Yes, but I intended the task of the sailors in this scene to be just bringing over the prepared coal sacks to Leipzig, and dump down the scuttles later. Someone will probably count later, but in the time available I don't think they can have brought over more than 50 tons of coal.
The Rainbow. A World War One on Canada's West Coast Timeline
- Thread starter YYJ
- Start date
Leipzig's full crew, when they left San Francisco on the 18th, was 301 officers and men.
They sent 70 as a prize crew on Niagara, and later on the eve of the 20th, transferred 52 to Nürnberg's prizes Bengrove and Desalba.
They suffered 6 killed and 5 wounded in the battle with Algerine in Nanaimo harbour, bringing them down to a low point of 166.
Now, they just took on 162 civilian crew of Saxonia, 5 walking wounded, and 10 repatriated POWs originally from from Nürnberg, late of Galiano and her landing party. So they are pretty much at full compliment, actually 6 over not counting wounded, but the new crew members will not be integrated into the crew yet. Another 10 wounded will become available as they heal.
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Oh yes, there were another 2 members of Galiano's landing party who were acting as snipers on the point to the north of Bamfield harbour. They were never taken prisoner, but just lay low in the woods. They had to steal a canoe from an unoccupied cabin so as not to be left behind by Leipzig.
However, it is a lesson the author learned in the writing of the events in this story.
Armed Auxiliary Cruiser
Aug 21 2200 hours. SMS Nürnberg, off Barclay Sound.
Von Schönberg gathered the officers of Niagara, and his own surviving officers.
“Gentlemen,” he began. “We have a busy night ahead of us, and a busy day tomorrow as well. I intend to convert Niagara into an armed auxiliary cruiser so as to strike further blows against the commerce of the British Empire.” A general murmur of support rose from the assembled officers. Von Schönberg realized the men were tired, but he wanted this venture to begin on a more resounding note, so he added, “For the Kaiser.” This provoked the cheer he was looking for.
“We have until 1900 hours local time tomorrow until the Japanese ultimatum expires. The Japanese ultimatum was not meant to be accepted, and it is expected a state of war will commence between Japan and The German Empire at that time. We have until then to bring every useful thing from Nürnberg over to Niagara.
“Very first, the submarine that torpedoed us survived the engagement off Esquimalt. If it followed us here, a submarine could be arriving at any moment. Oberlieutnant Riediger, have your men take the steam launch, recruit the motor launch from Bengrove, and make a picket out at the entrance to the channel. Signal with distress rockets if a submarine is sighted.” Riediger gave the orders, and a junior officer left to set events in motion.
“Nürnberg has six serviceable 10.5 cm guns. We will bring these over, leaving guns 9 and 10 until last, so as to cover the approach to the channel. Machinists will have to drill Niagara’s deck to secure the guns, so have your men prepare their tools. All other supplies and equipment are to be brought across. Merging the crews of Nürnberg and your men, Oberlieutnant, will give us a crew of around 170. This will be a stretch, to run a warship of such size. What is Niagara’s civilian crew allotment?”
“Two hundred and five, Sir,” answered Riediger, “including all the chefs and serving staff.”
“We can make do with one hundred seventy,” said Von Schönberg, after a moment’s consideration. After all, this is war. Well, let us get to work.”
“We need to keep steam up on Nürnberg,” Von Schönberg ordered his Engineering officer, “enough to run the pumps at full capacity and keep electrical power. We also need a watch doing rounds to check that the pumps remain working, and that no leaks are opening up. Everyone else should be working on the transfer
At midnight, Nürnberg’s number one 10.5 cm gun, complete with gunshield, was lifted off its place on the cruiser’s foredeck by Niagara’s forward derrick, swung over, and placed in the corresponding position on the liners port foc’sle. The machinists and gunnery officer found that by aligning the mount just so, they could fit a single bolt through the German gun base and fasten it to the British deck, in the P1 position the shipbuilders of John Brown at Clydebank had thoughtfully fitted in anticipation of outfitting Niagara as a Royal Navy armed merchant cruiser. A cheer went up from the men when this task was accomplished. Machinists immediately began drilling more holes through the reinforced deck plates to properly secure the gun.
