Source: File: Frederick
Joseph Rutland, who was to play a role in WWII, for the Japanese. See an original image at: <https://acidhistory.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/rutland-sempill/> [Accessed 14
August 2016]
Source: File: Rutland
of the RNAS photographed returning to HMS Engadine, after "his valuable
reconnaissance at Jutland",1916. See an original
image at: <http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=143000> [Accessed 14
August 2016]
Parallel
to war overland, came
Equal
encounters for navy’s at sea,
1916 - the Royal Navy's Grand fleet
Encountered
the imperial German
Navy
- by full-scale encounters
Of
battleships in intensity of tactics,
From
May into June.
Among
the naval crew, Lieutenant
Frederick Joseph
Rutland, took
Part in North Sea
action at Jutland -
Close
to a peninsula of Denmark.
An experienced
officer, he began
His
career as `Boy Seaman’ aged
15
in 1901.
By
age of 28, 1914, Rutland was
A
Flight Sub Lieutenant in Royal
Naval
air force, becoming lieutenant
At
time of Jutland, on HMS Engadine.
Then
a craft carrier of hangers
And
seaplanes, in reconnaissance
And
bombing missions.
Taking
orders to take on a search
Of
North Sea, 30 May 1916 - along
With
an observer, Rutland made
Flight - within 23 minutes sighting
German
cruisers and destroyers -
Signalling
his discovery, to continue
Until
a fault forced them down.
Making
repairs ready to take off,
An
order came to taxi seaplane
Across
to the carrier - this he did
Though
the reports made failed
To
reach Battle squadron flag ship,
Rutland's actions, by flying close
To
enemy gained him DSC.
Being
a member of the grand fleet
HMS
Warrior, along with HMS
Defence, was in the midst of battle.
Closing in on SMS Wiesbaden that
Had suffered damage, becoming
Stuck
between fleets; in a vulnerable
Position was then spotted.
SMS Derfflinger
who, with four
Other battleships,
turned attack
On Naval ships -
with intense
Fire German
salvos hit Defence
To rupture
magazines - a fire
Spread in
detonations of other
Magazines; the
ship exploded.
THe crew of 900
men were lost -
HMS Defence was
still a target
Of shells, until
Derfflinger and
Others turned
towards to HMS
Warspite - now
Warrior was
Under severe
damage, with fires
And flooding.
Yet Warrior held
on as engines
Kept going
westward - heavily
Crippled into the
evening 31 May.
HMS Engadine came to assist -
The seaplane
carrier struggled
To tow Warrior,
due to jammed
Rudder, to lay alongside.
From evenings
light into dark,
Engadine
continued to tow
The
disabled ship - slowly
Across
the sea the smaller
Engadine
pulled Warrior
Into
the early morning hours,
Until
situation worsened.
Flooding
of warrior increased,
Quite
evident that within time
She
would sink - 8 a.m. orders
Were made to
abandon her -
Engadine
closed the gap ready
To
take crew onboard - a transfer
Of
675 succeeded.
Egadine's
crew observed and
Assisted
in such a tricky task.
Lieutenant
Rutland provided
Assistance, as the most seriously
Wounded
conveyed by stretchers,
To number 30,
began.
Any transfer in
rough waters was
Hazardous - a sinking
unstable
Warrior could
collide with Egadine.
One by one the
stretchers passed
Over - then one
wounded sailors
Stretcher tipped,
throwing him into
Water - Rutland
reacted.
Two officers
under command
Of the Warrior were ordered
Not to jump after
him - effectively
The man was lost
- Lieutenant
Rutland had other
thoughts -
As he got numbers
of men
To hold a rope.
Discarding cap
and coat, with
A bowline about
waist, Rutland
Had no hesitation
to go over
The rail - down,
down between
The ships that
channeled rough
Waters - into the
moving gap
That threatened
to crush both.
He saw the man in
the water -
Lost sight of him
briefly, then
He reappeared - from
the ships
Forepart, Rutland
hit the sea
And began to swim
aft, fighting
Against swelling,
resistant water,
He reached out.
He held the man as those above
Took his signal
and heaved
Them both free of the thrashing
Water, to reach
deck in safety.
Versions of reports
of the time
Told how the sailor
had been
Crushed and died.
An announcement
some months
Later, from The
London Gazette,
Told How King
George awarded
Lieutenant
Rutland for bravery
And determination, in the rescue
Against great odds
- decorated
With the gold Albert
medal, first
Class for
lifesaving.
By Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Magnificent
Bravery - Hero Of The Jutland Fright. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 7 August 1916. P.8. Col.3. Available at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12212591/Daily-Telegraph-August-12-1916.html>
[Accessed: 14 August 2016].
Source: File:
Frederick Rutland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Available at:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Rutland> [Accessed 14 August
2016
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication,
14 August 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Jutland
