30th April 1916

The H.M.S. Russell, a Duncan-class pre-dreadnought Battleship of the British Navy,

played a key role in the evacuation of Gallipoli - on the 27th April 1916, she steamed

into 2 sea mines off the coast of Malta, slowly sinking with the loss of 125 souls (below).

[Courtesy of The Weatherings]

Sunday 30th April

Up at 4 AM. Capt. Tweedie came down from Ismailia with his gunnery officer, Lt. Commander Finnis, & together we rode out to the front line positions & decided on site of Naval Observing Station & route for telephone lines.

Heard to day that Gen. Townsend had capitulated at Kut with 2950 British & 6000 Indian troops. Very sad. H.M.S. Russell mined off Malta. 160 drowned.

[Courtesy of State Library of New South Wales - Sir Charles Rosenthal diary]

The wreck of the H.M.S. Russell continues to be visited to this day - the above is a

screenshot taken as part of U-boat Malta Ltd's "Dark Waters" Expedition in 2015.

[Courtesy of U-boat Malta Ltd]