One such transfer was accomplished per hour. The actions could have been completed more quickly, but the shortage of men necessitated the party dismantling the gun on Nürnberg, then the same men crossing over to receive it on Niagara. While the armament was being moved over, chains of sailors passed 10.5 cm shells, two Spandau guns, rifles, boxes of small arms ammunition, crates of mining Dynamite and fuses, mechanical tools, and anything else remaining of use and intact. Only a handful of main battery shells were left behind on Nürnberg for the time being, as ready ammunition for the aft battery, in case a hostile ship or submarine appeared and caught them here riding at anchor.
Von Schönberg observed the loading process, and was struck by how little of Nürnberg’s supplies and provisions remained undestroyed by fire or splinters. Much of the interior of the ship above the armoured deck had been reduced to a hollow blackened shell. Her coal bunkers had been filled the day before, and it pained Von Schönberg to leave the coal behind, but there was nothing to do about that. Time did not allow. The infirmary had not been hit, but most of its supplies were depleted. He had reserved one box of Canadian paper money from the safes in the Anyox mine office, and had that brought over as a contingency. The code books from the radio cabin had somehow survived, mostly intact. Some spare uniforms were discovered, and foul weather gear, but little else.
“Sir, a wireless message from Liepzig,” reported Riediger.
“Niagara has a functional wireless?” asked Von Schönberg, surprised.
“Yes,” answered Riediger. “The Kiwi crew did a workmanlike job of dismantling the set, but we took spares from Bengrove, and got it working again today. The message is that Leipzig has left Trevor Channel, and will patrol at sea until first light.”
Nürnberg was moved forward so that her midships broadside guns, numbers five and six, could be hoisted over to the aft positions on Niagara’s foredeck, just forward of the bridge. The liner’s derrick had the capacity to reach across Nürnberg’s beam to lift the starboard gun, and this was facilitated by all of Nürnberg’s rigging having been shot away. When this task was completed, Niagara sported 4 guns on her foredeck, 2 on each broadside, one pair forward and one aft of the cargo derrick. Overhead, Von Schönberg noticed that the stars had just started to dim.
Nürnberg alongside Niagara to scale
A composite of this line drawing from Jane's Fighting Ships via Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
And this photo of Niagara from the Vancouver Archives
Von Schönberg gathered the officers of Niagara, and his own surviving officers.
“Gentlemen,” he began. “We have a busy night ahead of us, and a busy day tomorrow as well. I intend to convert Niagara into an armed auxiliary cruiser so as to strike further blows against the commerce of the British Empire.” A general murmur of support rose from the assembled officers. Von Schönberg realized the men were tired, but he wanted this venture to begin on a more resounding note, so he added, “For the Kaiser.” This provoked the cheer he was looking for.
“We have until 1900 hours local time tomorrow until the Japanese ultimatum expires. The Japanese ultimatum was not meant to be accepted, and it is expected a state of war will commence between Japan and The German Empire at that time. We have until then to bring every useful thing from Nürnberg over to Niagara.
“Very first, the submarine that torpedoed us survived the engagement off Esquimalt. If it followed us here, a submarine could be arriving at any moment. Oberlieutnant Riediger, have your men take the steam launch, recruit the motor launch from Bengrove, and make a picket out at the entrance to the channel. Signal with distress rockets if a submarine is sighted.” Riediger gave the orders, and a junior officer left to set events in motion.
“Nürnberg has six serviceable 10.5 cm guns. We will bring these over, leaving guns 9 and 10 until last, so as to cover the approach to the channel. Machinists will have to drill Niagara’s deck to secure the guns, so have your men prepare their tools. All other supplies and equipment are to be brought across. Merging the crews of Nürnberg and your men, Oberlieutnant, will give us a crew of around 170. This will be a stretch, to run a warship of such size. What is Niagara’s civilian crew allotment?”
“Two hundred and five, Sir,” answered Riediger, “including all the chefs and serving staff.”
“We can make do with one hundred seventy,” said Von Schönberg, after a moment’s consideration. After all, this is war. Well, let us get to work.”
