The Dogger Bank Incident

[qprdave]

On 21 October 1904, while steaming past Great Britain (an ally of Japan but neutral in this war), vessels of the Russian Fleet nearly provoked war with Britain in the Dogger Bank incident by firing on British fishing boats that they mistook for enemy torpedo boats.

Published in The Time on 24th/25th October 1904

[qprdave]

Reported in The Times 26th October 1904

[qprdave]

Reported in The Times 27th October 1904

[astraltrader]

Thanks for that interesting information Dave.

There are some postcards and photographs of this incident that can be seen by going to this thread in the forum - post#21 onwards....

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1229&highlight=tsushima&page=2

The Russian fleet was of course steaming en route to their eventual destruction at the hands of the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of Tsushima Straits.

[steve roberts]

Hi Dave.Brilliant article.I recall reading about this in "The Fleet That Had To Die". How the Russians thought that Japanese Torpedo Boat Destroyers were in the North Sea defies belief.I Know a lot of IJNS Ships were built in England,but how naive to think we would let them operate from English ports!
Regards Steve.

[astraltrader]

A good book Steve which I read earlier on this year.

[John Odom]

Thanks! It is so interesting to read contemporary accounts. Much more interesting than history-book accounts.

[MelQuick]

Hi Dave

I also read 'The Fleet That had to Die'. One of the interesting facts I remember from the book was that one class of battleships were so overweight that their armoured belts were some way below the water line!

Mel

[astraltrader]

Yes some of the Russian battleships were really not fit to steam out of their home ports yet alone take on a round the world voyage!!

[John Odom]

What was the final resolution? Did Russia offer compensation?

[qprdave]

John

I do have daily reports of the inquiry that took place in 1905 starting January and finishing in March. If you are interested, then I will post it.

[qprdave]

Here is the daily reports that The Times Publish about the Dogger Bank Incident (Or North Sea Incident)

The first two are pre inquiry reports in Decemmber 1904

[qprdave]

The Dogger Bank Part one

3rd, 10th, 11th, 12th January 1905

[qprdave]

The Dogger Bank Inquiry

14th, 19th, 20th, 21st January 1905

[qprdave]

The Dogger Bank Inquiry

26th, 27th January 1905
2nd, 3rd February 1905

[qprdave]

The Dogger Bank Incident 14th February 1905
The North Sea Inquiry 14th February 1905

[qprdave]

The Dogger Bank Inquiry

23rd, 24th, 25th February 1905

[qprdave]

The Dogger Bank Inquiry - The Findings

27th February 1905

As the findings were published in French, I have retained it. The English translation comes after it

[qprdave]

The Dogger Bank Inquiry Follow up

28th February 1905
1st, 2nd March 1905

[John Odom]

It seems to support the idea that eyewitness testimony is NOT reliable! Such differing versions! The commission did a masterful job of softening their opinion, to avoid hurting the Russian Admiral.

Did the boat owners, the wounded and the families of the dead ever get compensation?

[qprdave]

I believe the outcome was more politically motivated than just compensation for a few fishing boats. Possibly, if the outcome resulted in a victory for the Russians. What might have happened? If Britain went to war against the Russians, would other countries get involved? Could we have had a WWI in 1905 instead of 1914. Would the Germans have sided with the British?

I think that the last thing that the Russians wanted was a war with the most powerful country in the world at that time! With the war against Japan, I think that it was inconceivable that the Russians wanted conflict with Britain.

Also, during the war, say 1907, would the Russians have had a revolution? If not then the Russian Royal family might still control the country.

It's fascinating with all the what if's how much the world that we know it today would be so different. If this had been WWI then, perhaps, a very young man called Adolf Hitler might not have been dissolutioned enough to cause the downfall off the German Government therefore, possibly no WWII

The mind boggles

Dave

[qprdave]

Here is the inquiry held by the Board of Trade Commencing on the 15th November 1904

The Dates in the post are actual dates of inquiry. Dates on the file are publishing dates in The Times

[qprdave]

Dogger Bank Incident Inquiry 16th November 1904

[qprdave]

Dogger Bank Incident Inquiry 17th November 1904

[qprdave]

Dogger Bank Incident Inquiry 18th November 1904

[qprdave]

Dogger Bank Incident Inquiry 20th November 1904