The Battle of Coronel, HMS Monmouth and the letters of Midshipman Gervase Ronald Bruce

The Battle of Coronel The battle of Coronel was fought on November 1st 1914, between a German Squadron led by Vice Admiral von Spree and a British force under the command of Rear Admiral Craddock. It was fought off the coast of Chile near the city of Coronel. Craddock's forces engaged a superior force of SMS Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the light cruisers SMS Dresden, Leipzig and Nurnberg. The Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau were armed with eight 8.2 in guns each, which gave them an overwhelming advantage in range and firepower. The British force consisted of HMS Good Hope (Cradock's flagship), HMS Monmouth and the modern light cruiser HMS Glasgow. The ensuing battle HMS Good Hope and HMS Monmouth were both sunk. There were no survivors and 1600 men lost their lives. H.M.S. Glasgow was damaged. More information is available online at the Coronel Memorial page.
The position was reversed on 8th December 1914, at the Battle of the Falklands Islands when a superior British force engaged the German Squadron. Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Leipzig and Nurnberg were all sunk. Only Dresden escaped

HMS Monmouth

HMS Monmouth
Photograph, courtesy Lord Crawshaw

Gervase Ronald Bruce

Gervase Ronald Bruce, Midshipman on HMS Monmouth, Born 1899, killed in Action
November 1st, 1914, aged 15
Photograph, courtesy Lord Crawshaw

Biography:-
Gervase Robert Bruce
Percy Robert Bruce and Aletheia Paget were married in the first quarter of 1898. Their marriage was registered at Shepton Mallet. Percy was the younger twin son of Sir Hervey Juckes Lioyd Bruce, 4th Baronet, of Downhill, co. Londonderry, and his wife Ellen. His father came into possession of the Clifton estates in 1896, and Clifton Hall became the principal family home. Aletheia Paget was the daughter of Sir Eli Richard Paget and his wife Lady Caroline.
Gervase Ronald Bruce was born 19th January in London 1899, followed by his sister Marjorie Sheila in 1903. Aletheia Georgina died in 15th November 1904 at East Hall, St. Mary Cray Kent. Marjorie Sheila Clifton (formally Bruce) married Gerald Beech Brooks, the 3rd Lord Crawshaw in March 1930.
In the 1901 census Gervase and his mother were recorded at the Paget's home at Cranmore Hall, East Cranmore Somerset. In the 1911 census, he was at school at Stone House School, North Foreland Kent. He was also educated at Osbourne and Dartmouth colleges. He is next recorded is the naval list of HMS Monmouth as a Naval Cadet in August 1914.

