Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte
Heligoland Bight and Dogger Bank
Dailey served with Scott in the battleship Bulwark 1908-10 and, but for his wife falling ill, would have accompanied the ill-fated 1910 -13 expedition. Meanwhile, in July 1910, and having been advanced to Chief Carpenter, he joined the battle cruiser Lion, fitting-out at Devonport, and was similarly employed on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914.
The flagship of Vice-Admiral David Beatty, Lion saw action at Heligoland Bight on the 28th, when she came to the rescue of our light cruisers and destroyers. The Admiral, boldly ignoring the threat of enemy submarines and mines, went straight for the enemy’s cruisers and, with his consorts, rapidly sank every German ship in sight, including the Koln and Ariadne. But such audacity brought with it the risk of accurate enemy return fire, Lion taking at least ten hits, one of which left a large hole in the aft deck. As it transpired, this was but the first of three occasions that the Lion limped back to base, such was Beatty’s unwavering desire to get to grips with the enemy.
Thus early in the new year, on 24 January, Lion was again in action, this time in a running fight off the Dogger Bank in which the Blucher was sunk and the Seydlitz lucky to survive - so, too, the Lion, which received the brunt of the enemy’s fire and was severely damaged. One of her officers, Sub. Lieutenant George Davies, R.N.V.R., described the action in his diary, referring to the gallant repair work enacted by Dailey and his carpenters:
‘Soon after 10.00 enemy get our range and we receive many salvos, the whole of the enemy’s fire being concentrated on us ... Two very heavy shocks at about 10.45 probably mines or torpedoes. Left gun of A turret out of action. Sight setter very badly injured, left gunlayer knocked out. Fire in A turret magazine. Magazine flooded and A turret out of action. Ship begins to list rapidly to port., 11- inch shell in X turret lobby. Carpenters party shore up bulkheads and endeavour to stop water coming in. List continues, taking water fore and aft. Chief Carpenter’s Mate another badly wounded by shells. 11.00 a.m. ship still rapidly listing. Shell is just aloft messdeck. Fire in canteen flat also in Stokers’ Mess deck, rig hoses and ply in flames, return all naked charges of cordite to B.U. magazine. Several of the Stokers’ Fire Party wounded, mess deck filled with melinite fumes. Serve out smoke pads, hardly able to breath, list very bad. Fire extinguished, only one oil lamp burning, engines topped ... 11.30 Lion hauls out of line all turrets out of action except X ... our list increases and we stop engines again. Carpenters and others shoring up bulkheads, etc., badly holed port side. Destroyers standing by us as we are in danger of sinking, fire crews left closed up for fear of submarines ... Indomitable stands by and takes us in tow.’
Lion eventually reached Rosyth and Dailey’s fine work in shoring up the bulkheads was recognised by a “mention” and the award of the D.S.C.
Damage sustained by the “Lion” at Jutland Jutland
In typical fashion, Beatty brought the Lion quickly into action on 31 May 1916, during what became known as ‘The Run to the South’, engaging in a ferocious duel with the Lutzow, following which he set about the Derfflinger - both were hit but not without cost, Lion taking at least 14 hits and suffering some 150 casualties, nearly a hundred of them fatalities. Fleet Surgeon MacClean takes up the story in his Medical Officers’ Journal:
‘The list of killed includes 6 officers and 84 men. The majority were killed outright but some lived for a short time and received some first aid treatment. Most of those killed were in Q Turret and magazine, etc., in the switchboard compartment under Q Turret, and on the mess deck aft on the starboard side, where a shell burst among a group of men in the repair, fire and stretcher parties. Many of the killed were blown to pieces, some were killed by concussion and general burns (especially those in Q Turret and switchboard room), and some had limbs blown off and other desperate wounds to which they soon succumbed. Q Turret was struck by a shell which burnt and killed most of the men in the gunhouse but three escaped. Shortly afterwards an explosion and fire occurred in the turret killing the survivors and the men in the magazine, etc., and the switchboard room below. One man only remained alive (S.B.S. Tennant), this S.B. S. had entered the turret to render first aid after the shell had burst and was burned and severely shocked by the explosion. All the killed were buried at sea on the evening of June 1st.’
Major Harvey, R.M.L.I., of Q Turret, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for ordering the magazine to be flooded after a direct hit, thereby saving the ship, and we may be sure that Dailey was much in demand making urgent repairs to the Lion as she once more limped back to base - he was advanced to Lieutenant and awarded the Russian Order of St. Anne Medal of Distinction for Foreigners (see Lot 707).
The latter years - last survivor of Scott’s first expedition
Dailey removed to the Port Edgar depot ship Columbine in December 1917 and post-hostilities served as Barrack Master at Devonport, retiring in the rank of Lieutenant in October 1920 - though subsequently elevated to Lieutenant-Commander on the Retired List in October 1928.
In 1948, when the film “Scott of Antarctica” was being made, with John Mills in the role of Captain Scott, he was invited onto the set as a technical adviser’; he was also introduced to the explorer’s son Peter.
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