note: transcription publicly contributed - please contact us with comments, errors or omisions

PERSONAL NARRATIVE
Captain Eldridge, Naval Intelligence Department

On board H. M. C. S. "NIOBE" at the time of the explosion. His first thought was that the magazine on board had blown up, and his next was "The flames:" Has seen many ships blown up, and the first result of the explosion is flames licking swiftly through the ship. There was confusion on board. Some of the men were imperfectly disciplined. Captain E. suggested that you send a man to do a thing and he simply never re-appears. E. evidently rallied the men with "language". Told them there was plenty of people on shore already--no need for them going too. His petty officers were the old-fashioned kind--absolutely dependable. "Mr. O'Riley, get me four leading stokers at once." Got them and detailed 100 men with each to the different fire stations, expecting fire. E. dived below and had the electricians cut the wires so as not to increase the dangers of fire. Evidently E. was every where "cheering them up" in his own phrase, and telling them that the war was still going on, and that they could always get the anchor up and go and fight the Germans. In the midst of the confusion, when he had not only 100 things to think of in the immediate vicinity but was constantly receiving wireless message from