“We need to keep steam up on Nürnberg,” Von Schönberg ordered his Engineering officer, “enough to run the pumps at full capacity and keep electrical power. We also need a watch doing rounds to check that the pumps remain working, and that no leaks are opening up. Everyone else should be working on the transfer
At midnight, Nürnberg’s number one 10.5 cm gun, complete with gunshield, was lifted off its place on the cruiser’s foredeck by Niagara’s forward derrick, swung over, and placed in the corresponding position on the liners port foc’sle. The machinists and gunnery officer found that by aligning the mount just so, they could fit a single bolt through the German gun base and fasten it to the British deck, in the P1 position the shipbuilders of John Brown at Clydebank had thoughtfully fitted in anticipation of outfitting Niagara as a Royal Navy armed merchant cruiser. A cheer went up from the men when this task was accomplished. Machinists immediately began drilling more holes through the reinforced deck plates to properly secure the gun.
One such transfer was accomplished per hour. The actions could have been completed more quickly, but the shortage of men necessitated the party dismantling the gun on Nürnberg, then the same men crossing over to receive it on Niagara. While the armament was being moved over, chains of sailors passed 10.5 cm shells, two Spandau guns, rifles, boxes of small arms ammunition, crates of mining Dynamite and fuses, mechanical tools, and anything else remaining of use and intact. Only a handful of main battery shells were left behind on Nürnberg for the time being, as ready ammunition for the aft battery, in case a hostile ship or submarine appeared and caught them here riding at anchor.
Von Schönberg observed the loading process, and was struck by how little of Nürnberg’s supplies and provisions remained undestroyed by fire or splinters. Much of the interior of the ship above the armoured deck had been reduced to a hollow blackened shell. Her coal bunkers had been filled the day before, and it pained Von Schönberg to leave the coal behind, but there was nothing to do about that. Time did not allow. The infirmary had not been hit, but most of its supplies were depleted. He had reserved one box of Canadian paper money from the safes in the Anyox mine office, and had that brought over as a contingency. The code books from the radio cabin had somehow survived, mostly intact. Some spare uniforms were discovered, and foul weather gear, but little else.
“Sir, a wireless message from Liepzig,” reported Riediger.
“Niagara has a functional wireless?” asked Von Schönberg, surprised.
“Yes,” answered Riediger. “The Kiwi crew did a workmanlike job of dismantling the set, but we took spares from Bengrove, and got it working again today. The message is that Leipzig has left Trevor Channel, and will patrol at sea until first light.”
Nürnberg was moved forward so that her midships broadside guns, numbers five and six, could be hoisted over to the aft positions on Niagara’s foredeck, just forward of the bridge. The liner’s derrick had the capacity to reach across Nürnberg’s beam to lift the starboard gun, and this was facilitated by all of Nürnberg’s rigging having been shot away. When this task was completed, Niagara sported 4 guns on her foredeck, 2 on each broadside, one pair forward and one aft of the cargo derrick. Overhead, Von Schönberg noticed that the stars had just started to dim.
Nürnberg alongside Niagara to scale
A composite of this line drawing from Jane's Fighting Ships via Wikipedia
SMS Nürnberg (1906) - Wikipedia
Deleted member 2186
Niagara looks like a heavy cruiser in size, except for here weapons load out maybe.Aug 21 2200 hours. SMS Nürnberg, off Barclay Sound.
Von Schönberg gathered the officers of Niagara, and his own surviving officers.
“Gentlemen,” he began. “We have a busy night ahead of us, and a busy day tomorrow as well. I intend to convert Niagara into an armed auxiliary cruiser so as to strike further blows against the commerce of the British Empire.” A general murmur of support rose from the assembled officers. Von Schönberg realized the men were tired, but he wanted this venture to begin on a more resounding note, so he added, “For the Kaiser.” This provoked the cheer he was looking for.
“We have until 1900 hours local time tomorrow until the Japanese ultimatum expires. The Japanese ultimatum was not meant to be accepted, and it is expected a state of war will commence between Japan and The German Empire at that time. We have until then to bring every useful thing from Nürnberg over to Niagara.
“Very first, the submarine that torpedoed us survived the engagement off Esquimalt. If it followed us here, a submarine could be arriving at any moment. Oberlieutnant Riediger, have your men take the steam launch, recruit the motor launch from Bengrove, and make a picket out at the entrance to the channel. Signal with distress rockets if a submarine is sighted.” Riediger gave the orders, and a junior officer left to set events in motion.
