HMS Bedford [Archive] - World Naval Ships Forums

14-01-2009, 20:35

I was thinking about the photos I posted above, and had a look to see if there was any more information I could dig up about the loss of HMS Bedford on the rocks. The following is abstracted from the diary of the Commander in Chief of the China Station at the time, Vice Admiral Alfred L Winsloe (previously the commanding officer of HMS Ophir on the tour of the colonies with the Duke and Duchess of York in 1901).

In a letter dated 26th August 1910, the Vice Admiral had just visited the wreck of HMS Bedford on the Samarang Rocks, and with the assistance of the commanding officer of HMS Bedford, the officers of the ship, the Chief Naval Constructor from the Japanese naval base at Sasebo and some Japanese divers, had ascertained that the Bedford was flooded throughout every compartment, the sea rising above the main deck.

The ship is resting heavily on the keel and is cradled on low rocks from about station 28 to station 29, and on the starboard side the vessel is resting heavily on rocks between stations 39 and 51.

HMS Bedford was estimated to have been maintaing a speed of 20 knots at the time of the grounding and this has caused an "enormous" gash on the starboard side, approximately 30 feet long, and between 10 and 15 feet wide from fore to aft. At least four bulkheads are "very badly damaged" and the bottom structure of the ship is "very badly deformed" around the largest hole, extending over a length of at least 50 feet. Other damage includes a "smaller" hole of 6 feet by 4 feet, on the starboard side of the forward boiler room.

It is reckoned that any salvage attempt would prove extremely difficult :

The salvage of the vessel, with the best appliances and a large number of well qualified divers, even under the most favourable conditions of weather, with the necessary assistance from the Imperial Japanese Dockyard at Sasebo an the resources of H.M. Fleet, will be a long operation extending over a period of many months, and will entail considerable cost; and although at the time of writing the swell is but moderate and would admit of a diver working - say - for about three hours a day yet there is every indication that the work of salvage will be entirely dependent on weather conditions, and will frequently require to be abandoned on that account.

Here are two sketches by the divers illustrating the damage to HMS Bedford:

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/images/hmsbedford_damage1.jpg

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/images/hmsbedford_damage2.jpg

The next part of the story comes from a letter dated 31st August 1910, again from Vice Admiral Alfred L Winsloe to the Admiralty. He writes, from HMS Minotaur, that the officers and men of HMS Bedford are to be sent home to England aboard SS Nubia, with the names of the officers, and numbers of men telegraphed to the Admiralty on departure of the ship from Hong Kong. He also writes that four cutters were lent to SS Nubia from the Bedford, but "should not go beyond Hong Kong unless it is considered desirable".

Among operational proceedings for the salvaging of items from HMS Bedford, he mentions certain specifics of the task, including the chartering of SS Yunnan at the rate of £60 a day, to take salvaged stores to Hong Kong. Transporting the Bedford's steamboats required that certain modifications were made to the chartered ship, and that the damage / repair work should be paid for by the Admiralty. The wreck of the Bedford, the Vice Admiral writes, is due to be turned over to the Mitsu Bishi Yard for further salvage on 2nd September 1910, with any further stores salved being turned over at Hong Kong at a rate of 20% of their value. Finally, he mentions that a handful of crew are to be left behind:

The Carpenter, Gunner and an Artificer Engineer of Bedofrd, each with their storekeepers, (6 persons in all), have been left in the salvage steamer to point out where the stores are stowed in Bedford and to watch operations on behalf of the Admiralty. They should be sent home when their work is completed, the officers by freight if there is no probability of government opportunity and the men by first man-of-war.

In one final document, the Vice Admiral commends the kindness of the Japanese for their help in the Bedford incident:

I have the honour to report that nothing could have exceed the kindness of the Japanese Naval Authorities since the accident to H.M. Ship Bedord. The Minister of Marine telegraphed to me that all the resources of the Dockyard at Sasebo were at my disposal and Admiral Dewa, the Commander in Chief at that port, sent lighters, a transport with divers and dockyard workmen, and also a cruiser to offer help.

The 6" guns of the Bedford were transported using the lighters supplied by the Japanese, and the Vice Admiral requested that thanks be given by the Admiralty for the assistance rendered.

