Mexborough and Swinton Times, July 8, 1916

Swinton Sailor in the Battle
Swinton Seaman’s Experience off Horn’s Reef

Seaman Frank Ball

Seaman Frank Ball (H.M.S. Marlborough) of 13 Prince Street, Swinton, who took part in the North Sea fight, is home on leave.

Another brother William, has been home also. He is a stoker in the Navy.

Seaman F. Ball sends us the following account of his experience off Horn’s Reef:

The Germans boastfully proclaimed that they had sunk H.M.S. Marlborough. That was not truw, but on the other hand, we dealt some very smashing blows after getting to the relief of the battle cruiser squadron.

We sighted seven cruisers disappearing, and some of them were in a damaged condition.

We opened fire at a battleship of the Kaiser class, and flames immediately broke out on the vessel, and a cloud of smoke arose. A cruise which was in flames then hid our quarry from view. A big cruiser with one funnel gone was the next Hun vessel we tackled, and other ships at the same time gacve her a pounding.

The German vessels were making off as fast as they could into the mist and taking advantage of the clouds of smoke scattered over the sea. The Germans altered course repeatedly, and had all the advantage of weather conditions.

While we were following up we were hit by a torpedo. We were not disabled however and obtained revenge by ripping open the side of a cruiser with a few broadsides. We could clearly see the flames in her hull as we left her, totally disabled and in a sinking condition. The torpedo boats then got to work and we put two out of action.

We were in action three hours, and while shells were flying all around and about us we were only hit bu one., which knocked a little paint off. The aim of the Gerans was decidedly bad. The torpedo killed twop men and they were the only casualtie we suffered.

Te crew, who behaved splendidly, enjoyed the fight. Some of the gun crews were stripped to the waist, while in one stokehold the men worked up to the waist in water.

The German losses, we are convinced, were much greater than ours.