HMS Inflexible and Invincible Falklands Deployment

The following is an account of HMS Invincible and Inflexible's deployment to seek and destroy the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, following the Royal Navies humiliation at the battle of Coronel. The bulk, 95% plus, is drawn from the two ships logs. No events have been speculated at and added. If current accounts and the log varies, I've stayed with the log. You will find the obvious missing purely because the captain didn't log it. For example if Inflexible held Devine Services then so to did Invincible, but they weren't noted.  I've tried to make it an easy read but it the logs miss a lot out. But what was included I found fascinating and  hopefully so will you.

On the 4th November 1914, the day before their deployment orders to seek out and sink Admiral Von Spee's armoured cruisers were issued, both the battlecruisers Invincible and Inflexible were at Cromarty on Scotland's east coast. A collier came along side the Inflexible (Captain Richard F. Phillimore) 07:20, and twenty-five minutes later the hated task was underway, as the black fuel was moved from collier to battlecruiser. Having taken onboard 380 tons coaling by 09:50, the crew could turn their attention to cleaning both their ship and theirselves of the gritty black dust. Invincible's last full day in Cromarty was to also to revolve around her topping up her bunkers, with the collier Restormel coming alongside at 05:00. There was to be a delay in the start of the task, and not until  09:04 did the crew commence the hated job. With 400 tons received, the work was completed at 11:15. Then as with their sister ship,  the crew turned their attention to cleaning of both the ship and themselves.

Following the humiliation and defeat of Coronel, on the 5th November 1914 the Admiralty made the decision to detach HMS Invincible and HMS Inflexible from the 2nd Battlecruiser squadron for immediate deployment to the South Atlantic. Jellicoe received the following signal from the admiralty in London, "order invincible and inflexible to fill up with coal at once and proceed to Berehaven  with all despatch. They are urgently needed for foreign service. Admiral and flag captain Invincible to transfer to New Zealand. Tiger ordered  join you with all despatch".  Despite the loss of the dreadnought Audacious only the week before, Jellicoe didn't not hesitate or complain over the Admiralty's order.

Invincible (Captain Percy T. H. Beamish) began taking stores on from the packet Cossack which moored alongside at 08:40 on the 5th, while Inflexible received an ammunition lighter alongside at 11:15 and 4" ammunition was transferred between lighter and magazine. At noon Rear Admiral Sir A.G.W. Moore, commander of the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron transfered his flag from Invincible to the New Zealand, and the Inflexible's crew turned their hands, after the midday meal, to 'make & mending' of their clothing.

The two battlecruisers weighed anchor at 19:00, proceeded out of Cromarty harbour, and then steamed north to round the top of Scotland, bound for Devonport on the south coast of England. The two unescorted darkened ships passed Noss Head Light, near Wick, bearing N53W at 23:02. The 6th November was to be the first full day at Sea for them. At 03:50 the two battlecruisers passed the battlecruiser HMS Tiger as she was steaming eastwards to supplement Jellicoe's fleet. Having steamed through the night and  passed  between the mainland and the Orkneys, the two battlecruisers slipped passed Butt of Lewis on the Outer Hebrides 14 miles off their beam at 05:18.  As they made their way south down the west coast of the United Kingdom, signals were exchanged at 07:40  with HMS Latona & Argyle(1a)

The afternoon  was to bring physical drill at 16:00 for Inflexible's crew, then as the night came on the an unidentified vessel was sighted steaming without lights at 19:00. The two Battlecruisers closed to investigate the vessel, and she was revealed as HMS Mantua, an Armed Merchant Cruiser of 10,850 tons. (She to was to survive the war, but was returned to civilian service in 1919). Steaming on, the night was to bring a second sighting at 22:00, which was quickly identified as the dreadnought,  HMS Conqueror steering  a course NE.

In the early hours of the 7th November, as the two ships remorselessly headed down the west coast of Ireland, they passed the Black Rock lighthouse in County Clare in the dark at 01:55, and this was followed at 02.20 by the Fastnet Rock light on the south west Irish coast. Invincible notes in her log an unidentified searchlights at 19:48 but no further comment was made on it. The two battlecruisers steamed on, passing the Bishop Rock light abeam by 6.5 miles at 12:25, then in the early hours, Wolf Rock (01:10), Lizard light (02:10), Lizard light at 10.6 miles  (03:42) and finally the Eddystone light at 05:07.

At 04:23 on the 8th the two battle cruisers had parted company in preparation for entering the busy naval base of Devonport. By 06:26  in thick fog Invincible had set both course and speed for entering the harbour. Inflexible, similarly crawling through the fog, wasn't in position to enter the harbour until forty minutes later at 07:06, and then stopping & anchoring at 07:31. Invincible had dropped her port  anchor in ten fathoms at 07:15. Inflexible weighed & proceeded up the sound at 07:54, anchoring again 5 minutes later and Invincible followed suit at  08:40, proceeding to No 1 buoy, securing there at 09:00. As she lay secured to the buoy Vice Admiral Sturdee’s came onboard and his flag was hoisted at 09:00 (other sources state noon). At the same time Invincible supplemented her crew  with lieutenant (E) McMullen, Mr  Clerk and a member of the RNR. In addition to these, Captain RMLI, 30 RNR stokers, 10 Admirals staff, 1 RNVR writer and Captain Marines servant joined the crew. She also discharged 3 ratings to Stonehouse Hospital at 10:08. Invincible then slipped at 12:49 and proceeded up harbour until at 13:11 when she anchored with her starboard anchor. Forty-seven minutes later she weighed anchor and proceeded to entered the lock. Invincible entered her allotted dock (No 9) at 17:30 and at 20:15 three more ratings joined the ship.

Inflexible's progress into Devonport was resumed at 10:27 with weighing and proceeding up harbour. She was secured alongside No 8 wharf at 14:23. She too added to her crew at 15:00 with thirty additional ratings drawn from the ports Royal Navy Barracks. The crew were to have the joy of coaling once more at 15:35, and having transfered 1060 tons, the task was completed a 21:30.

The 9th November saw Inflexible take on four more ratings, while discharging one to the bases depot at 10:00, and in addition at 12:30 she discharged a second rating, but this time into the RN Hospital. One more crewman joined the battlecruiser, from HMS Assistance, (a merchant ship purchased by the navy on the stocks in 1900). Invincible had two more ratings join her from the  Devonport Barracks at 16:00 and at 19:55 her dry dock was flooded. Mr Montague, Reid, Morse, MacEwan, Paul, Pullock & O'Callaghan joined the ship at 20:00.

The 10th started at 08:00 for Invincible with the receipt of two cases of confidential books and an hour later  4 acting gunners (Torpedo) were released to "the stone frigate" HMS Vernon (Torpedo school) in Portsmouth. Her crew was increased by 1 chief yeoman, 1 yeoman of signals, 1 Sargent and 4 marines who joined the ship at 14:30.

Invincible came free of No 9 dock at 20:30 and by 22:30 was  alongside the coaling jetty. Seventeen ratings joined ship from RN barracks in Portsmouth when she came alongside, and at 23:45 the crew commenced coaling. Inflexible's only noted movement on the 10th was at 07:50 when she transfered to No 7 berth.

During their brief stay in Devonport the battlecruisers were to load three months of supplies, plus shells for the Glasgow's post-Coronel depleted magazines, as well as stores for the America Squadron. The 11th November was to see the two Battlecruisers making the final preparations for their voyage south.  At 09:00 three leave breakers were escorted back on board Invincible and coaling was finally completed at 11:00. At the same time three ratings joined from the port's barracks and four Privates RMLI joined from the marines barracks. The last crew additions were at 16:00, when three  Stokers 2nd class, joined the ship. Inflexible had begun her coaling and drawing stores at 09:00, and by 12.05, with 100 tons taken on, the job was declared finished.

With coaling  and storing complete, at 15:19 Inflexible slipped from the coaling wharf and under assistance of the bases tugs, was swung out into the basin. The two ships then set course and speed for leaving the harbour at 18:00. The pilots were dropped at 18.55 and the ships proceeded out of the sound. Eddystone Lighthouse was passed at 19:41 thirty-two miles off the beam, and two hours later they steamed passed the Lizard Light by 19 miles.