“Nürnberg has six serviceable 10.5 cm guns. We will bring these over, leaving guns 9 and 10 until last, so as to cover the approach to the channel. Machinists will have to drill Niagara’s deck to secure the guns, so have your men prepare their tools. All other supplies and equipment are to be brought across. Merging the crews of Nürnberg and your men, Oberlieutnant, will give us a crew of around 170. This will be a stretch, to run a warship of such size. What is Niagara’s civilian crew allotment?”
“Two hundred and five, Sir,” answered Riediger, “including all the chefs and serving staff.”
“We can make do with one hundred seventy,” said Von Schönberg, after a moment’s consideration. After all, this is war. Well, let us get to work.”
“We need to keep steam up on Nürnberg,” Von Schönberg ordered his Engineering officer, “enough to run the pumps at full capacity and keep electrical power. We also need a watch doing rounds to check that the pumps remain working, and that no leaks are opening up. Everyone else should be working on the transfer
At midnight, Nürnberg’s number one 10.5 cm gun, complete with gunshield, was lifted off its place on the cruiser’s foredeck by Niagara’s forward derrick, swung over, and placed in the corresponding position on the liners port foc’sle. The machinists and gunnery officer found that by aligning the mount just so, they could fit a single bolt through the German gun base and fasten it to the British deck, in the P1 position the shipbuilders of John Brown at Clydebank had thoughtfully fitted in anticipation of outfitting Niagara as a Royal Navy armed merchant cruiser. A cheer went up from the men when this task was accomplished. Machinists immediately began drilling more holes through the reinforced deck plates to properly secure the gun.
One such transfer was accomplished per hour. The actions could have been completed more quickly, but the shortage of men necessitated the party dismantling the gun on Nürnberg, then the same men crossing over to receive it on Niagara. While the armament was being moved over, chains of sailors passed 10.5 cm shells, two Spandau guns, rifles, boxes of small arms ammunition, crates of mining Dynamite and fuses, mechanical tools, and anything else remaining of use and intact. Only a handful of main battery shells were left behind on Nürnberg for the time being, as ready ammunition for the aft battery, in case a hostile ship or submarine appeared and caught them here riding at anchor.
Von Schönberg observed the loading process, and was struck by how little of Nürnberg’s supplies and provisions remained undestroyed by fire or splinters. Much of the interior of the ship above the armoured deck had been reduced to a hollow blackened shell. Her coal bunkers had been filled the day before, and it pained Von Schönberg to leave the coal behind, but there was nothing to do about that. Time did not allow. The infirmary had not been hit, but most of its supplies were depleted. He had reserved one box of Canadian paper money from the safes in the Anyox mine office, and had that brought over as a contingency. The code books from the radio cabin had somehow survived, mostly intact. Some spare uniforms were discovered, and foul weather gear, but little else.
“Sir, a wireless message from Liepzig,” reported Riediger.
“Niagara has a functional wireless?” asked Von Schönberg, surprised.
“Yes,” answered Riediger. “The Kiwi crew did a workmanlike job of dismantling the set, but we took spares from Bengrove, and got it working again today. The message is that Leipzig has left Trevor Channel, and will patrol at sea until first light.”
Nürnberg was moved forward so that her midships broadside guns, numbers five and six, could be hoisted over to the aft positions on Niagara’s foredeck, just forward of the bridge. The liner’s derrick had the capacity to reach across Nürnberg’s beam to lift the starboard gun, and this was facilitated by all of Nürnberg’s rigging having been shot away. When this task was completed, Niagara sported 4 guns on her foredeck, 2 on each broadside, one pair forward and one aft of the cargo derrick. Overhead, Von Schönberg noticed that the stars had just started to dim.
Nürnberg alongside Niagara to scale
View attachment 636397
A composite of this line drawing from Jane's Fighting Ships via Wikipedia
And this photo of Niagara from the Vancouver ArchivesSMS Nürnberg (1906) - Wikipedia
Also another good update.
They'll want some crates to cover those guns. Best not to give the game away too quickly...
I thought this may be of interest to some of you.
CTV News VI: Historic model of Canadian Navy ship likely saved from scrapyard.
CTV News VI: Historic model of Canadian Navy ship likely saved from scrapyard.
