Post Mark/Date

1925

Addressee

NA

Owner/Publisher/Photographer

Collection of A. Taylor

UKN


Posted Message

H. M. S. Conquest.
Atlantic Fleet

F. Elwell
Boy Telegraphist

Damaged during the Bombardment of Yarmouth & Lowestoft
25 April 1916

Comments

Caption: Summer Cruise 1925

More information on the HMS Conquest can be found here. and here.

During the Lowestoft bombardment on 25 April 1916, German battlecruisers opened fire on Conquest and she suffered a 12-inch (305-mm) shell hit which destroyed her aerials. The hit killed 25 sailors and wounded 13 of her crew, but despite the hit was still able to maintain 20 knots.

The casualty list for the month of April is here.

At the time of this card (1925) the Conquest was the flagship of the 1st Submarine Flotilla in the Atlantic Fleet, until January of 1927, when she became part of the Mediterranean Fleet.

I do love the "F. Elwell, Boy Telegraphist" notation. We forget how young some of the crew members were back than. Some were still in their early teens when they went to sea. This card was obviously saved by either Master Elwell himself or a proud relative so they could see his service on the ship and document his "Summer Cruise" ports of call.