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On New years day at 0225hours, two and a half hours into the New Year over 500 men lost there lives at the hand of U24 (Kapitanleutnant Rudolph Schneider) HMS Formidable, one of eight battleships of the 5th
Battle Squadron were steaming down the English Channel and flanked by two light cruiser The squadron under the command of Vice-Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly had been ordered by the Admiralty to the channel for firing
practice, on New Years eve the squadron manoeuvred into Lyme Bay, The crews thought they would be in Portland Harbour that night, but Vice-Admiral Bayly decided to keep the squadron at sea, They were heading west at 10
knots about 20miles of Start Point in line formation with Formidable to the rear. None of the squadron knew that they had been watched for most of the day, and U24 had been waiting for the right time to strike. At
2,20am
a torpedo from U24 struck the starboard side of Formidable under her fore funnel, smashing a hole in her, instantly plunging her in to darkness as her dynamos were destroyed, she started to list to the
starboard, the crew tried to lower the life boats as another torpedo hit her on the port side, ripping a huge hole in her, she was now taking on water fast, and at 0445hrs she capsized and sank,
taking with her 547 men. NOTES. Formidable was built on 17th November 1898,Formidable class battleship, C,O, Capt A.N.Loxley RN. Flagship of Vice-Admril Sir Lewis Bayly. Location, English Channel.25miles off
Portland.(Start Point) 50 11 00N 03 06 00W, Casualties 547. Survivors 233. She now lies in 65mtrs of water upside down. She can be dived out of Lyme Bay on the "Blue Turtle. |