Historic model of Canadian navy ship likely saved from scrapyard
A huge model of an historic Canadian naval vessel has been saved from destruction and may eventually find a future at a Ladysmith military museum.
vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca
You know, this is probably about impossible to check, but a really question now is the state of the engines and machinery spaces on the German ships. This isnt the age of sail, and many mechanical problems cannot be solved underway. These guys have a gigantic and likely hostile voyage wherever they go, and they'll want to be aware of any wear and tear.
Oh, and they ought to be careful about the comparatively gigantic Japanese CAs steaming around.
Oh, and they ought to be careful about the comparatively gigantic Japanese CAs steaming around.
Plimsol Line
Aug 21, 2145 hours, SS Saxonia, Trevor Channel, Barclay Sound.
Looking back at Saxonia, from the Tees’s deck, he could now see the progress of the scuttling. At first glance, the liner looked just fine. Saxonia had not been heavily loaded when she left Seattle, and a good 3 feet of her anti-fouling paint had been above water when they anchored in the Channel that morning. Now her Plimsol line was completely submerged, and her lowest row of portholes was less than a man’s height above the waterline. He noticed every single porthole on the lowest deck level had been thrown open, and some even removed, most likely by the Chinese stokers as they had ranged throughout the ship committing mischief.
The decks on Tees were packed. There must have been 400 men topside on the small freighter. Brown organized a detail of his men to form a cordon around the area with the stretchers holding the wounded and their medical attendants on the after deck, but the crown kept pressing. Much jostling was going on, as the crew of Saxonia began to board Leipzig.
“Give us a hand moving these stretchers into the deckhouse here,” asked the doctor from Bamfield. When that was done, and Brown and his men came back into the night air, he heard his name being called.
“Come!” ordered Lieutenant Lock. Brown followed, and found himself standing at the rail facing Leipzig, with Lock, the captain of the Tees, a Fusiliers militia lieutenant, and a pair of Canadian doctors. The Leipzig’s captain looked down on them from his main deck, so their eyes were at the height of his knees. In the background, Saxonia’s crew continued to climb up Liepzig’s sides.
“I apologize for this awkward arrangement,” said the German captain in perfect, if accented English. “I do not wish to leave my ship at a time like this, otherwise we would speak in a more dignified setting.”
“It is understood,” said Lock.
“The reason I called you here,” continued Leipzig’s captain, “is that my ship will be leaving soon, and I have a number of seriously wounded who will not do well at sea. I was hoping to ask a courtesy, that you would receive these men, and treat them as you would your own. I realize that will make my men prisoners of war, but this bargain is their only chance at survival.”
“This is our duty and obligation under the Hague treaties,” replied Lock. “As well as common Christian decency.”
“Thank you,” said Leipzig’s captain. “I wanted to make sure I turned my men over to your military. I imagine with the events of this day, some of the civilians may feel inclined to act in a manner… less disciplined.”
“Yes,” said the captain of the Tees, “I expect there will be some grudges held.”
“I will have the men brought over,” said Leipzig’s captain. “You may have seen, I made sure to distribute medical supplies from Saxonia for your use.”
“Yes, we received those,” said the doctor from Bamfield.
The German captain continued to regard them silently, as if in thought. “The Saxonia’s captain briefed me on the day’s events,” he said, his eyes on Brown and the Lieutenant. “You men are from HMCS Rainbow, are you not?”
“That is right,” both officers said in unison.
“Your ship fought bravely,” he said. “I hold her captain and crew in high regard.”
“You sank her,” said Brown. A statement. His voice almost a croak.
“Oh. I see. You are hearing this for the first time from me,” said Leipzig’s captain. “I can tell you your ship was afloat when I last saw her. And underway, barely. Her ensign was aloft. Beyond that, I do not know.”
At this point, Saxonia lost electrical power, and her searchlights and deck lights went out. The last of Saxonia’s Hamburg Amerika Line crew climbed aboard Leipzig. The final few armed sailors of Leipzig’s boarding party walked down the gangway, and Saxonia was truly abandoned. A detail formed up on Tees’s deck to receive the stretchers.