Navy List

Navy List, HMS Monmouth 1914

The Letters
First Letter as Transcribed

Received November 12th 1914)
This is an extract from my log. I only started this log on Monday.
Monday September 7th, At sea. Bitterly cold. 8.45 Pass an English steamer, who mistakes us for a German man of war and wirelesses for help. Some delay in getting the message to the bridge and we think she is being attacked. During divisions we go to General quarters in consequence and we turn around and go back for about half hour until we decide it is a false alarm. In the afternoon we spend 2 ½ hours in the engine room, while we go into Rio de la Plata where we sight "Glasgow". Have the first dog (watch) and was to go with mails in seaboat to "Glasgow", but she does not stop.
Tuesday September 8th, Keep morning watch on upper deck. 7.45 Anchor about 5 miles outside Monte Video – "Glasgow goes into Monte Video. We hoist out our picket boat. 1-45 we start coaling ship from lighters, three at a time with coal in bags. I tally bags in the foremost collier starboard side. About 7.0 we finish coaling having taken in 600 ton. 11-20 Start provisioning ship. 5.0 p.m. The Otranto arrived.
Wednesday September 9th, 2-30 Finish provisioning ship. My night in. Do a paper for the commander. 3.30 go away in 2nd cutter. Take the captain to Glasgow. Then I take the paymaster of the Glasgow to the Collier Flawyl and back. Then I take the captain back to Monmouth and hoist 2nd cutter. 6.0 p.m. Weigh and proceed to sea. I have the first watch on bridge.
Thursday September 10th, Morning Control drill as usual, but I write down ranges for Lt. (G). I have the afternoon watch on upper deck. 1.15 – 3.30 I tend the port evaporators in engine room and take densities, etc. 4.15 – 5.45 Work range keeping instrument at spotting table which was used for the first time.
Friday September 11th, Have the middle watch on the bridge, and sight nothing except Mogotes lighthouse. Weather cold and windy as on Thursday. Divisional drill in the forenoon. 1.15 – 3.30 I spend in the engine room looking after port engines. I have first dog on the upper deck. 6.0 – 6.15 I go to spotting table. Man and arm ship to provide. About 9-20 when we are almost off Bahia Blanca, we receive wireless message from Glasgow which says that the Dresden is reported at Santa Catharina Island about 90 miles N. E. We immediately turn round and go full speed for the Island.
Saturday September 12th, Have the morning watch on the bridge. Sight nothing and we are averaging 20 knots. Morning control drill as usual. Weather much warmer, except for strong wind caused chiefly by our speed. Noon we are 696 miles from St. Catharine Island. We have feast in the gun-room as it is Lt. Stirland's birthday. My night in. 9-0 A dense fog drifts down onto us,
Sunday September 13th, Have the afternoon watch on the bridge. Dense fog until 11-30 when we sight a British Steamer. Noon we are 236 from St. Catharina Island. During the afternoon we reduce to 17 knots so as to arrive at 5a.m. on Monday. Have the first on upper deck. Weather was warm and fine after fog lifted. Put clocks half hour in first and half hour in middle (watch)
Monday (Sep. 14), Off St. Catharina Island. 6.0 Sighted Glasgow and Otranto. 6.0 – 9.0 Pass close to the islands, which seems very fertile and very pretty. Morning, Extra long control drill. 11.30 Close to Good Hope which looks an awful crock as her funnels are yellow with black tops She carries the flag of Rear Admiral Craddock. 12.50 We proceed in line abreast and proceed South at 12 knots for Monte Video. 5.30 we stop and board a Brazilian steamer.
Tuesday September 15th, At sea. Rolling a fair amount. I have the middle watch. Forenoon, control drill. After, stand easy. Spotting table. Strong stern wind. Evening spotting table. First dog on bridge. 8.45 A 12 pdr. is fired and I go up on deck, ( but find it was fired) 9.30 Come up with ship s.s. Apollo, a Spanish collier.
Wednesday September 16th, Morning watch on upper deck. Senior midshipmen rated. Forenoon general quarters. About 12-3.30 very windy and wet. 2.45 Sighted turret ship "Ethel Wynne of Whitby. She was the first turret ship I have seen. Have last dog on bridge. My night in.
Thursday September 17th, 7.45 Anchor at the mouth of Rio de la Plata. Forenoon watch on deck. Very windy and raining hard. No control drill. About 1-0 we weigh and proceed up the river. Have the first watch on bridge. 8.10 very windy and raining hard. 8-2 Came to with starboard anchor. We find however that we are not in our correct position and consequently at 8.55 we weigh and proceed to our right place. 9.35 We come to again with starboard anchor just in sight of Monte Video
Friday September 18th, Very squally in the middle. In the forenoon I muster the bags of ordinary seamen of the 1st division. I have the afternoon on the upper deck. The sea is too rough for the collier to approach. Cold wind all day.
Saturday September 19th, Have the middle on the bridge – but do nothing exciting. Sea again to choppy to allow the collier to approach us in the forenoon. 3.30 the collier comes alongside. 5.0 Carry on coaling from Collier Flawyl. 9.0 we start working in watches. I turn till 12.0
Sunday September 20th, We coal until 12-30 when all hawsers snap and collier drifts away. Turn in till 6.0 a.m. 7.0 Carry on coaling again. 4.0 p.m. We stop coaling having taken in 1110 tons. We wished to take in 1200 tons but the collier had to stand off as the wind got up slightly. A mail arrives consisting of 2 letters and a paper dated 27th August. That was our first mail and that was between 700 men. They were all for the gun room.
Monday September 21st, At Monte Video. Calm and warm. Have the first part of the forenoon as we are allowed to split it. I see a seal quite close to the ship. We wait here while the Glasgow coals about 4 miles away, from Flawyl, while Good Hope is anchored between us and the Otranto is lying just outside the harbour.
( up to date)

Now for a little explanation –
Middle--- 12 – 4 a. m.
Morning---4 – 7.30 a.m.
Relieve Decks---7.30 – 8.30 a.m.
Forenoon---8.30 – 12.30 p.m. Afternoon---12.30 – 4. 0 p.m.
First Dog--- ---4.0 – 6.0 p.m.
Last dog---6.0 – 8.0 p.m.
First---8.0 – 12.0 p.m.
We are going to Chile via Magellan Straights – as yet we have seen no fighting worse luck.