Despite an urgency to reach Port Stanley and with a potential speed of 25 knots available to them,  the two battlecruisers steamed at 10 knots in order to ease the stockers work and to preserve coal stocks so as to gain their maximum endurance. Plus as you will read, Sturdee wasted an ordinate amount of time on merchant ship stop and searches. The battlecruiser order were clear and concise, " on leaving Devonport..... proceed to....South America waters. On passage to St Vincent it is possible you may receive orders by wireless to proceed to West Indies, should information be received that Scharnhorst and Gneisenau are proceeding northward on Pacific Coast, your presence in West indies would be necessary to provide for the contingency of the German squadron passing through the Panama canal. Your main and most important duty is to search for the German cruisers  armoured Scharnhorst and Gneisenau  and bring them to action. All other considerations are subordinated to this  end..."  (1) 

The next day, the 12th, saw  the two 17,000 ton plus gray warships  steaming towards the South Atlantic, and at 12:50 they passed  the most north-western point of mainland France, an island off Brittany, Ushant. Inflexible lookouts  sighted the lighthouse on that western island  29 minutes later, and on they sailed, Europe falling further behind with each turn of their eight screws. In the early hours (03:16) of that  first full day at sea since leaving England, Inflexible adjusted her course to take up station three miles off Invincible's starboard beam. And on they steamed....

With the arrival of the dawn, in the space of an hour, they were to sight their first two merchant ships. The first steamer was bound NE at 08:20 and the second, the SS Glenapie, at 09:15 passed them  heading NNE  at 7 miles off. What must have the crews of those merchant ship's thought as the two huge shapes appeared out of the morning mist and signalled them to hove to so they could be inspected? Later the morning would bring a neutral Greek ship. The Vasilof Georgio, steaming  NE  was ordered to hove to at 11.20.  Inspection for contraband over, the warships and the neutral parted company. At an unspecified time the Spanish steamer SS Beimeo was sighted as she passed the two gray warships. Inflexible notes in her log that at 17:32 there was a change of course to investigate a fifth steamer, followed an hour later (18:30) by ordering the SS Corby to hove to.

The early hours of the 13th (02:15) saw the ships challenge an unidentified vessel. Having  announced herself as the Mordent of Leith bound for Genoa via Lisbon, the three vessels resumed their respective courses. As the sun came up Inflexible was stationed two miles off Invincible's starboard beam, that distance opening up near mid-day (11:00) to 5 miles The two ships had carried out a range finding exercise at 09:00 and the rest of the day was to be one of steady undisturbed steaming and at 17:10 Inflexible was 4 miles off Invincible's starboard beam.

The 14th saw a break in the passage when at 09:00 Inflexible altered course to take station 3 cables off the starboard beam of Invincible. With Invincible hove to at 09:18  and having lowered a target, they carried out rifle firing  practice with both the main calibre and 4” guns. Inflexible exercised in  .303 firing practice from both her turrets and maxim. Invincible's practice shoot lasted until 10:45 (Inflexible's until 11:45) when the targets were hoisted back on board and the voyage continued, through the day uninterrupted.  They passed the 12,231 tons passenger carrying steamer SS Corinthic steering NE at 14:00, but didn't pause in their course.

The 15th was to see the procession of passing merchant ships resume when at 12:35 they altered course to investigate the Dutch cargo steamer Sliedrecht steering ENE. Inflexible's log records a course adjustment at 01:55 to investigate another unidentified merchant ship. At 02:21 she returned to her original course and at 10:00 as the ships steamed steadily on at their economical 10 knots, Divine Service was held on board Inflexible.

Rain was to greet the early hours (03:00) of the 16th, but as the morning wore on it must have lifted, as at 07:00 Inflexible's crew aired their bedding. After breakfast the two ships undertook further sub-calibre practice (09:15) with Invincible towing the target. The  practice was concluded at 10:32, and the ship's resumed their 10 knots course. The course was altered at 13:40 to investigate a merchant ship,  the Moss of London. SS Malange bound for Lisbon was ordered to hove to at 17.36 and a boarding party sent over. Then inspection done,  the ships sailed on. The poor weather had by now been left behind and the crews savoured a much warmer climate. A canvas sheet was stretched between two fore 12" guns to create a bathing pool on the foc’sle. The crew free from coaling and boarding inspections for a time,  relaxed in the sun and fooled around.

The following day at 10:00 the battlecruisers undertook ranging exercises, before sighting their first land since Urshant, Antonio Point of the Cape Verde Islands at 14:20. Bull Point Light was passed at 16:25 five miles off the beam and 40 minutes later the two ships rounded Passaro Island. Sturdee anchored his command at 17:17 with Invincible port anchor of 6 shackles resting in 15 fathoms of water. The new arrivals were greeted by HMS Victorian, a commercial liner converted for use as an Armed Merchant Cruiser (AMC) in the Royal Navy, which lay at anchor in the harbour 

At 19:30 a collier came alongside Inflexible and coaling commenced an hour later at 20:33. As the day drew to a close, a second collier tied up along side Inflexible at 22:00. While work on the first Collier didn't pause, the task of transferring coal from the new collier began at 23:00. The day had also seen Lieutenant Williamson RNR, one Petty Officer, eight RFR ratings join Inflexible or passage to join the pre-dreadnought, HMS Canopus in Port Stanley. The coaling was to continue through the night on Inflexible but at 03:30 tragedy struck when Percy Stewart, Boy Telegraphist was killed in a coaling accident. One source speculates that he fell between the two ship's hulls and perished there. But there is no official cause given.

Coaling resumed the next day (18th) and the two ships exchanged one crew member each at 09:00. Inflexible discharged the first collier at 11:50 and at 15:00 with 1969 tons of coal transfered into her bunkers, Inflexible ceased coaling. Ten minutes later the second collier cast off from the battlecruisers side. With their bunkers topped up by mid-afternoon on Invincible(14:45) and one writer (RNVR) discharged at 16.00 for duties at the consulate, the bridge crews watched as the Victorian sailed from port at 17:05. The British ships departed port themselves at 18:10, just over 24 hours since they had first arrived in the port. Passing Point Machado Light at 18:55, the ships hove too, so at 19:00 Boy Telegraphist Stewart could be committed to the  sea. The service lasted twenty one minutes, after which the ships moved on. Boy Telegraphist Stewart was the first fatality of the deployment.

After a nights steaming the first unidentified ship of the day was sighted at 07:28.and Inflexible accordingly altered her course to investigate the unknown ship. Inflexible's morning was to include range finding exercises at 10:45, when  at 11:05 a second merchant ship was sighted steering N35W 15 miles off. With the arrival of  a new day (20th) dawn found Invincible astern of her companion ship and  at 08:40 Inflexible adjusted her course and speed to take up station 2½ miles on port beam of Invincible. Having reached her station, Inflexible hove to at 09:37 to enable her crew to hoist out a target. The First Field Service Company commenced their  drill at 10:08. The day was to pass quietly with no further ship's sighted and to end with a  passing heavy rain squall at 23:15.

The following day the ships passed the equator and at 10:00 His Majesty King Neptune was welcome onward to hold his court. The 'Pollywogs', or those who have yet to cross the equator were summoned before the king, and the customary rites for those crossing were undertaken. Even with the King of the sea on board, duty came first. At 11:03 the course was altered to investigate a merchant ship. By 12:43 she was stopped and identified as the SS Essex Abbey, a British collier.  With Neptune departed, 13:00 found  the ships steering South by East, and for the remainder of the day they steamed on uninhabited by any other sighting.

The  22nd was to be an uninterrupted day of steady sailing for the two battlecruisers. Inflexible held a Divine Service for her crew at 10:00. She commenced taking soundings as of 03:00 the following day, and did so continuously over the following three hours. At 11:00  course and speed were adjusted on the sighting of  unknown ship, but by noon the  SS Samuel had been identified and boarded by Inflexible's crew. At 05:35 the following morning Inflexible altered her course to investigate a ship that had been sighted by her lookouts.

Fifteen minutes later Inflexible was hove and a boarding  party was dispatched to inspect the 3,211 ton transport, SS Epsilon. By 06:41 everything was deemed in order and she ships resumed their respective courses, (Epsilon was to be sunk by a mine in Jan 1917). As the morning wore on Inflexible took up station six miles off Invincible's port beam,(09.27) and the days second sighting soon followed for Inflexible at 09:45, when she adjusted her course to close. A boarding party  revealed she was SS Quinlan of Zindane(?). At 14:15 it was Invincible's turn to amend her course  to close with merchant vessel that had been sighted. In the afternoon (16:00) range finding exercises were run.

On the 25th at 08:10 the the Italian SS Vesuvio was ordered to hove to while a boarding party went over to undertake an inspection. A Dutch steamer followed at 13:30 and the last sighting of the day was at 19:50 when the Pennsylvania of Copenhagen was signalled to hove too.

