Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 320
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[Page 320]
hate the Hun and condemn the curious moral code of von Tirpitz and the German Admiralty which propagated frightfulness at sea, one cannot but admire the thoroughness and devotion with which their ships on foreign service carried out their task. Perhaps not much can be said for a service which wrought the destruction of the Lusitania and chortled with joy at the sinking of helpless hospital ships, but one must admit that the meagre German fleets abroad did us damage in full and ample measure, and in bravery, professional skill and tenacity lived up to the best traditions of the Royal Navy, than which there is no higher praise.
The news of the Kronprinz Wilhelm came at midnight on the 13th April, and the writer was awakened by the Navigator rushing down from the bridge and shouting "Commander! Commander! the Kronprinz has gone and we are off to St. Lucia!" What a relief! The weary days of chasing rumours were over, and we could look forward to a decent spell in harbour. Since February our men had not been ashore, and the continuous steaming in hot weather was beginning to tell on the stokers. Everyone turned out glad to hear the news, the wardroom bar was opened up, and we sat and smoked till nearly daylight. The fleet, both Northern and Southern divisions, was ordered to rendezvous at Rocos Islands, a little group just north of Pernambuco, N.E. Brazil, and we arrived there on the 15th April. The weather at Rocos was bad and the sea too rough for coaling, so we all pushed off for Lavandeira Reef, one day's steam away.