Castles of Steel (155 page)
7 “the tsar is only fit to live”: Newton, 199.
8 “We must seize the trident”: Balfour, 206.
8 “Between 1864 and 1870”: Tirpitz, I, 13, 15.
9 “a collection of experiments”: Ibid., 129.
9 “Fancy wearing the same uniform”: Lee, I, 654.
10 “It never even occurred”: Bülow, I, 513.
10 “Without a superior fleet”: E. L. Woodward, 374.
11 “dangerous little Serbian viper”: Mansergh, 132.
11 “I constantly wonder”: Spender, 399.
11 “The Slavs were born to serve”: Ibid., 363.
11 “If His Majesty the Emperor”: Ibid., 364.
11 “Terrible shock”: Rose, 167.
12 “Should a war”: Geiss, 77.
12 “the possibility of its acceptance”: Ibid., 114.
13 “joyful duty”: Cecil, II, 207.
13 “a nation in the European sense”: Geiss, 183.
13 “That’s a pretty strong note”: Görlitz, 5.
13 “operational briefing”: Ibid., 6.
13 “I received verbal orders”: Goldrick, 6.
14 “I explained the latest telegram”: Görlitz, 6.
14 “My fleet has orders to sail”: Cecil, II, 203.
14 “A brilliant achievement”: Geiss, 222.
15 Two days before: For the conversation between George V and Prince Henry, see Nicholson, 245–46.
15 “I have the word of a king”: Tirpitz, I, 361.
17 “First Fleet squadrons all disperse”: Goldrick, 6.
17 “the most formidable document”: Mansergh, 225.
17 “Happily there seems to be no reason”: Asquith,
Letters to Venetia,
123.
17 “ministers with their weekend holidays”: Hough,
L and V,
280.
17 “I went down to the beach”: Churchill, I, 197.
18 “do whatever was necessary”: Ibid., 198.
18 “No ships of the First Fleet”: Gilbert, I, 50.
18 “The British fleet is preparing”: Churchill, I, 210.
19 “others of whom”: Ibid., 211.
19 “and therefore if possible”: Ibid., 200, 211–12.
19 At 5:00 that evening: Ibid., 212.
19 “We may now picture this great fleet”: Ibid., 212–13.
20 “I feared”: Ibid., 212.
20 “He looked at me”: Churchill,
Great Contemporaries,
123.
20 “We looked at each other”: Ibid., 212–13.
20 “I told him what we had done”: Ibid., 213.
20 “the movements of the fleet are free”: Ibid.
21 “Many do not know much more”: Bülow, I, 391.
21 “There was not much margin here”: Churchill, I, 243.
23 “In view of present circumstances”: Hough,
The Great Dreadnought,
121.
23 “The Turkish battleships were vital”: Churchill, I, 209.
25 “In view of our ultimatum”: Ibid., 227.
25 “Commence hostilities”: Ibid., 229.
25 “The collier’s winches suddenly stopped”: Dewar, 161.
CHAPTER 2:
GOEBEN
IS YOUR OBJECTIVE
27 “would easily be able to avoid the French”: Churchill, I, 222–23.
27 “A droop-jawed, determined little man”: Robert James, 9.
29 “We did not plead much”: McLaughlin, 54.
30 “the African coast”: Kopp, 23.
30 “like an armadillo”: Marder, I, 55.
31 “Your first task”: Churchill, I, 222–24.
31 “
Goeben
must be shadowed”: Ibid., 223.
31 “Watch on mouth of Adriatic”: Ibid., 224.
31 “Very good. Hold her”: Ibid.
31 “to prevent
Goeben
leaving”: McLaughlin, 49.
32 “a backstairs cad . . . a sneak”: Fisher,
FGDN,
II, 360.
32 “a serpent of the lowest type”: Ibid., 418.
32 “Sir Berkeley Mean”: Ibid., 447.
32 “went to Balmoral”: Ibid., 418.
32 “Winston has sacrificed the country”: Ibid., 458.
32 “I fear this must be my last communication”: Ibid., 451–52.
33 “Use Malta as if it were Toulon”: Churchill, I, 229.
33 “break in upon”: Ibid., 222.
33 “in quest of his colleague”: Hough,
Great War,
71.
34 “The idea of turning about”: McLaugh-lin, 56.
34 “sowing death and panic”: Ibid.
34 “Our trick succeeded brilliantly”: Kopp, 24.
34 “like a giant azure bell”: Ibid., 27.
35 “giant grey monsters”: Ibid., 28.
35 “not French ships”: McLaughlin, 60.
35 “The overheated air”: Kopp, 30.
36 “
Goeben . . .
is evidently going to interfere”: Churchill, I, 224.
36 “Winston with all his war paint on”: Asquith,
Letters to Venetia,
150–51.
36 “no act of war”: Churchill, I, 225.
36 “the tortures of Tantalus”: Ibid., 226.
36 “unable to utter a word”: Ibid., 227.