The 26th was to bring the sighting of both land and friends. The  lighthouse on the Abrolhos Islands off the southern coast of Bahia  in North East Brazil, was sighted 2.2 miles off at 03.32. The lighthouse  was followed by the welcoming sight by Invincible of the cruiser HMS Kent at 05:15, (Inflexible's log records sighting the cruiser at 05:40).  With the  Kent escorting them, the Invincible came to her anchor point at 07:31 and Inflexible ten minutes later. Within the islands shelter the Admiral found six vessels  awaiting him, under the command of  was Rear Admiral Stoddart.  HMS Carnarvon, Cornwall, Defence (2),  Bristol, Glasgow & Orama(3) lay at anchor awaiting the arrival of the battlecruisers reinforcements.

Inflexible discharged 4 ratings to the Cornwall at 09:15 and soon after the cruiser departed Abrolhos. Invincible discharged one W/T rating to the Defence, and Defence reciprocated with one W/T rating transfered over to the battlecruiser. HMS Defence also transfered to the Invincible her Poulsen Wireless set, which allowed for radio contact to be maintained with London, via a similar equipped ship, HMS Vindictive, at Ascension Island, thus overcoming the handicap suffered in attempting to communicate with Cradock before Coronel. Sturdee despatched his three fastest colliers on ahead to the Falkland Islands, while he coaled his ships and made ready to head south with the other colliers.

Inflexible was to spend  part of her day transferring stores over to the Kent. After the midday meal, a second ship departed, when at 13:20 HMS Defence sailed from the harbour. Inflexible's afternoon was to be employed with the crew working to discharge ammunition & provisions to both Glasgow and Kent. Then with the ever pressing need for coal the collier Errington Court(4) came alongside at 17:30, Invincible's afternoon was similar with disembarking provisions and stores at 14:30 and preparing for coaling. At 16:50 the collier Arlington Court ( Requisitioned 28 Sep 1914 as RN Collier No 338)  came alongside with yet more coal to be transfered.

The next morning (27th) was to see coaling commence  once more at 06:20 on board Inflexible and at 07:50 on the Invincible. Shortly after coaling had begun, at 08:30, HMS Glasgow weighed anchor and sailed. But her vacated place was soon filled when HMS Cornwall arrived and anchored at 10:28. HMS Orama weighed & proceeded to relieve Glasgow at 13:01, which arrived in port at 14:15pm. Coaling was declared complete on Inflexible at 18:10 with 1774 tons received. Invincible completed her coaling at 22:00 and both crew set to removing the gritty black dust from both ship and themselves. During the course of the day Inflexible was to transfer two stokers RNR over to the Errington Court. For the first time in the deployment Inflexible's daily sick list topped twenty, reaching 22 on this day of coal and dust.

At 07:05 the next day the SS Orama (5) arrived, after which Invincible at 10:10 and Inflexible at 10:30 weighed anchor and with Inflexible astern of Invincible, departed at 10:10 for the final leg to the Falklands, in company with HM Ships Cornwall, Inflexible, Glasgow.  Inflexible changed course and speed at 11:48 to enable her to communicate with a passing merchant ship, SS Essex Abbey. The squadron sailed on through the day with no further sightings and at 16:03pm Inflexible took station 3 miles on port quarter of Invincible. Her sick list had now risen to 25.

On the 29th  November on their second full day at sea, the SS Milepool was sighted by the squadron at 07:45. After steaming south through the day, Inflexible mustered at Divisions at 21:00 and Divine Service was performed. The sick list was now heading downwards having dropped to 13.

On the 30th at 04:04 Inflexible adjusted the Flinders Bar (6) and the Fore and Aft magnets of her standard compass.On the 30th Sturdee ordered for a  gunnery practice to be held  over a range of 12,000 yards, being the distance from which he hoped to engage the German armored cruisers.Action stations,were sounded at 15:30 as courses and speed was set for the firing 2. Firing 32 rounds, four from each gun, at a target towed by Inflexible, Invincible hit only once. Inflexible hit with three of her 32 rounds on the target towed by Invincible. While Invincible was winding in the towed target at 19:34, when the towing cable fouled the starboard outer propeller and wrapped around the shaft. Invincible came to a stop with the rest of the squadron, and divers were sent over the side to clear the propeller. They were to be unsuccessful and six and a half hours later, the battlecruiser started south again (02:20) on her three un-fouled propellers

With the 1st day of December the squadron steamed on steadily towards Port Stanley, passing at 15:05 HMS Bristol steaming NW by W. Soon after Bristol was ordered to close the flag, and at 16:53 a ships boat was despatched to Bristol for correspondence. With the ships boat recovered at 17:13 the squadron resumed it's course and at half speed. The following day (2nd) at 11:25 the the squadron sighted a passing (unnamed) ship of the  Lamport Holt Line, steering NNE, and a range finding exercise was ordered and commenced at 16:00, lasting twenty minutes. The squadron steamed on through the night and the next day with little interruption aside from  sighting the AMC Macedonia at 10:15. The 4th's only log worthy note was the airing of the crew bedding at 04:30 in the early hours of the morning! On the day of bed airing Sturdee received a message from the British Consul-General in Valparaiso stating that the German commerce raider, the ex liner,  Prinz Eitel Friedrich had been sighted off the port that morning. Sturdee’s conclusion was that von Spee’s whole squadron must be in the same place. He continued south with the intention of rounding Cape Horn and pursuing von Spee into the Pacific.

The 5th was to bring a thick fog and at 05:25 Invincible's captain ordered her number of lookouts doubled. The fog cleared by 07:40 and Inflexible was visible once more. In the afternoon at 14:45 Invincible lowered a Forbes Log, before once more running back into fog at 16:45. The watertight doors were ordered closed and additional lookouts once more placed, until at 17:15 when the fog lifted.  The following day at 09:00 Inflexible mustered divisions and a Divine Service was held. The squadron hove to at 12:40 and communicated with HMS Macedonia, before resuming their course at 12:52.

The next day (7th) was to bring, (at 06:55 for Invincible and 07:20  for Inflexible) the sighting of land bearing S26ºW. The two battlecruisers had finally, thirty two days after departing Cromarty  reached the Falklands and at 10:00 the ships altered their course and speed for entering Port Stanley. The world of the Grand Fleet lay 8154 miles to the north, and an unknown distance away, Admiral Spee was steaming towards the Falklands.

Invincible dropped her port anchor in Port Stanley's Harbour, Port William, at 10:26 with 5 shackles into 8½ fathoms of  waters.  With the battlecruiser at rest, four minutes  after letting go, a diver was ordered once more to go down and to inspect the fouled propeller. At 16:00 work was underway to free it from the cable and the following morning at 06:05 the diver was still at work. But by the time Invincible steamed after Von Spee's ship's she could once again use all four of her shafts. While the diver was submerged in the murky waters, his lucky shipmates prepared once more for coaling and all its associated tasks.

Inflexible let her anchor go at 10:46.  and at 17:00 Lieutenant WA Williamson transfered to the beached pre-dreadnought,  HMS Canopus. Similarly at 18:20 Invincible received one Leading and three stokers from the Canopus. The Admiral ordered that the squadron would spend tomorrow coaling, before sailing once more to round the cape and searching for the elusive German squadron. Cornwall's boiler fires were extinguished and Sturdee authorised repairs to be undertaken. In addition  Bristol had one of her engines dismantled.  The armed merchant cruiser  Macedonia was ordered to  patrol the harbour entrance 10 miles off shore, and Kent retained steam in her boilers, ready to replace Macedonia the next day, 8 December. HMS Canopus’s captain, (Grant), had been preparing the defences for the islands. His ship was now beached on the mud at the entrance to the inner harbour for use as a gun battery platform, the harbour entrance was mined and three shore batteries put in place ashore with an observation tower to control their fire. Bad weather delayed the work, but it had been completed on 4th December.

Tuesday 8th December 1914 started for HMS Inflexible and Invincible both riding at anchor in Port William. At 05:10 the collier Trelawny came alongside the Invincible, and the crews commenced coaling. Inflexible's day began fifty minutes late when the SS Royal Transport came alongside and at 07:20 the battlecruisers crew began their coaling. Invincible had, as we have noted, once more returned her diver to the troublesome starboard propeller. While her crew toiled in clouds of black gritty dust, the bridge crew in Invincible received a report of two strange vessels from the Sappers Hill look out at 08:00.  With no 'expected' visitors due in port that day Invincible's captain ordered coaling stopped and the collier to be un-rigged at  08:20. Ten minutes later action stations was sounded throughout the ship. Invincible's log goes onto confirm the sighting as the enemy at 09:00, while Inflexible log commented at 09:05, "German cruisers sighted SSE".  Invincible's collier was cast off ten minutes later, and at the same time Inflexible ceased coaling, having received 108 tons. Her collier was ordered to cast off as well, and General quarters was sounded.

