Hands called at 4 AM. night defence sounded 11 A.M. Submarine attack. Great excitement torpedo cut across our bows. Action sounded off about 11:45 a.m. Closed up at P.8. Retired at first. 13.5’s started firing. Closed up again later on. Range 5000 yards. Started firing after about 1 1/2 hours, 3 or 4 German cruisers sunk or disabled. Did not see anything during the action but saw Mainz in a sinking condition just before we started. Shell burst on after deck making large hole about 12 yards from our gun. Shells also hit A or B turret and one on nets amidships. No serious damage done and no casualties. Band came up on deck and played “Rule Britannia” and the National Anthem. “Queen Mary” came close up and we exchanged cheers. Very deaf after the action and could hardly hear anything at all.

Ed. Note: Battle of Heligoland Bight

Hands called at 3:15. Got in nets and put out to sea. Forenoon: Gun Drill. All volunteers told off for 4 in crew. P.8. for Day Action and sundry crews for night defence. Told of for P.1(N.D). Sightsetter on P.8. Pipe down in afternoon. 

Ed. Note: See comment below for explanation of short forms. N.D. = night defence. 4 in means ‘4 inch’. P refers to Port Side (left). The 4″ guns or secondary armament were numbered from fore to aft so P1 would be the 4″ gun nearest the bow on the port side, P8 would refer to the 4″ gun nearest the stern, again on the left side. The main turrets (13.5″) were lettered A,B,Q and X from fore to aft. This is a link to a wiki photo:

H.M.S. Lion 

August 27th 1914

Arrived Thurso 8.30 A.M. Very nice scenery on journey. Inhabitants quite enthusiastic. Marched about 2 1/2 miles to jetty. Went on board L&N.W.R. steamer “Cambria”. Went round to Scapa Flow w(h)ere Fleet was anchored. Told off for H.M.S. “Centurion”. Got in Picket Boat and was called back told off for H.M.S. “Lion”. Only one of No 1 Company in Party. Arrived on board about 6:30 with 11 Fleet Reserve men. All told off for one mess. No 43. Part of ship: 3rd Sub Foretop. Starboard Watch. Just finished coaling when we got on board. Slept under fore shelter deck.

Entrained at Chatham at 4.30. Heard we were going to Thurso to join Fleet. Special train the whole way. Nice journey. Stopped at Rugby Carlisle Stirling, Perth and several wayside stations.

A modern rendition of the train route from Chatham to Thurso

Ed. Note:  We can’t find any record of Thurso being a staging port for the RN. If anyone has information on that, please comment. Thanks!

Had leave til 8 o’clock. Strolled about Chatham. Had grub at Willow’s.

Had leave in afternoon and went over to Cobham through woods. Very nice walk. Had tea at the  “Leather Bottle”. Went over Alms Houses. Went to top of church. Very nice view.

Had news that 100 of us were to go to sea, commander and others to go to camp at Deal at once. Told off for sea-going party. Remainder left for Deal about 2.30.

Shifted from ‘Egmont” to “Sirius”. Sirius not so comfortable or roomy as ‘Egmont’.

(Note the word ‘not’ in light pencil. That was written by my late father. He was transcribing the diary for the last few years before he died in 2008. It was a bit strange when I saw the writing since I could only see it with a magnifying glass.)

Got leave one day in every four. Did field exercise every day. Thought we were in for Naval Brigade. Several boat inspections by Commodore of Barracks. All kitted up. 

Ed. Note: Next post on August 21, 2012

All went for Battalion drill until 12.o’clock. Returned to schools. After grub all 1st draft told to fetch their bags and marched to Headquarters, and from there to Waterloo (SECR) where we caught train to Chatham at 4 o’clock, and arrived about 6 o’clock. Quartered on H..M.S. Egmont. Very comfortable quarters. Grub excellent. Commander Glennie R.N. in charge. Very decent chap.