Armed Merchant-Cruisers:
2 (2 were coaling at Liverpool).
Mine-sweeping Gunboats:
5 (3 were refitting).
The two new battleships, the Emperor of India and Benbow, the former flying the flag of Rear-Admiral A. L. Duff, C.B., had arrived at Berehaven in the south of Ireland on December 1st to “work up” after commissioning. On the same date the Leviathan arrived at Cromarty to act as flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron under the orders of Rear-Admiral Sir A. G. W. Moore. His flag was transferred to her from the New Zealand on December 2nd.
On the night of December 2nd a very violent gale sprang up at Scapa Flow, during which several ships dragged their anchors, in spite of two anchors being down and steam up; the gale lasted until the morning of the 4th. All communication between ships in Scapa Flow, even by drifter, was suspended, and the light cruisers at sea on patrol were forced to lie to. An officer and one man were washed overboard from a picket-boat sheltering under the stern of a store-ship and drowned.
On December 3rd Rear-Admiral Dudley de Chair, lately in command of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, hoisted his flag in the armed merchant ship Alsatian to command the merchant cruisers attached to the Grand Fleet, which were now constituted as the new 10th Cruiser Squadron.
At 1.45 P.M. on December 3rd the destroyer Garry, Commander W. W. Wilson, of the local defence force, reported that she was engaging a submarine at the Holm Sound entrance to Scapa Flow. This submarine was possibly sheltering there from the bad weather. Destroyers and trawlers were at once sent out to assist, and the submarine was last reported diving to seaward. Several rounds from her 12-pounder gun were fired by the Garry at the submarine’s conning tower, but apparently without effect, and an attempt to ram her also failed owing to the heavy sea and very strong tides. The submarine and the Garry fired torpedoes at one another, the submarine’s torpedo passing under the stern of the Garry. All ships were directed to raise steam for leaving harbour on receipt of the first report from the Garry, from which it was not clear whether the submarine had passed through Holm Sound into the harbour, but this order was cancelled when it was ascertained that she was outside.
On December 4th all the mine-sweeping gunboats attached to the Grand Fleet were sent to Sheerness by Admiralty direction for the purpose of carrying out sweeping operations off the coast of Belgium; trawlers were then the only sweeping vessels left with the Grand Fleet.
On December 5th another heavy gale was experienced, lasting until the following morning, and all small craft at sea were forced to shelter.
In consequence of representations made to the Admiralty of the inadequacy of the mine-sweeping force at this time attached to the Grand Fleet, owing to the withdrawal of the gunboats, steps were taken to fit out eight small steamers for the purpose, and I was informed that they would arrive on various dates during the month of December. These vessels did not prove very satisfactory as mine-sweepers in northern waters, and were withdrawn later for use in the Mediterranean.
During the stay of the Fleet in Scapa Flow work on the improvised submarine obstructions was continued by naval parties with all possible speed, and, meanwhile, work on the permanent obstructions was in hand, though progressing but slowly, owing to the difficulty experienced in fitting out the trawlers at Inverness with the necessary winches and providing the required moorings.