The first shots of the day are noted by Invincible at 09.22 when Canopus opened fire on the German ships. With the crews working to their fastest speed, Inflexible and Invincible were able at 10:00 to weighed their respective anchors and steam out, in company with the squadron, from  Port William in pursuit of the German forces. As the two battlecruisers cleared the harbour entrance the ships lookouts identified the German squadron of five ships in single line abreast to starboard, Gneisenau, Nurnberg, Scharnhorst (flag), Dresden, Leipzig. In company with the two capital ships were  the Carnarvon, Cornwall, Kent, Glasgow, Bristol and. Macedonia.

Sturdee issued a signal at 10.28 ordering the required course and speed for closing with the enemy. The crews took the opportunity while their ships gave chase, to clean their ship and themselves, following the interrupted coaling. The battlecruisers steamed pass Seal Rock at 10:32 by 8 cables as they gave chase to the retreating German ships. As the distance slowly decreased, Inflexible's captain took the opportunity to order his ship’s company to dinner at 11:40 and Inflexible, by 12:25  having worked up to 25 knots in company with Invincible & Glasgow, ordered her company to action stations.

Invincible's first salvo of the day was fired at 12:55 and Inflexible's first salvo  was fired four minutes later, at 12:58 targeting the light cruiser Leipzig.  Twelve rounds were sent off in the cruisers direction, but no hits were landed.

At 13.25 Invincible's lookouts watched as Von Spee's light cruisers spread to starboard and scattered, and ten minutes later they reported that Scharnhorst and Gneisenau had both altered their course to port and were coming into action. Inflexible was  now to engage Von Spes's flagship the  Scharnhorst at ranges varying between 12,000 and 14,000, and in the process was to score two hits in the gunnery exchange. Invincible had in the meantime engaged the Gneisenau. Inflexible's log notes that at 13:39 Gneisenau had dropped astern, and the battlecruiser now turned her 12" guns to the Gneisenau, scoring three hits in the process. During the exchange of fire  the 12-inch guns of 'P' turret was not to fire across the ship at the enemy. Every time 'P' turret fired, the marine crew of 'Q' turret were dazed by the concussion. The British fire was slow and poorly  inaccurate, hindered by their own smoke and the constant splashes of German 8.2-inch shells. In addition the fire control station on the foretop of Invincible couldn’t use its stereoscopic rangefinder because of vibration caused by the speed and the firing of 'A' turret, as well as the smoke. The spotters had to make use of binoculars to observe the fall of shot. This was also problematic as the shots that were over could not be spotted because of the smoke of Scharnhorst. Invincible was to suffer a number of other problems too. The ships lighting had 'blown' and the ship was running on emergency lighting. Then at 13:42 the right hand barrel of 'A' turret jammed and it was to take 30 minutes of work with crowbars to get the gun operational again, and even then it continued to misfire. At 13:44 the first 8.2 inch shell from Scharnhorst struck the side armor of Invincible, causing only superficial damage as the armored belt was not penetrated. Sturdee who was directing the battle from the platform below the foretop ordered his ships to open the range to escape the accurate German shells .Inflexible was to gradually dropped out range and at 13:56 she temporarily ceased fire.

Between 14:00 and 14:50 Inflexible and Invincible kept in company and periodically had to adjust both their speed and course to maintain contact. Between this period Invincible was to record at 14:45 the bizarre sight of a full rigged ship steering about N (true). A minutes after this 19th century apparition had  passed unscathed through the battle, at 14:51, Inflexible opened fire once more on the Gneisenau at 15,200 yards. At the same time Invincible opened fire as well on the Scharnhorst, the leading ship in line ahead. The exchange was over a range between 12,000 and 15,000 yards. But as the Invincible fired on the German flag ship, so to did the Scharnhorst return the action. One German 8.2inch shell was to destroy 10 feet of invincible's starboard leg of the forward tripod mast. The blast traveled up the leg and blew open the access hatch in the foretop. The foretop personnel were knocked down but there were no serious injuries. Another 8.2-inch shell struck near X turret, penetrated through two decks to burst in an empty sickbay. German shells were also to wreck the canteen and wardroom. Engine room stokers were quick to seize the opportunity presented by the wrecked canteen. "About five minutes later a stoker came down with an armful of fags and tins of pineapple. The stokers were all smoking cigars and yaffling (eating) chocolate, pineapple, etc., looted from the wrecked canteen." One 8.2-inch shell tore off the barrel of a 4-inch gun, continued down through two decks and into the Admiral’s storeroom cupboard.

Both Inflexible and Invincible altered their course at 15:18 by 12 points to port to engage Gneisenau at 15,000 to 16,000 yards. During the turn two more 8.2 inch shells fired from Scharnhorst struck the bow of Invincible,  but were to cause no significant damage. A 5.9 inch shell struck right between the guns of A turret. "If the shell had struck thirty inches higher,it would have sent the sighting hood, rangefinder operator and myself to glory.’ wrote one of her officers. But it dented the turret armour and holed the gun aprons with the result that every time the guns fired the personnel in the turret were subject to the blast and the choking effects of the sickly effects of the cordite fumes which the aprons had been designed to eliminate. Then the starboard side was engaged and the crew of 'Q' turret were able to return the favour on their crew mates in 'P'  turret for their experiences of muzzle blast with their own cross deck firing. "I had ‘Q’ turret firing across the deck,’ wrote Smyth-Osborne in ‘P’ turret. ‘They practically put my turret out of action, their blast deafening and dazing my gunlayers, spotters and trainers. In fact making all those in the gun house partly damned stupid. In the excitement the Marines in ‘Q’ were firing on some dangerous bearings."  In addition water pipes had burst inside some of her turrets, soaking the crew in a continuous spray and in 'A' turret the fume evacuator pipe had burst so that cordite smoke filled the turret with every salvo.

In response at 15:26 Scharnhorst altered her course 16 points to starboard and having passed Gneisenau's stern, opened an accurate and rapid fire on Inflexible. As the German shells reigned down around, Inflexible shifted her guns target to Scharnhorst and engaged her for half an hour at 13,000 yards. It was about this time that Invincible received an 8.2 inch hit that could have been catastrophic. The shell struck below 'P' turret but it plunged underneath the waterline and the armor belt. A four by two foot hole was blown in the hull in a coal bunker. Seawater quickly contaminated the coal in the bunker, washing it into the sea. On the inboard side of the bunker, separated by a thin armor bulkhead, was the amidships magazine that traversed the ship from 'P' to 'Q' turrets. Fortunately for Invincible, the german shell failed to explode. If it had exploded then in all likely-hood splinters would have penetrated the bulkhead and Invincible would probably have blown up.

Invincible's log notes at 16:00 that the Scharnhorst hauled out of line and was now listing to starboard, with two funnels gone, and ablaze. As a result she ceased fire on her the now fatally wounded armoured cruiser. In the meantime (16:03) Inflexible continued to engaged the Gneisenau at 14,000 yards. Inflexible log records that at 16:10 the Scharnhorst finally sank beneath the cold south Atlantic waters. The battlecruiser now altered her course 16 points to starboard and switched her firing to Gneisenau at 11,000 to 12,000 yards. Invincible also noted that the Carnarvon was finally in company and that she later engaged the German vessels. Cornwall, Kent, Glasgow and Bristol, the log notes were engaging enemy’s light cruisers, but the exchange was not visible from her bridge.  At 16:30 Invincible's Admiral signaled line ahead “in sequence in which ships now are”. Inflexible also noted that the Carnarvon joined had joined her to take station astern of Invincible.

Between 16.30 and 16:36 Inflexible was to engaged the surviving Gneisenau at range 10,000 to 10,400 yards, but her fire was not to be effective due to the smoke coming from Invincible's funnels and main guns. Finally at 16:46 Inflexible quit the line without the admirals permission, and having turned 14 points to port, cleared Invincible's smoke and now she could finally engage Gneisenau on the opposite course.  Inflexible was to  continue between 16:50 and 16:57 at ranges between 11,000 and 12,500 yards to score a number of hits on the Gneisenau. Finally at 16:58 Inflexible was to cease fire and she altered her course 12 points to starboard. Inflexible then resumed fire two minutes later (17:00) at 12,875 yards on the battered Gneisenau. At 17:04 Inflexible altered her course by one point to starboard at 13,500 to 13,000 yards,  followed  seven minutes later (17:11) by a second change of course  by one point to port. The battlecruiser notes that from 17:11 to 17:20 the  Gneisenau was " evidently in great distress", as she continued to strike the armoured cruiser.

