“Rape, Ravage and Rant are the German watchwords in this war. Right, Revenge  and  Retrenchment shall be ours.” –Alexander Scrimgeour, 17th September 1914. Alexander Scrimgeour was a naval officer who, at the age of nineteen, was killed at the Battle of Jutland. Despite his tragic early death, he left a legacy–complete diaries spanning six years–first of his life as the son of a wealthy stockbroker, then of his time as a young sea cadet, and finally as a sub-lieutenant in His Majesty’s Navy. Like all good midshipmen were required to do, Scrimgeour took pride in writing his journals and was careful to recount every event with marked sincerity. Appalled by some of the actions of both the British Admiralty and the Germans, Scrimgeour risked court-martial to record what really happened during some of the more notorious incidents of World War I. Scrimgeour reveals the real reason behind the sinking of the HMS Hawke, the events leading up to the capture of the infamous Baron von Wedel–head of the German Spy Bureau and Privy Councillor to the Kaiser–and what he learned while dining with his Naval Commanders as the ship’s interpreter. He also writes about his many love affairs and his anguish at the loss of friends killed during the war. This new book includes much previously unseen material, including Scrimgeour’s life prior to joining the navy. It is published to coincide with the centenary of his death and the Battle of Jutland.

The Complete Scrimgeour: From Dartmouth to Jutland 1913-16 PDF

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