Navy Office,
Greenock,
12^th August 1940
 

LOSS OF H.M.S. “TRANSYLVANIA”

Sir,

      In connection with the loss of H.M. Ship under my command, I have the honour to report as follows:

      At 1230 on Friday 9^th August we sailed from Base for patrol taking the route instructed. When clear of the minefield S.W. of Ailsa Craig, Z.Z. number 6 (in D.M.S. Book) was steered and engines were put to full speed - (16½ knots).

2. -  At 2300 number 8 Z.Z. (from D.M.S. book) was steered as it was then dark and it was considered this was a more suitable Z.Z. in view of the low visibility, and of the fact that H.M.S. “CIRCASSIA” and “WOLFE” might be met during the middle watch.

3. -  At 2400 during the normal Z.Z. course was altered from 262º to 287º. At 0001 on 10^th August, while ship was still swinging under starboard wheel but nearly on the new course, there was an explosion on the port side. The impression was of a double shock.

4. -  The officer of the watch looking aft from the starboard side of the bridge saw a black column of apparently smoke and water, just before the funnel on the port side. The second officer of the watch, also on the starboard side of the bridge saw a bright flash silhouetting the mainmast. The O.O.W. [= Officer of the Watch] had just moved across from port to starboard side of the bridge to investigate some lights reported there.

5. -  The port bridge lookout was looking aft at the time and he saw a flash and a column of black smoke in what he judged to be the vicinity of P.4 gun. He did not see any torpedo track nor submarine.

6. -  The L.T.O. [= Leading Torpedo Operator] stationed at the depth charges saw a blinding flash which he judged to be about at P.4 gun. He did not see any torpedo track or submarine. His telephone watcher was knocked over by the explosion and he himself was momentarily dazed. He noticed flying fragments of metal were hitting the superstructure and he judged the explosion must have been very near the surface of the water.

7. -  The stoker on watch at the evaporators in the engine room was standing near the port evaporator when the explosion occurred and his impression was that the blow was about abreast of him and slightly above a tank overhead fell down beside him.

8. -  I had just turned in but was not asleep and I was on the bridge in a very few seconds. I looked round and could not see any submarine, but as I expected another attack at any moment I stationed the hands at action stations and gave instructions for a very sharp lookout to be kept. The ammunition supply parties were instructed to go to boat stations and magazine sentry was instructed not to issue keys. I noticed that engines were stopped almost at once, and all lights went out a few minutes after we were hit.

9. -  After about four or five minutes I received reports from the Commander and the Engineer Commander that the engine room was flooded and that the after end of the ship was flooded. “C” deck was awash the depth charges and No. 4 gun were under water. The ship had taken a list of 6 degrees to port by this time.

10. - The wind was westerly force 4 at midnight with rain, squalls and drizzle. Weather conditions were steadily deteriorating, by 0400 the wind was blowing force 6, and by 0800 it was blowing a light gale.

11. - At 0002 I sent out a distress signal to say we had been hit by a torpedo, and giving the ship’s position.

12. - The ship’s condition was frequently inspected and appeared to remain as reported above until about 0230 when it was reported to me that flooding was extending to B deck, and the ship appeared to be slowly sinking. The list had increased to 10 degrees.

13. - I then ordered boats to be got away. The trunk in the vicinity of the central stores was shored up and all possible steps were taken to secure and strengthen the watertight doors and hatches.

      Between 0300 and 0400 was slowly and steadily settling by the stern and the list increased to 12 degrees.

14. - By about 0415 I decided that the ship was sinking. At that time the starboard seaboat (a service cutter) had returned from a trip to the nearest destroyer, so I called her alongside and gave instructions for those remaining onboard to leave. I had with me the Commander and all other officers and ten ratings. By about 0425 we got away and we had hardly pulled clear when the ship sank at about 0430.

15. - I am satisfied that no one was injured by the explosions and that no one was trapped below decks. All the casualties that occurred were during the course of abandoning ship and were due to bad weather conditions.

16. - In my opinion we were struck by two torpedoes simultaneously, one in the vicinity of the engine room and the other under P.4 gun.

17. - All confidential books, signal books, and secret documents were locked in steel chests before the ship sank.

I have to honour to be,               
Sir,                        
Your obedient Servant,