Second Letter as Transcribed

2nd Letter

My dear Peter
I am again giving you as my letter, what I have written in my log. What is in brackets ( ) is not written in my log, but I am giving it to you to explain.
Monday Sept 21st, At Monte Video. Calm & warm. Have the first half of the forenoon as we are allowed to split it. (There are always two midshipmen on watch, but in harbour the Officer of the Watch often lets us split it when he only wants one. We are called midshipmen although we have not been rated) I see a seal quite close to the ship. We wait here, while the Glasgow coals from our collier Flawyl, about 4 miles away, while the Good Hope is anchored between us & the Otranto is lying just outside the harbour. I have the last half of the first watch on the bridge.
Tuesday Sept 22nd, We get under way 2 cables astern of the flagship & 6 cables ahead of Otranto. Warm and no wind. I have the afternoon watch on the bridge. About 3.0 we change our formation. The Glasgow is still coaling at Monte Video & the Bristol arrives there today.
Wednesday Sept. 23th, I have the middle on the upper deck in the forernoon, there is a thick fog. We are cruising down the coast. Furthest in is the Flagship the Otranto us & then Glasgow (who has caught us up) no Exercised Fore & collision stations. I have the first dog on the bridge 5.30 fog lifts.
Thursday Sept 24th, I have the morning on the upper deck 9.0 – 11.30. Go down to the submerged flat for instructions on torpedoes. We are taught about the warhead & pistol (the pistol is the fuse fitted in the front of the torpedo, which explodes it when it hits anything.) 1.30 – 3.30 I spend in the stoke hold, watching a boiler being cleaned out. I have the last dog on the bridge & I watch them taking down the foreyard. My night in.
Friday Sept 25th, 5.0 am We board a French steamer. 7.45 we sight SS Ontega (British) which had been chased by a German cruiser, a collier near the Pacific Entrance to the Magellan, but had escaped although fired upon, (She sneaked by going full speed through Smith's Sound which I believe had not been navigated before for 100 years and there is no channel and soundings marked on the chart & yet she went through it at full speed & so I think she deserved to escape) I have the forenoon watch on the upper deck. Forenoon control drill as usual. The clocks are put back ½ hour in my watch. (We are to about 3 1/2 hours behind you). About 11.0 we sight and chase to steamer, which turn out to be a Norwegian cargo steamer, which had Just been boarded by the Glasgow. 1.30-3.30 I spent in the engine room doing odd jobs. During the afternoon, we sight & chase a steamer which turns out to be the Otranto. We had a fire in the gunroom today, it was very popular for making toast. General man & arm ship after evening quarters so now to provide ammunition is now routine. Have an uneventful first in which we reduce to 8 knots
Saturday Sept. 26th, We start gym in the morning from 6.45 to 7.0, but we are 10 minutes late. 9.20-11.15 We have torpedo instruction in above water pistols rough idea of 18" & 14" torpedoes. I have the afternoon on the upper deck. 1.30 – 2.0. We do gym for being late in the morning. The weather is much warmer than of late.
Sunday Sept 27th, I have the middle nav watch routine, which is that only one midshipman only need be on watch between 8pm & 8am. Church after divisions. Passing shower. I have the first dog on the upper deck which was very cold. My night in.
Monday Sept, Pass Cape Virgins at 3 and enter Magellan Straits 7.15. Turn out just as we are passing through the first narrows. Weather is very warm. 9.20-11.20 Torpedo instruction on pioneers (which are a form of pistol, but specially constructed to cut through torpedo nets) & collision heads ( they are sham heads which are used in practice) We proceed to Punta Arenas in line ahead. Let go starboard anchor at 1.20. Float out Pinnace and lower cutter, as we are guard ship. We have taken on some fresh meat (we usually live on tinned meat & rice) 4.30- 4.50 Physical drill. I have the last part of the last dog. 6.50 – 7.20 Go away on sea boat with a letter to Glasgow. About 17.0 we hoist the pinnace to get underway.
