Mark Chirnside
Member
Hi,
I'm paying one of my visits again -- lots of interesting threads here by the looks of it, I'll have to get round to reading them. Anyway, the FAQ: What about Britannic's boats? Judging from past experience it won't be of interest to anyone, but here goes.
Seventeen lifeboats went to Salamis by November 23rd 1916, while five more boats quickly arrived at Laurium — a total of twenty-two lifeboats and the two motor boats, for twenty-four. Since thirty were lowered including the two motor boats, six lifeboats were missing. This is partly explained by the fact that while Captain Bartlett recalled the number of lifeboats lowered correctly, two of them were smashed in the ‘whirlpool’ near the port propeller at about 8.35 a.m. So only a few lifeboats out of the thirty lowered were missing. Presumably the remaining five of the thirty-five found on the sea following the sinking were either damaged, sunk or sent elsewhere.
There seems little or no record of the final Admiralty decision as to what to do with the lifeboats, save for the decision to send them to Syria. I'm quite ignorant on that -- anyone know anything further?
Best regards,
Mark.
I'm paying one of my visits again -- lots of interesting threads here by the looks of it, I'll have to get round to reading them. Anyway, the FAQ: What about Britannic's boats? Judging from past experience it won't be of interest to anyone, but here goes.
Seventeen lifeboats went to Salamis by November 23rd 1916, while five more boats quickly arrived at Laurium — a total of twenty-two lifeboats and the two motor boats, for twenty-four. Since thirty were lowered including the two motor boats, six lifeboats were missing. This is partly explained by the fact that while Captain Bartlett recalled the number of lifeboats lowered correctly, two of them were smashed in the ‘whirlpool’ near the port propeller at about 8.35 a.m. So only a few lifeboats out of the thirty lowered were missing. Presumably the remaining five of the thirty-five found on the sea following the sinking were either damaged, sunk or sent elsewhere.
There seems little or no record of the final Admiralty decision as to what to do with the lifeboats, save for the decision to send them to Syria. I'm quite ignorant on that -- anyone know anything further?
Best regards,
Mark.