36 “Sent hands to tea”: McLaughlin, 59.
37 “
Goeben
out of sight”: Hough,
Great War,
74.
37 “for the last time”: McLaughlin, 67.
37 “With a heavy heart”: Ibid., 68.
38 “Numerous Sicilians”: Ibid.
38 “At present time”: Ibid., 69.
38 “It was impossible for me”: Ibid.
39 “Italian government have declared neutrality”: Churchill, I, 226.
40 “Had it been put to me”: Ibid., 250.
40 “Certainly if . . . [Milne]”: Ibid., 254.
40 “Is Austria neutral power”: McLaughlin, 66.
40 “First Cruiser Squadron and
Gloucester
”: Ibid.
41 “
Goeben
altering course to southward”: Ibid., 71.
42 the Silver King: Ibid., 32.
42 “the handsomest officer”: Ibid., 105.
42 “met Mrs. Troubridge in the Abbey”: Ibid., 30.
42 “they must not be surprised”: Ibid., 74.
43 For Troubridge’s conversations with Wray, see Ibid., 76–77.
43 “I cannot turn away”: Marder, II, 26.
43 “Being only able to meet
Goeben
”: McLaughlin, 78.
44 “Why did you not continue”: Ibid.
44 “With visibility at the time”: Ibid.
45 “gradually . . . drop astern”: Corbett, I, 66.
45 “Have engaged at long range”: Hough,
Great War,
77.
45 “Commence hostilities at once”: Marder, II, 30.
46 “Negative my telegram”: Hough,
Great War,
81.
46 “Indispensable military necessity”: Tuchman,
Guns of August,
157.
47 “Enter. Demand surrender”: McLaugh-lin, 84.
47 “Action Stations”: Kopp, 66.
47 “Request pilot”: Ibid., 67.
47 “Please follow me”: Ibid., 68.
48 “They are to allow them to enter” and “Yes”: Kannengiesser, 26.
48 “interesting,” but that “as we shall insist”: Asquith,
Letters to Venetia,
168.
48 “temporarily and superficially”: Tuchman,
Guns of August,
159.
49 “I have even more terrible news for you”: Morgenthau, 81.
49 “we could not afford to do without”: Churchill, I, 29.
49 “insolent,” “defiant,” and “openly fraudulent”: Ibid., 491.
50 “more slaughter, more misery and ruin”: Churchill I, 252.
50 “careful examination . . . their Lordships approved”: Milne, 146.
51 “Your sole duty”: Churchill, I, 491.
51 “amazing misconduct”: McLaughlin, 108.
51 “signally failed”: Ibid., 107–8.
51 “had a very fair chance”: Ibid., 111.
51 “did, from negligence”: Ibid., 112.
51 “Do not be brought to action”: Churchill, I, 222.
51 “fixed and unalterable opinion”: McLaughlin, 110.
51 Troubridge and Milne: Marder, II, 34.
51 “he had no intention to engage”: McLaughlin, 111.
52 “All I could gain”: Ibid., 107.
52 “deep conviction”: Ibid., 133.
52 “a desperate one”: Ibid.
52 “It was at this psychological moment”: Marder, II, 27.
53 “the limited ammunition of
Goeben
”: Churchill, I, 251.
53 “Up to the range of sixteen thousand yards”: McLaughlin, 120.
53 “superior force . . . fully and honorably”: Ibid., 145.
54 “Sir Berkeley Goeben”: Fisher,
FGDN,
III, 52.
54 “this most disastrous event”: Ibid., 53.
54 “an amateur on shore”: Milne, 16.
54 “They pay me to be an admiral”: Hough,
Great War,
84.
55 “Even if all our ships had been sunk”: Pope, 197.
CHAPTER 3: JELLICOE
56 “the only man on either side”: Churchill, III, 112.
56 “Jellicoe to be Admiralissimo”: Fisher,
FGDN,
II, 424.
57 “If war comes before 1914”: Ibid., 443.
57 “our beloved Commander-in-Chief”: Marder, II, 10.
57 “really does too much”: Fisher,
FGDN,
II, 418–19.
58 “one of the cleverest cadets”: Winton, 12.
58 “Jellicoe was admired”: Goldrick, in
The Great Admirals,
ed. Sweetman, 365.
58 “Property of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe”: Bacon,
Jellicoe,
8.
58 “swam with extraordinary vigor”: Bacon,
Jellicoe,
53.
59 “I felt the shock”:
Jellicoe Papers,
I, 10.
60 “I don’t think I shall ever forget”: Bacon,
Jellicoe,
113.
61 “one of the five best brains”: Winton, 101.
61 “far greater protection”:
Jellicoe Papers,
I, 13.
61 “I had a decided admiration”: Ibid., 22.
62 “On my way to Keil”: Ibid., 15.
62 “I think it shows”: Ibid., 17.
63 “If one asks English naval officers”: Marder, I, 410.
63 “It did not take me very long”:
Jellicoe Papers,
26–27.
