Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 115
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[Page 115]
but the Goeben hearing the Gloucester talking to them [pannicking to them firing?] believed the Invincible and Inflexible were at her heels.
Perhaps it was just this that drove the Goeben finally into Turkish hands and caused the complications which resulted in Turkey joining Germany. History however will tell us.
The Glasgow's officers told us what little they knew of Coronel the gist of which has been given in a previous chapter. It was dusk and there was a heavy sea and the flag ship soon disappeared in a sheet of flame. The Glasgow was badly hit and received orders from the crippled Monmouth to get away if she could. She escaped to the Falklands.
In the Falkland islands action the Glasgow engaged the Leipzig - one of her former enemies - and the ship which is alleged to have torpedoed the helpless Monmouth and left her people to drown.
The Leipzig was sinking and hauled down her colours the Glasgow ceased fire, lowered what remained of her boats and prepared to save the survivors. Just as the boats got away the Leipzig opened fire again and the Glasgow sank her immediately. This treachery cost the Germans many lives for only thirteen were subsequently saved.
The prisoners stories varied. One said the gun had gone off by accident another that the flag had been struck without orders and the ship had not really surrendered, but wherever lay the truth, the Germans paid dearly for their misadventure.
The Dresden apparently was completely trapped. She lay in shore out of coal and provisions, and, after her two engagements probably short