Rescuing the crew of the German light cruiser 'Mainz' at the Battle of the Heligoland Bight, 28 August 1914

This drawing quite accurately depicts the rescue of most of the 346 survivors from the German light cruiser 'Mainz' (1909), the large ship on the right, which was heavily damaged by the gunfire of British cruisers and battle-cruisers at the Battle of the Heligoland Bight on 28 August 1914. Two of her three funnels and her mainmast went by the board before she surrendered. The destroyer 'Lurcher' (1912, shown), flagship of Commodore Roger Keyes, went alongside to take off survivors while boats from other destroyers assisted in the work. The abandoned 'Mainz' then sank. Wyllie has written 'mast more upright' at the bottom, presumably referring to that of the 'Lurcher'. For a preliminary pencil sketch of this subject see PAE1043.

Object Details

ID: PAE3448
Collection: Fine art
Type: Drawing
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Wyllie, William Lionel
Events: World War I: Battle of Heligoland Bight, 1914
Date made: circa 1914-15
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection
Measurements: 253 mm x 355 mm