A fraction before the half hour mark (17:28) Inflexible's guns fell silent as she closed the enemy, believing she had finally struck her colours as she too had cease fire. But at 17:32 Gneisenau opened fire once more, and the gunnery exchange was re-opened, at 7800 to 8700 yards. Once again at 17:38 Inflexible ceased fire as the enemy had once more fallen silent, assuming again that she had struck. But as was becoming the pattern, Inflexible re-engaged at 17:44 over 11,000 to 9,700yard, passing between Carnarvon and the Enemy. The final cease fire from Inflexible was at 17:48, as she signalled to Carnarvon, “I think Enemy have hauled down their colours”. Inflexible (17:51) then closed in on the stricken Gneisenau at 20 knots, as the armoured cruiser lay with a heavy list to starboard. Five minutes later (17:56) Gneisenau succumbed to her wounds and sank. Invincible noted the sinking as at 18:02. With both armoured  cruisers sunk, Invincible, Inflexible and Carnarvon proceeded at full speed to pick up the survivors in the ice cold south Atlantic waters. The 'victors' quickly moved in to rescue survivors, but the icy cold water was claiming quickly claiming the 300 german's in the water. Cutters were lowered and ropes thrown from the tall sides of the battlecruisers as well as the Carnarvon. Inflexible had launched (18:00) all her boats that could still float,  Despite the battlecruisers had landed their anti-torpedo nets and booms in England, they still were fitted with the shelves, which protruded out from the hull.  It was to be particularly difficult to get the survivors over these shelves. Invincible picked up 111 of the Germans, but only 91 survived. Inflexible picked up 62 and Carnarvon 33. Of inflexible's 62, 10 were officers and 52 crewmen, in addition to these 52, 13 taken to Invincible.

Inflexible was to note in her log that at 18:00, direct reckoning placed her position at Lat 54o 42’ S, Long 56o 10’ W. In addition Invincible  records at 19:30 that she was sailing S56½ W at 18 knots.

By the end of the battle Invincible had been struck by a total of 22 German shells, twelve 8.2-inch, six 5.9-inch and four unidentified. Except for some flooded compartments forward and the flooded coal bunker, all of the damage was to be superficial. There was in  additional the self-inflicted blast damage caused by the cross-deck firing of 'P' and 'Q' turrets at times in the battle. The total number of casualties on the flagship amounted to two injured, one with a bruised foot and the other with a cut on the arm. Inflexible had received only three hits, shrapnel from one explosion had killed one of the crew and injured three others.   Able Seaman Neil Livingstone (Royal Fleet Reserve, B3593), born in Argyll in 1879 was the crewman killed and he was one of ten fatalities in the entire British squadron.  Inflexible's casualties were:
Ordinary seamen Hasler and Terence.
Ordinary Seaman, J 18032, slightly wounded.
Seaman Mayes, Arthur, 14754
Able Seaman Spratt, George, Frederick, 237219.

HMS Inflexible had fired as many as 600 twelve inch shells during the pursuit of the Gneisenau, all but emptying her magazine stock. 

Inflexible's crew showed nothing but kindness to those that a brief while ago, they had been at war with. The German survivors were given warm clothes and a bed. Commander Pochhammer, who was now technically the officer commanding the German East Asiatic Squadron, was given the  Admirals cabin from where a steward collected him for dinner. British and German officers dined together in the mess, sharing a simple meal of ham and eggs with sherry or port. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed but tinged with sadness for the Germans who had lost so many friends and fellow officers that day. On his arrival in Port Stanley on board the Inflexible, Pochhammer was invited, prior to being sent to a POW camp, to dine onboard Invincible with Sturdee. The two men met in the  Admirals in day cabin, where Sturdee showed his guest an 8.2 unexploded shell fired by the Gneisenau at the Invincible.

Both Invincible and Inflexible's were to spend the rest of the night at sea performing a number of course alterations without finding anything noteworthy as they searched for the  surviving cruiser from Spee's squadron, Dresden. The early hours (01:20 & 02:45) of the 9th brought  searches onboard Invincible for any fires, but nothing found on either occasions. Invincible was to start the day after the battle with 11 crew on the  men sick , of which we know 5 were battle wounded. Inflexible's sick list on the 9th was of 13 men. At 08.00 Inflexible altered her course S54W to open out to maximum visibility from flag, in an effort to expand the search horizon for the elusive Dresden.Whilst the lookouts were busy scanning he horizon for a smudge of German funnel smoke, the crew started (08:40) to clear the decks and make good, while the  carpenters and shipwrights worked at repairing the damage inflicted yesterday. Invincible had the sad duty to hove too at 09:50 for a port side funeral service committing the dead German to the sea. While Invincible honoured the fallen enemy, at 10:00 Inflexible sighted an iceberg S32W and at 10:09am she decreased her engines to 162 revs.
Later during the morning (11:40) HMS Bristol came into sight from the Inflexible, whilst her crews were occupied with the cleaning ship, removing ammunition & repairing damage. After the midday meal, Inflexible took up station 15 miles off Invincible's port quarter at 13:35 and Inflexible came to a stop at 17:14  to committed the mortal remains of Neil Livingstone AB RFR to the deep.
The last log for Invincible for the day was at 21:10 " a/c for investigating whales ".
The 10th was to find both ships still at sea and Inflexible notes that at 06:00, she altered " Course and speed as required for swinging ship", (She was checking and adjusting her compass). At 14:20 Inflexible sighted the Falklands on a bearing of ESE. At around the same moment (14:25) Invincible sighted the SS Jason Isle bearing S43E. Three hours later HMS Bristol was spotted for a second day at "green 40 at 20 miles" by the Invincible, Inflexible not seeing her until 17:40 . Invincible in the meantime sighted the Falklands at 17:30 off her starboard side.
  
On the 11th December the two battlecruisers were to return to Port Stanley, shaping course and speed to enter the port at 05:35. HMS Invincible was to let go her port anchor in 9 fathoms at 06:45, and Inflexible ten minutes prior at 06:35. The two capital ships were joined by HMS Kent, Cornwall, Macedonia in having returned to port. Inflexible's day was to be centred on replenishing her coal stocks, commencing at 08:15 the collier Royal Transport  came alongside, followed 20 minutes later (08:35) by a second collier, the Bregnton. Coaling was underway from the Royal Transport at 09:15, and 45 minutes later the Bregnton started the task of transferring her cargo across to the hungry battlecruiser. While Inflexible's crew worked in clouds of coal dust, Invincible's crew set to work at 10:00 bring up the empty cordite cases, and a diving party was set to "overhauling the waterline".  After midday (12:30pm) ammunition was distributed  and another diving party set to work examining the ship’s side.  The ships Band was landed for a funeral party ashore and  HMS Carnarvon arrived and anchored in harbour at 18:30. Coaling was declared complete at 22:30 onboard Inflexible with an additional 2220 tons having been brought in board.

The night of the 11th/12th was to bring a change to the weather with heavy squalls sweeping into the harbour at 01:28. The collier Bregnton cast off from Inflexible at 03:50 and at 06:30 the crew turned their hands to once more cleaning the ship post coaling. There was also an early start for Invincible's crew at 05:00 when they started bringing up the empty ammunition cases, and at 08:00 the diving party returned to the water. The SS Royal Transport cast off from Inflexible at 09:50, and her crew then turned their attention to removing  “Q” ammunition (empty) and cleaning ship.

The AMC Orama came into Port Stanley and anchored, reported conflictingly by Inflexible as at 09:30 and by the Invincible's at 11:55? The island's Governor, Sir William Lamond Allardyce was to  pay a visit to the Invincible at 12:15, leaving at 14:55 to a 17 gun salute. The afternoon was to comprise of disembarking the cordite cases, and a diving party at the ship's side. Inflexible transfered 2 ratings to the Auxiliary ship Crown of Galicia, and received one rating from Invincible, who in return transfered one rating to Inflexible at 17:30. The  Collier Trelawny shoved off from Inflexible at 19:30 and her place along side was taken at 20:15 by SS Impoco, an armed merchant ship requisitioned by the admiralty.

Inflexible's day (13th) started at 04:00 with divers being sent down to check her inlets and at 04.30 the SS Impoco was cast off from the ships side. An hour later at 05:35 Bristol weighed anchor and proceeded out to sea, and at 06:00 2 stokers joined from the SS Errington Court. One of her last duties before sailing was at 06:30 when  Inflexible transfered her 10 officer and 51 crew from The East Asiatic Squadron over to Invincible. Then at 08:30 HMS Inflexible  weighed anchor and proceeded to leave harbour. She steamed along the Falklands east coast passing Volunteer Point abeam 3.5 miles (09:25), and by 10:16 she was sounding every 5 minutes "without tube". Cape Dolphin, the most northerly point of East Falkland was passed at 5.6 miles at 13:08, and the battlecruiser (13:25) passed Eddystone, a rock with lighthouse to the north of Falkland Sound, by 3.7 miles. The lone ship steamed on sounding continuously ("without tube") and at 19:56 obtained a sounding of 12 fathoms in position N1W 10 miles from the Jerin East Cay.

