Lot Essay
Ordinary Seaman William John Smith Madge was killed in action at the Battle of Jutland on 31.5.1916, while serving aboard H.M.S. Defence. The Flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir R. Arbuthnot of the 1st Cruiser Squadron, the Defence fell victim to the 'Scouting Force' of Battle Cruisers under Admiral von Hipper:
'Twenty minutes later the Defence, followed by the Warrior, began to shell the German Light Cruiser Wiesbaden, which soon lay helpless and in flames between the two Fleets. In an attempt to destroy this ship and to close with von Hipper, Admiral Arbuthnot crossed the bows of the far more powerful Lion and thereby exposed himself to the concentrated fire of von Hipper, who was making a desperate effort to protect the Wiesbaden. Both the British Cruisers encountered a tornado of shell fire, the Defence being hit by two salvos in quick succession. She blew up with every soul on board' (Hocking's Dictionary of Disasters at Sea refers).
'Twenty minutes later the Defence, followed by the Warrior, began to shell the German Light Cruiser Wiesbaden, which soon lay helpless and in flames between the two Fleets. In an attempt to destroy this ship and to close with von Hipper, Admiral Arbuthnot crossed the bows of the far more powerful Lion and thereby exposed himself to the concentrated fire of von Hipper, who was making a desperate effort to protect the Wiesbaden. Both the British Cruisers encountered a tornado of shell fire, the Defence being hit by two salvos in quick succession. She blew up with every soul on board' (Hocking's Dictionary of Disasters at Sea refers).