Tuesday Sept. 29t, 7.30 Go on deck while we are passing through Cockburn Channel. The scenery is beautiful. The Channel is narrow and both sides are a mass of snow-clad peaks. It is quite warm. About 10-30 we get into the sea still in line ahead. It is quite warm. Aboard. We make for Orange Bay. I have the forernoon on the bridge. Control drill as usual. (I never expected to see anything as beautiful in my life as Cockburn Channel. It was superb, nothing but a mass of jagged grey rocks about 3.000 ft. high with snow-capped peaks, beautifully artistic?) 4.30 -4.50 Physical drill is now routine except on Sundays. I have the first on the bridge quite warm.
Wednesday, 12.0 We round Cape Horn ( the most southerly point of America) 3.30 We turn out ( I therefore have only 3 ½ hours' sleep as I had the first turn 8 pm to 12 pm) 4.0 We go into action stations as we expect to surprise a German cruiser in Orange Bay. 5-0 We take up our stations about 16 miles from Orange Bay & steam for Orange Bay 6.30 the disperse is sounded as the Bay was found deserted. We stay there about 2 hours. Then the Glasgow and us sail for Port Edgar and the Otranto for Porta Arenas, while the Good Hope says in the vicinity. I have half the afternoon watch. My night in.
Thursday October 1st, Arrive at Port Edgar in the Falkland Islands about 9.0 & we anchor. The place is a mass of wild ducks, only one settlement. There is a very large expanse of water with moderately high hills all around & only one entrance about 300 yards wide. The Glasgow goes straight to the collier and commences coaling. We go to the officers of our divisions while anchoring & then to spotting table. Weather very warm and no wind. We land for about 2 hours with the landing party & go shooting. There were 2 rifles & a pistol between the 10 of us. Lt. Edgar & Lt. Rodgers each had a shot gun. We succeeded in shooting 4 ducks about half a dozen kelp geese, a dozen cormorants, a hawk & some unknown large white bird. The ducks however were the only edible birds. We take aboard 27 sheep, most of which were killed at once.
Friday October 2nd, 10.0We start coaling from Flawyl. It is bitterly cold and snows hard especially in the forenoon. 10.30pm We stop coaling having taken in 980 tons. The Good Hope arrives at 3-00 pm
Saturday October 3rd, 10.15 The Glasgow and us weigh & proceed to sea. The carpenters are busy changing our name to Cornwall & the Glasgow to Bristol. I have an uneventful forenoon watch as far as I am concerned. From 3 pm to 3 am. It was very rough and the main deck was running with water. Luckily it is my night in. No Physical Drill
Sunday October 4th, Divisions & Church. Quite warm I have an uneventful afternoon watch. 8.0 We enter the Magellan Straits
Monday October 5th, I have the middle watch 9.30 – 11.0. We have instruction in rigging colliers by Lt. Rodgers. Passing showers. 1-30 we meet the Otranto, I have the first dog. 3-0 We enter Fortescue Bay, where we sight our collier Maston & SS Oronsa, who wants to accompany us, but finding that we are going in the wrong direction, on she proceeds. 4.15 We anchor. The captain goes to the Glasgow & we get provisions from Otranto. 8.0 We weigh and proceed through the Magellan Straits to Cape Horn as a German squadron is reported in that vicinity. We are payed in the afternoon. My night in.
Tuesday Oct. 6th, 6.0 We leave the Straights of Magellan. 10.30 – 12.0 We have gunnery instruction. In the afternoon a W.S.W gale got up. Have the last dog on the upper deck. We are shipping a lot of sea over the nettings (I was not sick although it was awfully rough. I think that I have got over sea sickness, but I expect I shall be sick if we get very very rough. I have only been sick once and that was in the Bay of Biscay on the way out before I got use to the rolling, but we have had much worse seas since.) My night in.
Wednesday October 7th, 6.0 We turn and back & go North West as we find out that a German Squadron is not there. I have the forenoon watch on the bridge. Still a heavy sea. I have a gunnery drill in X1. I have the first on the bridge.
