Action off the Texel, 17 October 1914

Inscribed and signed by artist, lower left, 'Action off the Texel October 28th 1914 / Chase of the German Torpedo boats / W. L. Wyllie'. The date given is wrong, since the action shown took place on 17 October 1914 between the British light cruiser 'Undaunted' (on the left here) with the four destroyers of the 1st Division of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla out of Harwich ('Lance', 'Legion', 'Lennon' and 'Loyal'), and the four German torpedo boats S115, S117, S118 and S119 (all launched 1902-03). It took place in the Broad Fourteens, 40 miles south-west of the Texel. All four of the German boats were sunk and the confidential books of the leader were fished out of the water, their box having failed to sink quickly enough. See also PAE3145 and PAF0912. Although the colour has deteriorated, this is an interesting demonstration of Wyllie's economical technique in which detail of the ships is done simply in black.Inscribed and signed by artist, lower left, 'Action off the Texel October 28th 1914 / Chase of the German Torpedo boats / W. L. Wyllie'. See also PAE3145 and PAF0912. Although the colour has deteriorated, this is an interesting demonstration of Wyllie's economical technique in which detail of the ships is done simply in black.

Object Details

ID: PAF0659
Collection: Fine art
Type: Drawing
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Wyllie, William Lionel
Date made: circa 1914
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection
Measurements: Sheet: 125 x 301 mm; Mount: 403 mm x 556 mm