Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 233
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[Page 233]
months later. This action was fought in the early days of the war when the relative values of ships and guns were not so well known as now: there had been no opportunity for trying them out. The Good Hope, with a 9.2 gun forward and a 9.2 aft, and sixteen old six-inch guns half of which could not be fired in a seaway, was no match for the Scharnhorst with her modern eight-inch guns all of which could be brought to bear. The flagship apparently went quickly, a lucky shell exploding the forward magazine. The Glasgow told us there were a mighty flash and deafening roar in the darkness, and the Good Hope ceased to answer their signals. This happened in a few minutes. The Monmouth with her battery of old six-inch and practically unarmoured sides was just a prey for the Gneisenau, and was soon in a helpless and sinking condition. Her forward compartments were almost shot away, her guns out of action, and she was heavily on fire. She turned her stern to the heavy seas in a vain endeavour to keep afloat. The last that was heard of the Monmouth was her gallant Captain's signal to the Glasgow "I am sinking. Save yourself if possible." And the Glasgow, with several great rents in her sides, made off into the night at twenty knots and reached the Falklands. There was a story of the ultimate fate of the Monmouth told to the writer by Admiral Stoddart, who was second in command to Sturdee at the battle of the Falklands a month later. He had it from a German prisoner picked up by the Carnarvon after the Gneisenau was sunk. The Monmouth, according to this source, remained afloat