Major Duncan Stubbs' diary entry for 16 October 1914

Friday 16 Oct

… I wired to the Navy League to order me a wreath from Harrods to be placed on the Nelson Column on Trafalgar Day and I sent a card to attach to it as follows: “In loving memory of Midshipman John Duncan Stubbs of HMS Aboukir who died doing his duty in the service of his country, from his Father & Mother” …

… Another cruiser torpedoed in the North Sea, HMS Hawke, & 500 lives lost.  In the Navy list are given the names of several cadets on board.  I only hope the poor boys were taken off as a result of the Aboukir disaster but I am afraid it will not be so as there are not enough midshipmen to man all the ships in commission without the cadets.  The new Dartmouth Coll Captain writes “expressing the sympathy of the College & Navy in his sad but honourable end” & saying that his sea chest is at Chatham, not lost on the ship as I expected.