page_title: Action off Lerwick
section_title: Action
hierarchical_section_title: Action off Lerwick / Action
caption_attribution_description: English: Arrival at Rosyth: SMS BRUMMER
context_page_description: The Action off Lerwick was a naval engagement on 17 October 1917 fought in the North Sea during the First World War. The German light, minelaying cruisers SMS Brummer and Bremse attacked a westbound convoy of twelve colliers and their escorts. The two escorting destroyers and nine neutral Scandinavian ships were sunk off Shetland, Scotland. Admiralty code breakers had uncovered the call signs of Bremse and Brummer and by direction finding knew that they had sailed from Wilhelmshaven to Lister Tief north of Sylt but an operation as far north as the Scandinavian collier route was not anticipated.
  Both of the British destroyer commanders were commended for their bravery, though some members of the Admiralty felt that by leaving the convoy to engage a superior enemy force, they had left the merchant steamers open to attack. Other British ships did not receive reports of the attack until late afternoon, were not in a position to intercept and the German cruisers returned safely to port. The British called the attack on neutral vessels and giving no time for the crews to abandon ship an outrage and the Germans denied allegations that their ships had fired on survivors in the water.
context_section_description: Soon after 6:00 a.m., lookouts on Strongbow spotted two unusual vessels approaching at a distance of over 4,000 yd (2.0 nmi; 3.7 km) converging on the destroyer. Three challenges were signalled to the ships and the third challenge received an erroneous reply and Brooke called the ship to action stations. When the range was down to within 3,000 yd (1.5 nmi; 2.7 km) and before the crew could reach action stations, the German ships opened fire with their 5.9 in (150 mm) guns. The first German salvoes at Strongbow cut the main steam pipe and many members of the crew below decks were scalded to death; Brooke was wounded and the ship was left dead in the water, with its decks covered with casualties. Other hits knocked out the wireless before the signaller could raise the alarm. Mary Rose also sent a wireless signal as it closed with the German ships and another station asked for the signal to be repeated but Brummer jammed the signal. The German ships jammed every subsequent attempt by the British to transmit a distress call.
  Brooke ensured that the code books and confidential papers had been jettisoned then ordered the ship to be scuttled; the survivors took to the water in a Carley float at about 7:30 a.m. The German cruisers inflicted more damage on Strongbow while Elise was manoeuvring to rescue the crew and the ship sank at about 9:30 a.m. Fox heard the gunfire astern, assumed that a U-boat had attacked the convoy and turned towards it, with enough time to go to action stations, hampered by not being able to use the torpedoes and guns at the same time because the range and deflection transmitters were not working. Fox soon saw the German cruisers and attacked at high speed, opening fire at about 6:20 a.m. from a range of 6,000 to 7,000 yd (3.0 to 3.5 nmi; 3.4 to 4.0 mi; 5.5 to 6.4 km). The nearest German ship replied with erratic fire but at 2,000 yd (0.99 nmi; 1.1 mi; 1.8 km) as Fox changed course, the German ships hit Mary Rose; at about 7:00 a.m. Fox gave the order "abandon ship"and eight men got away on a Carley float. The German ships then attacked the convoy; P. Fannon and the three British ships escaped but the nine Scandinavian ships were sunk. Elise escaped and returned when the coast was clear to rescue survivors, including 45 men from the crew of Crossbow. The German ships returned to base without casualties or damage. Other British naval forces in the area did not receive news of the engagement until almost 4:00 p.m., too late to intercept Brummer and Bremse.
caption: SMS Brummer (en route to Rosyth after the Armistice)
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