HMS Amphion sunk in the North Sea by a floating mine. 150 British sailors were lost, and 18 crew rescued from the Konigen Luise, sunk the previous day.
Many of the survivors were taken to a military hospital in Harwich. A journalist recorded (on August 14), "The Amphion's men were dreadfully burned and scalded. They have marks on their faces and bodies which resemble the splashes of an acid. Of the British seamen in hospital, 13 are suffering from severe burns, five from less serious burns, two from the effects of lyddite fumes, and one each from concussion, severe injury, slight wounds, shock and slight burns."
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| HMS Amphion - the first British ship sunk in the First World War |
The SS City of Winchester becomes the first British merchant ship to be lost during the First World War when a German boarding party from the German light cruiser, Konigsberg, seized control of the vessel off the coast of Oman. The City of Winchester is ordered to head for a group of island nearby. The merchant ship was later sunk (see August 12).
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| The SMS Konigsberg, which seized the SS City of Winchester |
Lord Kitchener asks for 500,000 recruits for the Army, 100,000 to be raised forthwith. This immediate target was achieved within two weeks
A vote of credit for £100,000,000 is agreed by the House of Commons without a division. This was, in effect, Parliamentary sanction of the declaration of war on 4 August. Grey's ultimatum was sent only with the sanction of the Prime Minister, Asquith, and the Cabinet was only informed afterwards.
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