63 “He thanked me”: Ibid., 30.
64 “certainly one of the future leaders”: Ibid.
64 “brilliant and daring”: Ibid., 29.
65 “War with Germany”: Bacon,
Jellicoe,
190.
65 “in certain circumstances”: Jellicoe,
Grand Fleet,
3.
66 “I had the most profound respect”: Ibid., 5.
66 “the fleet might conclude”: Ibid.
67 “These are not times”: Gilbert, I, 60.
67 “respectfully and most earnestly”: Winton, 142.
67 “We have absolute confidence”: Ibid.
67 For the messages between Churchill and Jellicoe, see
Jellicoe Papers,
I, 41–42.
68 “When I reported myself”: Jellicoe,
Grand Fleet,
4.
69 “as always, a most gallant officer”: Ibid., 5.
70 “would cause unprecedented disaster”:
Beatty Papers,
I, 112.
70 “We received the terrible news”:
Beatty Papers,
I, 113.
70 “Your feelings do you credit”: Churchill, I, 218.
70 “I hope I never have to live”:
Jellicoe Papers,
I, 48.
70 “My dear Jellicoe”: Bacon,
Jellicoe,
202.
71 “Look here, old chap”: Ibid., 203.
CHAPTER 4: FIRST DAYS
72 “the principal object”: Marder, I, 367.
73 “a steady and serious”: Ibid., 371.
73 “In a war with Germany”: Ibid., II.3.
73 “Great Britain cannot help”: Ibid., I, 431.
73 “Owing to recent”: Ibid., 424.
73 “so long as”: Ibid., II, 3.
76 “As it is”: Ibid., I. 372–73.
76 “Before the war”: Dewar, 152.
76 “There was only one”: Scheer, 11.
76 “equalization of forces”: Groos, I. 54.
77 “dropping things overboard”: Patterson,
Tyrwhitt,
46.
77 “the first British shot in the war”: Keyes,
Memoirs,
I, 68.
78 “if we go up on a mine”: Goldrick, 66.
78 “The foremost half of the ship”: Ibid., 67.
79 “stagger out of the chart house”: Keyes,
Memoirs,
I, 70.
79 “the strong odor of petroleum”: Groos, I, 233.
79 “Tomorrow, Sunday,”: Churchill, I, 256.
80 “In the years”: Tuchman,
Guns of August,
121.
80 “contemptible little army”: Patterson,
Jellicoe,
61.
80 “The more English”: Tuchman,
Guns of August,
121.
81 “We grudged every light cruiser”: Churchill, I, 286–87.
81 “the mother country”: Bean, I, 16.
82 “without the loss of a single ship”: Churchill, I, 305.
CHAPTER 5: BEATTY
84 “For no apparent reason”: Chalmers, 122–23.
84 “observe the private unhappiness”: Barnett, 135.
86 “free ranging”: Charles Beatty, 34.
87 “Some months ago”: Chalmers, 75–76.
87 “So great is the joy”: Ibid.
87 “Dear Arthur”: Charles Beatty, 40.
87 “wilful and beautiful”: Tree, 16.
87 “divorce crushed my father’s spirit”: Ibid., 18.
87 “Your mother has sent me”: Ibid., 26.
88 “You have done a great deal of grumbling”:
Beatty Papers,
I, 11.
88 “My darling Tata”: Ibid., 8.
88 “Well, love”: Chalmers, 118.
89 “J-aaack”: Charles Beatty, 42.
89 “What? Court Martial my David”: Leslie, 211.
89 “I have thought for a long time”:
Beatty Papers,
15.
89 “beautiful, opulent, ambitious”: Roskill, 36.
89 “the most unhappy man”: Ibid.
89 “We have eight admirals”:
Beatty Papers,
23.
89 “As you know, ‘Lion’ and I”: Ibid., 16–17.
90 “I felt as if I was an ogre”:
Beatty Papers,
30–31.
90 “Rear Admiral Beatty”: Chalmers, 105.
90 “David must have known”: Charles Beatty, 57.
90 “Mum, Mum, come”: Chalmers, 111.
90 “made no secret”: Charles Beatty, 57.
90 “My little lady”: Roskill, 45.
91 “David was threatening to leave the Navy”: Ibid., 43–44.
91 “The fact is that the Admiralty”:
Beatty Papers,
34.
92 “The vessel was commanded”: Churchill,
My Early Life,
178–79.
92 “You are quite right”:
Beatty Papers,
11–12.
92 “I see in the papers”: Ibid., 28.
92 “You seem very young”: Morgan, 322.
92 “My first meeting”: Churchill, I, 88.
92 “I had two hours solid conversation”:
Beatty Papers,
35.
92 “I hope to be able to squeeze”: Ibid., 65.
93 “Oh dear, I am so tired”: Ibid., 46.
93 “viewed naval strategy”: Churchill, I, 88.
93 “I had no doubts”: Ibid.