As Inflexible headed towards the Pacific and Invincible rode at anchor, the Admiralty back in London decided to order the two battlecruisers to return home, following rumours that the Dresden had been interned in a South American port. But the rumour was incorrect and the order was delayed in its activation. Invincible's day had started at 05:35 with Bristol weighing anchor and proceeded out to sea and Invincible's captain sending a diving party into the water at 06:00 to carry repairs to his ship. Once  Inflexible had weighed anchor and  proceeded to sea, the Glasgow did likewise  at 09:30. As ships departed the port, Invincible transfered her 61 POW's to the Crown of Galicia (09:40) and in addition transfered one rating at 17:30 to the Kent.

The Inflexible steamed westward through the night bound for Cape Horn and the Pacific. As the sun rose on the 14th she ploughed on, and her crew turned their the attention (6:00) to cleaning ship & "transporting" ammunition. Land was sighted to the South West at 14:20.

The 14th was to find Invincible the only battlecruiser in harbour and at 10:45 she discharged German prisoners to the Macedonia, which departed Stanley at 15:05. The collier Royal Transport came along side at 17:40 and the crew started coaling at 04:00 the following day(15th). By the days end they had moved 2200 tons of coal.

The early hours of the 15th was to see Inflexible steam past Argentina's Cape San Diego by 9.7miles at 04:25 and forty eight minutes later (05:13) Cape S Bartholomew, the most easterly point of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina  by 8.3miles. The Chilean merchant ship SS Amade, a Chilean passenger/cargo vessel of 412 tons, was ordered at 07:40 to hove to and a boarding party was sent over to inspect the neutral ship. With the Inspection over,  Inflexible steamed into the maze of inlets, coves and passages that mark the southern tip of the Americas.  At 10:38 she steamed through the Richmond Channel, and at 10:54 headed for the  Chilean coast at Orange Bay. Daedalus Island was passed 3.5 miles abeam at 13:45, and as she made progress towards the Pacific, Inflexible continued her sounding "without tube". At 14:50 Inflexible altered her course & speed to enable her to search Orange Bay for the elusive Dresden, but the bay was empty of any shipping. False Cape Horn, a headland at the southern end of Hoste Island, which is a part of Chile, was passed 5.9 miles a beam at 16:36. The final sighting of land for the day was to be Ildefonzo Island, a group of islands off Chile, abeam 11.2 miles at 20:11 and Inflexible was now steaming into the Pacific. 

Invincible received one '1 cot case' from the hospital on the 16th, and at 14:00 she too weighed anchor and proceeded out to sea from Port Stanley. Once at sea she turned her bow north for Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital. The next two days were spent steaming north and on the 19th at 15:15 Invincible sighted SS Zero of London bound for Liverpool. The next vessel was a fully rigged ship at 18:40 and the last sighting that day was the SS Lobos  at 23:45.

The 16th was to bring  a sighting of land at 03:30 for the Inflexible, followed by Cape Pillar 24 miles.of her beam at 18:00. Cape Pillar is the Northwestern point of Desolation Isle in Chile, which in turn marks the western end of the Strait of Magellan. The following day at  21:30 the Cape Raper Lighthouse was noted in the log, and twenty minutes later HMS Glasgow and Bristol joined the lone battlecruiser, and took station 10miles on her port and starboard beams.

The 18th for Inflexible saw her steaming through the Pacific waters, searching for the Dresden, and at 09:08 she hove too to communicated with HMS Bristol and Glasgow. The at 10:10 the two smaller cruisers parted company. Twelve hours later Inflexible sighted the Whapa Lighthouse. London was to finally order the two battlecruisers to return home immediately on the 18th, and on the 19th Inflexible had received a further order for her to proceed to the Dardanelles.

At 08:45 on the 19th inflexible notes the sighting of unspecified   land bearing S70E in her log. Her first merchant ship in countries in a number of days was at 14:47. The log erroneously entry this as 2.47am. The ship worked her speed up to14 knots to enable her to close and investigate the  "coasting steamer".Cape Raper was sighted at 17:00 20 miles off her beam. The following day at 08:46 Inflexible altered her course and speed to close and investigate the SS Cafac of London. Devine service was held at 10:00am and by 20:00 she was carrying out sounding every fifteen minutes.

The 20th brought Invincible the SS Flores at 04:35 and after four days Invincible sailed into the port of Montevideo and at 05.55 let go her starboard anchor. Once anchored Invisible paid the traditional 21 gun salute (7) and at 08:00 the British Vice Consul paid a visit to the ship. At 10:15 the British Minister followed suit. While in port the ship took the opportunity to replenish her stores, and somehow at 14:00 a quarter of beef was lost overboard. After barely nine hours in port, Invincible raised anchor at 19:45 and proceeded back out to sea bound for Rio de Janeiro. The next day  at 12:15 brought Uraguay's Lobos Lighthouse into sight, followed at 14:35  by the British merchant ship, SS Ague, bound to St Vincent from Montevideo.

The 21st  December for inflexible brought steady southward steaming with Ildefonso sighted at 16:35, and at 05.10 the following day, land on the port beam. On the 22nd at 05:55 Cape St Bartholomew was noted at 17.1 miles off and Cape St Johnon Staten Island, part of the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago in Argentina abeam by 9 miles at 08:40.

On the 23rd  December Inflexible returned to Port Stanley. At 04:00 land was sighted land off her port bow, and 65 minutes late the East Falkland 's Cape Pembroke light house came into view  By 06:15 Inflexible was altering her course and speed to enter Port Stanley's harbour, anchoring at 07:10. The log only notes HMS Otranto being in harbour at that time. Otranto sailed later in the day at 16:00. The collier Ruperra came alongside at 08:15, joined 15 minutes later by the collier Royal Transport. Coaling was begun at 09:15 and twelve hours late (21:30) having received 2070 tons, coaling was completed.

The 22nd was to bring Invincible a number of sailing ship sightings and the steam ship SS Palmer warranted, at 08:48, a boat lowered to examine her cargo. The battlecruiser steamed on unhindered for the next two days, and on the 25th December (Merry Christmas) at 13:31 land was sighted at "red 60". The early hours (02:19) of the 26th  brought the "glare of Abrolhos Lighthouse N25½ E", and the ship came too with her port anchor at 05:27, followed by HMS Canopus three hours later (08:55). Canopus had sailed from the Falklands two days after Invincible, on the 18th, to return to her South American Station duties at the Abrolhos Rocks. For the Invincible's crew the day brought coaling from a collier moored alongside at 10:15, and the transfer of one corporal of marines to HMS Canopus (16:30). Coaling was complete at 23:00 and the collier was cast off.

Inflexible's Christmas Eve (24th) started with the two colliers shoving off at 06:00, and half an hour later the Otranto returned to port and anchored. With coaling and supplies on board, at 11:10 Inflexible raised her anchor and sailed from Port Stanley. She passed the Pembroke Point Light House by 1.9 miles at 12:03 and headed north into the South Atlantic and Gibraltar. .
Inflexible's Christmas day saw a Divine Service held at 09:30  and the most bizarre episode of the entire deployment. At 12:40 Matthew Wild, Stoker 1st class, O.N. K 12175, was seen to enter the sick bays w.c and was never seen again! Boxing day, the 26th, brought dense fog at 17:49 and the turret crews were closed up. The battlecruiser passed through a fog bank at 21:15, and reported the fog as having lifted by 21:25. By 55 minutes later another fog bank rolled passed the ship, lifting at 23:00.

The 27th December brought Invincible's second fatality of the deployment when at 01:35 William Laney, Stoker 1st class, K 19409 (PO), died of an unrecorded illness. Invincible weighed anchor at 05:50 and proceeded back out to sea, on route for Pernambuco. The next day (01:35) brought the neutral Dutch steamer Sakand sailing from Buenos Aires to Amsterdam and divine service at 16:00.  Invincible hove to at 16:14pm  and committed to the deep the body of William Laney, stoker 1st class in Lat 16º 41’S Long 37º 34’W. A  boarding party was despatched to SS Sute at 17:47  bound from Cape Verde to Montevideo with a cargo salt. As the day drew to a close, the course was adjusted at  21:05 to speak to the  SS Boston bound for Santes(?). The 27th for Inflexible  brought a 09:30 Divine Service and a day of uninterrupted northward progress.

