Light cruisers and destroyers at Harwich RMG PW0924, William Lionel Wyllie, 1914

Light cruisers and destroyers at harwich inscribed 'harwich light cruisers' and signed by the artist lower right. It shows 'arethusa'-class light cruisers and l -and m-class destroyers at harwich, 1914-16, looking seaward (roughly east) from the shotley side of the harbour. The destroyer on the right in near broadside view is one of the 'landrail' (1914), 'lark' (1913), 'laurel' (1913), 'laverock' (1913), 'liberty' (1913) or 'linnet' (1913). See also paf0882. The senior officer at harwich, commanding the 'harwich force' of light cruisers and destroyers was commodore reginald tyrwhitt (1870-1951, and promoted rear-admiral in 1918), who was a very experienced destroyer captain by the time war broke out and proved so good in the post from early on that the government left him there for its entire duration. Date: 1914. Dimensions: 170 mm x 384 mm. Collection: Fine art.