Warship & Marine Corps Museum in St Helens | History Museum

Warship & Marine Corps Museum

Locality: St Helens

Phone: +61 439 581 701

Address: Pendrigh Place 7216 St Helens, TAS, Australia

Website: http://warshipmuseum.com

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15.01.2022 There are no First World War veterans alive today, making their written accounts all the more valuable to understanding the Great War. Our newest exhibit tells of a 1917 WWI night action in Dover Strait between two large British Destroyers: the HMS Swift and HMS Broke; and six smaller German Torpedo Boat Destroyers (TBD). When rammed by the HMS Broke, the crew of the German TBD "SMS G42" decided their best option was to board the British ship that was now wedged on top of... theirs, and attack hand-to-hand with their cutlasses and pistols. Since the days of Nelson (a century earlier) no naval action can have been fought as this one was, at ranges of a few yards. Disabled by the collision and gunfire the HMS Broke was towed back to England at daylight. The HMS Swift also suffered significant damage, and two of the German TBDs, including the SMS G42, sunk as a result of the skirmish. Our display features: ~ a handwritten account of the action (by HMS Swift's Navigating Lieutenant King-Harman - donated to the Museum in the 1960s when he had attained the rank of Captain); ~ signatures and photographs of the two British captains; ~ a German cap tally from the engagement, also donated by Captain King-Harman; ~ British and German postcards; ~ a front page illustration and report by an Italian newspaper of the time. Starting over fifty years ago when the veterans of the First World War were already elderly, and continuing over many decades of his life, our curator Brian wrote individually to veterans asking for their stories, photographs, signatures and memorabilia for inclusion in his Museum.