The following day at 07:00 the battlecruisers log notes a passing American schooner. Then at 22:30 a change in her course and speed to investigate the merchant ship, SS Thessaly.
The 28th started early with a ship sighted at 01:10 running without lights off the port bow. Five minutes later action stations was sounded as Invincible closed an unidentified ship. She was found to be the SS Celtic. The next log entry I will quote in verbatim as clarity is not quite 100%; " Stores, wire destroyed during action Dec 8 by enemy's shell fire, heat from damaged ford. funnel & the blast of ships turrets which were constantly fired on extreme bearings. Flags Sig - 12 in no. Brooms hair 7 in no; Fire Buckets 6 - Blocks wood 5 - Hatchet 1 - Clocks Deck 3 - Claw Iron 1 - Coaling whips 4 & coaling ropes 11 - life buoys 8 - megaphone 2 - Fenders hazelwood large 6 - Buckets wood 2 - Fenders large 2 small 1 - Brooms Boss 20 - Coal shoots, Searchlight cases 2, gun cases 3 - life buoys 8".
Smoke was sighted at 14:40 and the Invincible changed her course at 16:35 to close a steamer. A ships boat was lowered to investigate the ship, which was revealed to be the  SS Bielaye-Mondi of Bilbao bound from Newport to Rosario(?) with a cargo of coal. The boat was re-hoisted back on board at 17:35.
The 29th brought Inflexible another sighting at 02:45, and a course alteration to investigate. For Invincible on the 29th at 10:15 saw a course for entering Pernambuco, dropping her port anchor at 11:08. Having been in port for just over five hours, she weighed anchor at 16:25 and proceeded back out to sea. The following day Invincible was at sea,and every five minutes around mid-day (12:30) she used her sounding machine.
The 30th for Inflexible brought at 13:02 a meeting while stopped with the AMC  HMS Celtic(8), and Lieutenant Commander VJ English joined the battlecruiser. Land was sighted at 16:30 off the port side.

The last day of 1914 was to see Inflexible arrive at the Abrolhos Islands. Her day started though at 02:35 with a passing steamship steering SW, and at 05:28 the Abrolhos Lighthouse was sighted on a bearing NE. Inflexible altered her course and speed at 06:32 to enter Abrolhos's anchorage, dropping her anchor at 07:00. HMS Canopus was at anchor on her arrival. The dreaded coaling commenced coaling from SS Indian Transport at 08:5555, and by 16:45pm was declared finished with 1420 tons received. Fifteen minutes later the anchor was raised, and as the crew cheered Canopus, the battlecruiser resumed her voyage.
Inflexible was taking soundings at 20:35 and  two hours later (22:30) she altered her course to investigate SS Elizabeth van Belgie of Antwerp.

Invincible's new years eve was to see her on route for St Vincent, She stopped and boarded the steamer Byron of Liverpool carrying  and passengers bound from New York to Buenos Aires (06:15).
The new year found Invincible still at sea, sailing for Pernambuco. The to the 3rd January 1915 were to be three days of steady uninterrupted steaming for the lone battlecruiser.
On the 1st January at 15:00 Inflexible altered course to investigate the Greek SS Khristophoros Vallianus and at 20:40 she passed  a steamship steering SW.The following day 12:45 shr passed another steamship bound to the southward. The next encounter at 15:00 is named as the Dutch SS Haemskerck of Rotterdam steering NE. The 3rd January brought at 06:30 a sighted Fernando Noronha Island 220 miles off Brazil coast line.Fernando Noronha peak was 22½ miles off at 08:55, and an hour later, Divine Service was held.

On the morning of the 4th January the ships entered St Vincent, anchoring at 06:26am in 12 fathoms. The ship prepared for coaling with a collier Indiana coming along side at 08:00, followed by a cordite lighter at 08:15.Preparing ship for coaling. HMS Highflyer entered harbour at 09.20, and after the crews mid day meal, at 13:00 ammunitioning ship was commenced. The Governor of St Vincent visited the Invincible at 17:00 to a 17 gun salute. The 4th brought an 08:45 course change for Inflexible as she closed to investigate the SS Martazan of Liverpool (9). With the investigation complete, the ships parted and the inflexible had a day of  uninterrupted steaming. The next two days were to bring inflexible steady unhindered sailing.
The following morning still at anchor in St Vincent (5th) at 07:30 Invincible's crew undertook the task of coaling. The AMC Marmora entered port at 09:30, followed at  17:10 by a second AMC, the SS Empress of Britain. Coaling was finally completed at 20:10.
The following day (6th) Invincible received 2 acting warrant officers, 1 C.P.O., 1 stoker & 1 prisoner into the crew at 10:00. In the mid-afternoon (15:18) Invincible weighed anchor and proceed out to sea, on her final leg for Gibraltar.

Fourteen hours after Invincible steamed out of  St Vincents harbour, the inhabitants watched as her twin ship inflexible entered the port at 05:30. At 3:20 her lookouts had sighted mountain peaks on the horizon, and by 05:20 she passed Point Machado Valofaman at a distance of 2.8 miles. It was 05:30 when Inflexible shaped her course and speed to enter the harbour. Her anchor rattled down into the seabed at 06:04. Within an hour (07:00) ammunition lighters and the collier Okehampton had come alongside. The hazardous work of coaling and  ammunitioning the ship was soon underway. The collier Venus came alongside at 16:00 and the crews started transferring her cargo into inflexible's hungry bunkers.

As inflexible's crew worked in St Vincent, the 7th January was to bring an encounter with a merchant ship for invincible. The encounter was,at 01:38 with the comment "a/c to close British steamer SS Penveran". Invincible was to run a full speed trial for the benefit of No 6 boiler roo  at 14:00.

On the 8 January  inflexible resumed her coaling at 05:15, with the task completed by 14:00 having received 1700 tons. During the day she transfered Commander E Wigram to the AMC Empress of Britain and Captain CEW Pyddoke and joined from the Empress of Britain for passage to Gibraltar. At 15:50 inflexible "cleared ship (“Empress of Britain”, “High Flyer” & “Vengeance”), and ten minutes later weighed and proceeded out to sea.

On the 8th at 08:00 Invincible altered her Walker log to correspond with the Forbes log. At 10:45 she sighted the Maspalomas Lighthouse N35E. The day was spent steaming towards Europe and Gibraltar. The ships passed Isla Palmas light at 12:20 on the 9th, followed by Areynaga Lighthouse (13:25) and the  Fuerte Ventura Lighthouse (16:05).
On the 9th Inflexible altered her course at 09:05 to investigate the SS King Idwal, which was to go on to be sunk by a mine in November 1917.

On the 10th invincible sighted a steamer heading southward at 02:05 and between 13:30 and 19:30 Invincible carried out a "steam trial in No 2 stokehold". For inflexible the only note worthy event was a Divine Service at 09:30. The following morning at 06:15 Inflexible sighted Maspalomas Light of the Las Palmas off her port bow. Areynaga Point was passed at 7.3 miles at 08:41 and a further land sighting was reported at 10:51. Jandia Point in the Canary island was passed 20 miles off the abeam at 20 miles at 11:45. The Canary Pechiguera Point was sighted 14 off at miles 15:55 followed at 18:35 by Delgada Point Light.

The 11 January was to see Invincible finally arrive at the British Base of Gibraltar. She had sighted the  Cape Spartel Light N84E at 03:15, and at 08.40 passed HMS Inconstant leaving harbour, followed ten minutes later by HMS Penelopeby. Invincible made fast to the South Mole abreast of No4 shed at 09:35.
She discharged 7 cases to hospital (11:35), and noted HMS Prince George berthed alongside the mole at 12:25. A French Commodore came on board at 14:3030, as the AMC Calgarian left the mole and proceeded to sea. Invincible was made fast in a dock, with shore's placed and gate shut by 17:30.
Invincible first full day at Gibraltar (12th) started with Amphitrite leaving dock and at 11:15 the Governor came on board, departing at 12:30.
The 13th started for Inflexible and company at 06:50 with a sighting of land to the east. At 08:46 Inflexible altered her course by 1 point to starboard to avoid steamship and resumed her course at 08:51.Cape Spartels, (Morocco) Light House, the most western boundary of the Mediterranean was sighted at 11:43  2.3 miles off the beam.Tarifa Light House, the nearest point of Morocco to Spain was passed by 1.9 miles at 13:04. Finally the Inflexible altered her course at 13:40 to enter Gibralter's examination  harbour, and at 14:05 she anchored in the British colony. Once securely anchored  Lieutenant KFD Acland  was transferred to HMS Prince George, and Captain Pyddoke to the RN Hospital. Inflexible weighed anchor at 17:15 and entered Gibraltar harbour, securing herself 45 minutes later to no 4 berth, South Mole. With the ship along side the captain authorised the issuing of local leave.

