Signaller Falmer recalled the sinking as
“The message came up for someone to go aloft to clear the flags. I went up, took my sea boots off
first, climbed out the foretop, went up the “”Jacob’s ladder”” right to the very top. I unfurled the
flag and I sat on the wireless yard looking around, naturally watching the firing”
“There was a terrific explosion aboard the ship, the magazines went. I saw the guns go up in the air
just like matchsticks – 12” guns they were – bodies and everything. She was beginning to settle
down. Within half a minute the ship turned right over and she was gone. I was 180 feet up and I
was thrown well clear of the ship, otherwise I would have been sucked under. I was practically
unconscious, turning over really. At last I came up on top of the water. When I came up there was
another follow named Jimmy Green and we got a piece of wood. He was on one end and I was on
the other end. A couple of minutes afterwards some shells came over and Jim was minus his head –
so I was left on my lonesome”
“There was nothing to be seen, only the 5th Battle Squadron coming along. They started to open
fire and the German shells were dropping short. I could feel them myself in the water – my feet, my
legs. They went and about half an hour four German cruisers came along so I ducked my head
down, because probably, if they had seen me they would have put a shot in me – they would have
done, to put you out of your misery, you see. Then they cleared off and it turned dark. There wasn’t
a sound, nobody near me. It was pitch dark, I’d given up all hope practically – I let go once but I
struggled back again quick. Between half past two and three all of a sudden I could hear something
coming towards me. I gazed up and it was a destroyer. They stopped, two German sailors got down
on a fender grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me aboard. I didn’t remember nothing until
next morning. When I came to I was in the engine room, they were mopping me down with waste – I
was smothered in fuel oil”
Alfred has no known grave and is remembered with honour on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.