Q&A ยท 1:17:06-1:17:47

Did anyone survive the three Cressy-class sinkings?

Survivors were rescued, but the loss of about 1,459 sailors meant roughly two-thirds of the three cruiser crews died.

Question

Did anyone survive the sinking of Cressy, Hogue, and Aboukir?

Short answer

Yes, but approximately 1,459 sailors were killed, amounting to about two-thirds of the three cruisers' combined crews.

Notes

Survivors were rescued, although the casualty figures show the scale of the disaster. Approximately 1,459 British sailors died from crews of roughly 725 to 760 per cruiser. That places the fatality rate near two-thirds across Cressy, Hogue, and Aboukir. The figures give human scale to the tactical error of stopping ships in waters where U-9 remained active.