Inflexible's bunker replenishment was resumed at 05:15 the following morning and with further 974 tons transfered coaling was declared complete at 14:00.  Two of Invincible's acting warrant officers were discharged (09:30) to HMS Prince George and (11:00) one stoker rating to hospital. At 12:2 HMS Prince George  berth and anchored alongside the  detached mole. Inflexible's day was centred on replenishment with ammunitioning coming aboard ship first. At 07:35 HMS Caesar slipped her moorings and steamed past on her way out to sea, followed 55 minutes later by Inconstant & Penelope. Inflexible also discharged 2 cot cases & 7 ratings to hospital. Mid-morning (10:40) the battlecruiser was transfered to a berth under a crane. She was able now to use the crane to ammunition the ship & getting on board a new main derrick. With the magazines replenished, at 04:30 she transfered once more, but this time to No 3 coaling jetty.

On the 15th at 18:00 HMS Caesar arrived in port. There were more shipping movements on the 16th with French Cruiser Cassard (07:30) and the cruiser HMS Amphitrite (10:00) ( cruiser of 11,000 tons was launched in 1898 at the Vickers yard in Barrow-in-Furness. Her nickname was ‘am & tripe’. She survived the war to be sold in 1920.
)proceeding to sea. Inflexible started her crews day with loading of provisions & stores at 06:00. She was to receive during the day she received 11,500 lbs of fresh meat and 20,000 lbs of vegetables. At 08:15 she landed a 'picket house party'.  A diving boat was rigged, and  divers carried out Inflexible's monthly exercise.   The late afternoon was to witness further shipping movements HMS Edinburgh Castle (11)sailing at 16:30, HMS Caesar arriving 17:00 and  HMS Victorian arriving 17:53. On the 17th Inflexible (18:00) three ratings joined from RN hospital.
On the 18th January Lieutenant Commander English was discharged at 09:30 from Inflexible and at noon the crew was employed shifting the shop ship from No 8 shed to No 7 shed and testing main derrick. They were also busy employed drawing new boats & stores.
Finally at 18:04 Inflexible cast off & proceeded out of harbour,& anchored in the  examination anchorage at 18:26. Finally at 21:16 she weighed anchor and sailed eastward into the Mediterranean and the Gallipoli campaign.

On the 18th Invincible (11:15) discharged 3 men to hospital  A patrol returned one absent crew from the Inflexible on the19th (11:30), and at 13:00 he was discharged absentee from Inflexible to Cormorant, followed by two further absentees from Inflexible being discharged to Cormorant (21:20). The 20th was to see (10:30) a patrol to returned with 1 absentee and an 'Admonished' was issued to Mr Philip J Jones, signal boatswain, for being absent without leave on Thursday January 19th. On the 22nd (17:30) one C.P.O. was discharged to Penelope. HMS Argonaut entered dock on the 25th (09:00), and 3 stokers and 1 marine discharged to detention (13:35). A section of marines was sent ashore on the 26th (09.00) for drill, and a rating joined a the ship from hospital (17:00).On the 27th two cot cases were sent to Gibraltars.The following day (28th) HMS Cordelia arrived in port at 09:10 and Lieutenant R.H.E.M.P. de Lisle joined the ship at 13:00. An hour later three further ratings were discharged to the hospital.

The 28th was also to be the day when (15:30) Vice Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee KCB, CVO, CMG left the ship that had flown his flag for the past few month, with him went  Paymaster C.S. Johnson, secretary, Lt. R. Blake, Commander E.B.S. Bingham, and Clerk Duckworth. Invincible was now a 'private' ship.

The next day (08:55) AMC Carmania, (09:00) HMS Sapphire and (10:15) HMMC Calgarian arrived in port with (08:20) HMS Dartmouth the following day. In the afternoon of the 28th  (14:30) four artificer boys joined the ship.
The 1st of the new month (February) saw (17:40) HMS Bacchante arrive and (18:00) HMS Cornwallis depart from the naval base. On the 2nd (12:20) HMS Baccante sailed and at 17:00 a rating joined the ship from hospital.  On the 5th February the dock holding Invincible was flooded at 14:45.
HMS Cornwall departed (10:50) Gibraltar on the 6th Two days later Invincible commenced restocking her magazines at 08:00. The 9th (04:00) was to be a day of cleaning ship and Ammunitioning being continued. On the 9th (07:40) HMS Caesar sailed from the port. Invincible slipped from the jetty on the 10th at 07:30 and proceeded to th3 detached mole. At 08:55 the collier Calcutta was secured alongside. At 09:15 HMS Queen Elizabeth steamed into Gibraltar and  at 10:00 Invincible's crew commenced coaling. The Spanish dreadnought Espana anchored (11:15) in Algeciras Bay. Coaling was stopped for the night at 19:30 and resumed the next morning at 06:00am. After 24 hours of the bunkers being filled, coaling was finished at 10:10, and Calcutta shoved off at 13:00. HMS Pelorus arrived (14:15) and anchored, followed by HMS Queen Elizabeth (16:20) arriving once more. HMS Pelorus departed the next morning at 06:20, but  HMS Euryalus (13:25) and HMS Pelorus (17:35) entered port.

On the 13th February HMS Cordelia proceeded (03:10) from the harbour, and at 06:40 HMS Pelorus sailed again. But at 10:1515 the French Naval ship Fuant(?) entered harbour. But the big departure of the day was HMS Invincible herself who sailed from Gibraltar at 14:05 and made passage for Scapa Flow.

The next few days were to pass without any notable incidents, until on the 17th when  at 17:35 Invincible sighted and challenged HMS Juno. Her next encounter was the following day at 16.12 with the armed boarding ship Eskimo. At 04:18 'a/c' towards Eskimo, challenge and demand answered. As the day drew to a close and Invincible steamed ever northward she sighted Butt of Lewis Lighthouse at 23:30. Finally on the 19th February 1915 at 06:00 HMS Invincible steamed back into Scapa Flow and rejoined the Grand Fleet and having anchored with the trusty port anchor,commenced.....coaling.
1a: The Latona was a cruiser that had been launched in 1890, and since 1907 had served at a mine layer in 1907. She was to survive the war and be sold for scrap in 1920.HMS Argyll was one of six Devonshire-class armoured cruisers, but she was not see combat, running aground in October 1915).

1:The battlecruiser Princess Royal was detached from the Grand Fleet on the 12th November to reinforce the North Atlantic and Caribbean Squadrons in the search for Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.The Princess Royal arrived at Halifax on 21 November, then spent several days off New York City before she steamed down to the Caribbean to guard against the possibility that Graf Spee would use the Panama Canal. With the The East Asia Squadron sunk on the 7th  December, the Princess Royal left Kingston, Jamaica to sail to the UK on 19 December.

2:The Defence  was a cruiser of 14,800 tons, and was to be sunk at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. Her rear magazine was hit and the fire spread to other magazines which exploded. There were no survivors.

3:Orama was a 13000 ton ocean liner that had been requisitioned and converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser. She was to be torpedoed in 1917 and sunk with the loss of five lives.

4:Errington Court was a cargo ship completed in 1909, and after several changes of ownership she was to be seized by the Japanese in WW2, then torpedoed and sunk in 1942 by USS Trout.

5:ORAMA was a short lived ship. She was 12,927 gross tons, length 569ft x beam 64.2ft, two funnels, two masts, triple screw, speed 18 knots, accommodation for 240-1st, 210- 2nd and 630-3rd class passengers. Built by John Brown & Co, Clydebank, she was launched for the Orient Line on 28th Jun.1911. On 10th Nov.1911 she started her maiden voyage from London via Suez to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and stayed on this service until 1914 when she was commissioned as an Armed Merchant Cruiser. On 19th Oct.1917 she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U.62 south of Ireland while escorting a convoy.

6:A Flinders Bar is a vertical soft iron bar placed in a tube on the fore side of a compass binnacle. It helps to counteract the inherent magnetism of the ship and was devised by Mathew Flinders, an early explorer of Australia.(increased to 19½).

7:The custom stems from naval tradition, where a warship would fire its cannons harmlessly out to sea, until all ammunition was spent, to show that it was disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent.

8: HMS Celtic was an Armed Merchant Cruiser of 20,904 tons built in 1901 by Harland and Wolff in Belfast. Later she was reclassified as a troopship. Despite striking a mine in 1917 and being torpedoed in 1918 she was repaired and completed the war. She was returned to civilian service, ran aground in 1928 and was scrapped in situ.

9: SS Martazan was a cargo ship of 3,477 tons. She sank off Cape Verde in 1917 after colliding with the Italian steamer Monte Blanco.

10: merchant vessel of 13,362 tons, was launched in 1910 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast. She was requisitioned in 1914 and returned in 1919. She was requisitioned again in 1939 and used as an accommodation ship in Freetown, Sierra Leone. At the end of the war it was considered uneconomic to transport her to a scrap yard