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(World War I) Autograph Manuscript Signed, by English Lieutenant (later Captain) James Fraser Sha...

Currency:USD Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:NA Estimated At:750.00 - 1,000.00 USD
(World War I) Autograph Manuscript Signed, by English Lieutenant (later Captain) James Fraser Sha...
(World War I) Autograph Manuscript Signed, by English Lieutenant (later Captain) James Fraser Shaw, Senior Engineer on board Admiral Sturdee's flag-ship the "Invincible", 13 separate pages, Dec 10, 1914, 4to. An incredible account of the naval battle between England and Germany at the Falkland Islands, which was sent home to his sister. In very small part, "...We arrived at the Falkland Islands about 10 a.m. on Monday 7th...anchored in a bay called Port Stanley...The Canopus was moored (actually resting in the mud) in such a position as to command the entrance to the harbor...a floating fort...The squadron consisted of Inflexible, Invinciple (battle crusiers 12" guns), Carnarvon...Cornwall & Kent...orders were given to raise steam...As soon as the men heard of the Germans they needed no hurrying to get below...opened fire on the enemy, keeping them at a distance...The enemy steamed off to wait...Their squadron consisted of Scharnhorst, Gneisenau (heavy armored Crusiers, 8" guns)...Their idea apparently was to bombard this place, sink every thing afloat...They had no idea of any battle cruisers being any nearer than the Mediterranean...we began to close with the enemy...our first shots struck the Nurenberg and sank her...the Glascow and Cornwall sank the Leipzig...Scharnhorst and Gneisenau turned...to fight us...their guns were very much outranged by ours and also we had the speed...there we were, pounding away at these two ships...They replied of course and did a good deal of damage...The Scharnhorst was sunk about 4:40 p.m....She went on fighting to the end...The Gneisenau went down at 6 p.m.. She had actually fired away all her ammunition...to make certain...that she should fall into our hands they fired a torpedo from their submerged tube...and so flooded that compartment...we three rushed up to pick up any survivors...picked up about 80...Several...were already gone...They were buried yesterday..." Much, much more. Shaw received special promotion to Commander for his part in the sinking of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After World War I he became head of the Fuel Research station at Greenwich, becoming well known for the scientific work achieved there under his direction. Manuscript has been silked for preservation. Boldly penned and easily read. $750-1,000