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Shilka -> RE: OT: Lucky or Unlucky? (3/24/2021 11:50:13 AM)
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I think these armored cruisers were near the end of their life and heading to the scrapper, designed in 1900 or so and with a top speed of 21kt they weren't that useful except maybe in some colonial duties or patrolling at best. And still they carried a complement of over 700 which would've been better utilized in newer ships. Still, it was a massive catastrophe for the Royal Navy and a loss of skilled sailors.
Mine warfare was also much more utilized in WW1 and caused huge pain to the RN. Losing HMS Audacious was another major catastrophe, and it happened in the Irish sea. They adopted a policy of putting any German POWs to the bow compartments, so if they hit a mine they would be the first to go.
Another horrible event is the Battle of Dogger Bank where the German BC squadron included the slower Blücher armored cruiser. It got left behind, the British managed to slow it down, cripple and overtake it. As the rest of Hipper's battle cruisers escaped, Jellicoes BC squadron took their frustration on the Blücher, firing 10s or 100s of rounds of different caliber shells at point blank range on the cruiser. Still there was a few survivors and they produced an account of their experience aboard, which needless to say was a living hell. BC Seydlitz got a rear turret hit, which caused a flash fired and burned out the other rear turret next to it. The magazines were flooded with over 500 tonnes of water yet they managed to keep their speed and escape.
(https://www.amazon.com/Castles-Steel-Britain-Germany-Winning-ebook/dp/B000FBJDG6 good book of all these events if interested).
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