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List of items salved from the Bedford:

HULL AND FITTINGS ETC

Top masts - 2
Topgallant mast - 2
Top-sail Yards - 2
Lower Yards - 2
56ft Steam Boat - 1
40ft Steam Boat - 1
42ft Sailing Launch - 1
36ft Sailing Pinnace - 1
32ft Cutter - 2
Sun Awnings - 9
Side Screens ~9
Boat's Gear
Iron Blocks on Wireless Masts - 8
Coaling purchases - 3
luffs - 4
Coaling Whips - 8
Catting pendants - 2
Chain Cables - 29 Shackles
Swivel Pieces - 2
Mooring Swivel - 1
30ft Cutter - 1
26ft Cutter - 1
32ft Gig - 1
27ft Whaler - 1
16ft Skiff - 1
Balsa Raft - 1
Rigging, Fore and Main - Complete
Windsails - 15
Hawser Reels - 2
Hawsers - 4
Picking up wire - 1
Towing wire - 1
Bower Anchors - 2
Stream Anchor - 1
Kedge Anchor - 1
Blake Stoppers - 4
Clear Hawser Slip - 1
Cat Hooks - 1

Metal Goamings and Mushroom Tops, most of the blocks from Davit Heads, all metal stanchions from bridge and ladders, all copper voice-piping obtainable, numerous items of cabin and mess furniture including tables, chairs, chests of drawers, washstands etc.

ENGINEER'S STORES

Fore Bridge Steering Gear and Telegraphs
Conning Tower Steering Gear and Telegraphs
Tell Tales
Syrens and stop-valves of same
Waste steam and atmosphere exhaust pipes
Ash-hoist engines, 6 in number
Voice Pipes from upper deck
Oil fuel supply hoses
High pressure test pump for air compressors
56 Coal Trolleys
9 Spare Evaporator Coils
Fire main stop valves and pipes
Tools and various small stores recovered by divers

GUNS AND ARMAMENT

Guns, 6-inch - 14
12pdr 12owt - 8
12pdr 8owt - 1
3pdr - 3
sub-calibre - 6 or 7
Maxims - 2
Dismounting Bogies - 2 sets
6-inch Gun Mountings, Cradles - 13
6-inch revolving brackets - 6
12pdr Mountings - 8
3pdr Mountings - 3
Maxim mountings - 2

All gear stripped off three of the four 6-inch mountings not themselves salved. All gear stripped from the 6-inch twin mountings. All gun-sights, except spare stowed in Ammn Passages, and spare parts stowed on the walls of the Casemates.

Pistols, Rifles, Swords, Bayonets, Cutlasses
Diving Gear
Aiming Tubes
All Telescopes of Guns
Leather Gear stowed in Rifle Racks, and all small gear stowed in Casemates
9ft Rangefinder - 1
4.5ft Rangefinder - 1

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From After Transmitting Room:
Range receivers and transmitters - 13
Range clocks - 2
Navyphones - 4
Dumaresq - 1
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From foremost transmitting room:
Receivers and transmitters - 13
Range clock - 1
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TORPEDO AND ELECTRICAL FITTINGS

Torpedoes, 14-inch RGF X - 4
Torpedoes, 18-inch RGF IV - 8
Torpedoes, 18-inch RGF III - 1
Gyros - 4
Gyro spare part box - 1
Box of Pioneers - 1
Torpedo Directors - 2
Test pump for air reservoirs - 1
Gyro testing table - 1
Searchlight, 24-inch - 8
Divergent lenses for do. - 6
Coaling arc lamps - 4

All wireless telegraphy instruments complete, and spare parts do., except for the two motor alternators.
800yds of spare aerial wire.
All fire control instruments and spare parts.
Gongs for L.Q.F. control and gear for modifying.
All heavy gunfire gongs, and Captain's cease fire gongs.
All nayphones from turrets, casemates, and fore transmitting room.
Motors and controllers for coaling winches.
12.5-inch ventilating fan motor for dynamo room.
Spare armature.
Bakery Kneader Motor.
Blacksmith's Forge Motor and Controller.
Circular Saw Motor.
After Turret Training Motor and Controller.
Armature for Fore Turret Training Motor.
Spare coils and armatures for small motors.
Pittler Lathe for Electrician's Workshop.
Electrician's Tool Chest.
Sullivan's Galvanometer and shunts.
Bridge Megger and shunt box.
Masthead flashing lamp.
Helm Indicator Receivers - 2
Cabin Fans - 32
Coil of 726 wire.
Small coils of silk covered wire - 2
600yds of pattern 1100 cable
1000yds of pattern 1207 cable
400yds of pattern 1200 cable
1000yds of pattern 841 cable.

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