H.M.S. Gloucester
Monday.8th.
Dear Mother.
V. many thanks for your letter.- So you have been having scares already – how frightfully exciting! All our fine weather is over it seems for the present – & the last 2 days we have had a proper gale blowing – Heavens it was cold – & the worst of it was we had to go to sea one night in it & I’ve never known this ship roll so much- we had to come back as it was too much- I haven’t got much in my cabin – but all I had was bumping about on the deck in the water & to add to the amusement – I had a bottle of some Eau de cologne that broke & all mixed with the water on the deck, so you can imagine the smell – I couldn’t help laughing though –
Rather sad – the other morning when we were coming into harbour we lost a man overboard – & we never saw him again- I wrote to George Moodie & got a letter back from him 2 days ago – he is at the front again.
What do you think of the latest German announcement? Doesn’t look safe for anyone to be on the ocean nowadays, does it. I hope they won’t last out much longer though.
I really have absolutely no more news. My very best love to you all.
Ever your loving son
Paul.
Transcript of the Gloucester’s Log:
2 February 1915
Scapa Flow
Lat 58.9, Long -3.1
5.50am Sighted Pentland Skerries & Noss Hd Lt
6.35am Skerries Lt abeam, cos as reqte for Scapa Flow
7.05am Man overboard from Steam cutter. Stopped as reqte. Lowered cutter & steam cutter
7.25am Proceeded as reqte for Scapa Flow
7.50am Stopped, hove to with stard anchor in 17 fathoms
Departed this life, lost overboard, Herbert C. Stanbury, Boy 1st class O.N. J.27093
1.0pm Court of enquiry assembled onboard, Captain Pratt, HMS Yarmouth, President, to enquire into loss overboard of Boy Stanbury
5.40pm Weighed
5.50pm Proceed astern of Collingwood, leaving harbour
6.11pm Passed obstruction. Cos as reqt through Pentland Firth West of Skerries
