Item 02: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett articles on the Gallipoli campaign, 1915 - Page 37
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[Page 37]
The Last days of the Majestic
The sinkimg of the Triumph caused a fresh and very serious problem for the Admiral Commanding in Chief. As long as this submarine or submarines remained in the neighbourhood he could not leave his battleships exposed off the coast to their attacks, whilst at the same time he had to consider the needs of the army and the amount of artillery support which the general might require to keep down the fire of the Turkish batteries on the European and Asiatic shores. Immediately after the crew of the Triumph had been picked up and transferred to Trawlers the whole of the available Destroyer craft started a tremendous hunt after the enemy.
Throughout the early part of the afternoon reports kept on coming in of her movements. First she was said to be making her way south from Gaba Tepe towards Cape Helles and everyone on the Swiftsure remained on the alert as we were still at anchor and had no nets even if these old nets offer any protection, which is extremely doubtful. At three thirty it was decided to send the Swiftsure back to a protected harbor, Mudros, and for the Admiral to transfer his flag to the twenty year old Majestic which was now the only battleship left off Cape Helles. She lay at anchor a few houndrd yards from us with her nets down. It took a very short time to transfer the Admiral's baggage to his new quarters and after bidding farewell to the officers of the Swiftsure he was rowed across to the Majestic and the Swiftsure shortly afterwards disappeared at top speed reaching her new destination without mishap. The Admiral took me with him to his new flagship. The Majestic was the oldest British man of war