HMS Formidable

Yes. That's correct!

HMS Formidable was a battleship on exercise with the 5th Battle Squadron. It was torpedoed in Lyme Bay on New Year's Day, 1915, by a submarine, the U-24. Two lifeboats were launched from the stricken ship and a Royal Navy cruiser picked up survivors from the freezing water.

Sailors from one of the boats were rescued by fishermen, but fifty men in the other boat remained at sea for fifteen hours. They used their boots to bale out the sea water to prevent their boat from sinking. When they were finally washed up on Lyme beach, the men were suffering from exposure and nine of them later died.

The survivors - 199 out of the original crew of 780 - were looked after by the people of Lyme. When sailor John Cowan was taken to the Pilot Boat Inn, he was thought to be dead, but the landlord's rough-haired collie, Lassie, kept licking his face and he recovered. Lassie became a local celebrity.  The photograph is believed to have been used as a popular postcard which people could buy. The story eventually reached Hollywood and "Lassie", the canine star, was born.

The Admiral in charge of the battleships, Admiral Sir Lewis Bayley, was removed from command after the tragedy. The squadron should have been protected by destroyers, and, by sailing in a line, the battleships were vulnerable to submarine attack.

Throughout the First World War, U-Boats were active in the Channel. Every month from late 1916 to 1918 British shipping was torpedoed off the coast of Dorset. Six German submarines were sunk between Portland and Start Point, including the UB-74 which sank off Portland on 26th May, 1918. Its 18cm brass compass is on display at Portland Museum.

The photograph of Lassie can be seen in the Philpot Museum at Lyme Regis.

As HMS Formidable sank the huge battleship capsized and now lies upside down, its guns jammed against the seabed, at a depth of 60 metres. It is illegal to dive on the site which is a war grave. Chart reference: 50 13 14N; 03 03 99W

To see objects from HMS Formidable click here