Thursday Oct. 8th, Sea has gone down considerably. 9.00 – 11.50 We have gunnery drill. First part is12 pounder drill & then the Gunnery Lt. takes us in what we have done in the last few days. I have an uneventful watch. Physical drill again.
Friday Oct. 9th, In the forenoon we receive a message from a merchantman, that she is being chased by a man of war, which turns out to be the Glasgow. We catch them up & the SS Oropesa takes our mails, ( but unfortunately this letter is not up to date & we are not given much time, as we are in a hurry to get off. About 11.0 we proceed (Now for a little news not in the log. We have 2 new antagonists the Sharnhorst and the Gneisenau commonly known as Sneeze-Oh). They are unfortunately much bigger than us as they have 8- 8" guns & 10- 6". But we have got the battleship Canopus & the Defence, a sister ship to the Shannon, which Sheila can tell you all about. I think that the Leipzig has been captured by the French cruiser Montcalm somewhere near Vancouver. This is our position verses German
Sharnhorst Starlrunk Canopus Glasgow
Gneisenau Bremen Against Defence Cornwall
Dresden English Good Hope Bristol
Nurnberg Monmouth
As yet we have not fired a shot at a German cruiser, but I think we have created a record for steaming. For at the time of writing Oct. 10th we have steamed over 14,000 miles since war was declared. We may meet in March or April as we have got to have a refit then, but of course we may go to Australia then. Anyhow we shall get some leave. The ship was going to get a refit before war was declared & our boilers lives expire in January. That means that they ought not to be used after then. Give my love to everyone. I have not had a letter yet, but that is not your fault as we have not had a mail. My letters take 6 weeks to reach you. Looking forward to mail which contains I hope a lot of duck quack and turkey gobble. I am also excited to know if father is away fighting in France. We get no news here only a few rumours by wireless. Continuation of log Oct. 9th. I have the first dog on the bridge
Oct 10th Saturday, I have the morning watch spotting table in the afternoon. 4.0 Anchor I have the last dog and go away in picket boat to Glasgow. In the night the collier Masdon arrives. (She had already coaled 5 Dreadnoughts at Scarborough Flow & her officers said that they had only just been missed by two torpedoes from German submarines, but I do not know how true that is)
Sunday Oct.11th, We start coaling from collier. 1.45 Stop coaling having taken in 750 tons. The collier was the best one we have had. She then goes onto the Glasgow.
Monday Oct12, 8.00 Glasgow and us weigh and proceed leaving Otranto coaling as she has 2,000 tons to take in. 9.45 – 11.45 Gunnery instruction Arrangement of shell rooms & magazine flooding arrangements. I have the afternoon watch on the upper deck. The Glasgow & us separate, we taking station about 16 miles on her port beam
Tuesday Oct. 13th, I have the middle 9.30 – 11.50 I have instruction in working instruments under Lt. G. 11.30 Send a boat to French steamer Ville du Havre. We got no news or supplies from her. I have the first dog on the upper deck. My night in.
Wednesday Oct 14th, During clean guns, sub calibres (they are tubes put inside big guns so that small 3 pdr. ammunition can be used). During the forenoon we had sub calibre firing. 9.0 We reach Valparaiso & at 16.0 we anchor & the captain of the port comes aboard. I go away in steam pinnace to Glasgow. I am employed in the Cutter part of my watch stopping unauthorised boats coming alongside. There are 25 German ships and 6 Chilean men of war. 10 we start provisioning ship. Quite warm. The mail closes at 5-0, so I must finish this letter which I hope will interest you.

Your loving brother

Ger

PTO
Give my love to everybody. Thank you so much for the letters you have all written but which we are now waiting at Monte Video. I hope you are all well in the best of spirits

Ger

Acknowledgements:
Long Whatton History Society would like to thank Lord Crawshaw, for allowing us to copy and be privileged to read the last letters of his Uncle Gervase Ronald Bruce.