen in harbour, colliers, storeships, oiltank steamers & hospital ships all of which could not burn searchlights, consequently they fired rockets of green, red and white, all of which helped to illustrate what it meant to the world to pass from war to peace even if only for a time at least, - syrens, and whistles were blown continually, which made such an awful din, and better imagined than described – it was likened unto a herd of wild animals let loose from captivity and all bleating their different calls of contentment, - and on board the ship, the piano was brought upon the upper deck and officers and men joined in harmony until midnight arrived – and so a happy day in the lives of men had been drawn to a close.
According to the terms of the Armistice the bulk of the Hun navy was to pass into our hands for internment and consequently on Nov 15th at 5 P.M. the German cruiser Konigsburg arrived off May Island according to instructions and conveying the German Delegates and a German
[Isle of May, off Firth of Forth]