“Here come my badly wounded now, the men we spoke of,” said Leipzig’s captain. “Eight of them. I have a list prepared with their names and ranks.” He passed a folded piece of paper, and Brown took it from him.
“The Chinese stokers of Saxonia’s crew wish to stay with us,” said Brown.
“What?” exclaimed the militia officer.
“I have no objection to that,” said the German captain. He oversaw the loading of the wounded, then returned to his bridge. All the Leipzig’s sailors climbed back aboard, and the cruiser cast off.
“How about that?” said the captain of the Tees. “I have a ship again. Deckhands! Cast off from Saxonia. Bring up the steam! I want to put some distance between us and that great sinking hulk before she capsizes on us!”
Looking back at Saxonia, from the Tees’s deck, he could now see the progress of the scuttling. At first glance, the liner looked just fine. Saxonia had not been heavily loaded when she left Seattle, and a good 3 feet of her anti-fouling paint had been above water when they anchored in the Channel that morning. Now her Plimsol line was completely submerged, and her lowest row of portholes was less than a man’s height above the waterline. He noticed every single porthole on the lowest deck level had been thrown open, and some even removed, most likely by the Chinese stokers as they had ranged throughout the ship committing mischief.
The decks on Tees were packed. There must have been 400 men topside on the small freighter. Brown organized a detail of his men to form a cordon around the area with the stretchers holding the wounded and their medical attendants on the after deck, but the crown kept pressing. Much jostling was going on, as the crew of Saxonia began to board Leipzig.
“Give us a hand moving these stretchers into the deckhouse here,” asked the doctor from Bamfield. When that was done, and Brown and his men came back into the night air, he heard his name being called.
“Come!” ordered Lieutenant Lock. Brown followed, and found himself standing at the rail facing Leipzig, with Lock, the captain of the Tees, a Fusiliers militia lieutenant, and a pair of Canadian doctors. The Leipzig’s captain looked down on them from his main deck, so their eyes were at the height of his knees. In the background, Saxonia’s crew continued to climb up Liepzig’s sides.
“I apologize for this awkward arrangement,” said the German captain in perfect, if accented English. “I do not wish to leave my ship at a time like this, otherwise we would speak in a more dignified setting.”
“It is understood,” said Lock.
“The reason I called you here,” continued Leipzig’s captain, “is that my ship will be leaving soon, and I have a number of seriously wounded who will not do well at sea. I was hoping to ask a courtesy, that you would receive these men, and treat them as you would your own. I realize that will make my men prisoners of war, but this bargain is their only chance at survival.”
“This is our duty and obligation under the Hague treaties,” replied Lock. “As well as common Christian decency.”
“Thank you,” said Leipzig’s captain. “I wanted to make sure I turned my men over to your military. I imagine with the events of this day, some of the civilians may feel inclined to act in a manner… less disciplined.”
“Yes,” said the captain of the Tees, “I expect there will be some grudges held.”
“I will have the men brought over,” said Leipzig’s captain. “You may have seen, I made sure to distribute medical supplies from Saxonia for your use.”
“Yes, we received those,” said the doctor from Bamfield.
The German captain continued to regard them silently, as if in thought. “The Saxonia’s captain briefed me on the day’s events,” he said, his eyes on Brown and the Lieutenant. “You men are from HMCS Rainbow, are you not?”
“That is right,” both officers said in unison.
“Your ship fought bravely,” he said. “I hold her captain and crew in high regard.”
“You sank her,” said Brown. A statement. His voice almost a croak.
“Oh. I see. You are hearing this for the first time from me,” said Leipzig’s captain. “I can tell you your ship was afloat when I last saw her. And underway, barely. Her ensign was aloft. Beyond that, I do not know.”
At this point, Saxonia lost electrical power, and her searchlights and deck lights went out. The last of Saxonia’s Hamburg Amerika Line crew climbed aboard Leipzig. The final few armed sailors of Leipzig’s boarding party walked down the gangway, and Saxonia was truly abandoned. A detail formed up on Tees’s deck to receive the stretchers.
“Here come my badly wounded now, the men we spoke of,” said Leipzig’s captain. “Eight of them. I have a list prepared with their names and ranks.” He passed a folded piece of paper, and Brown took it from him.
“The Chinese stokers of Saxonia’s crew wish to stay with us,” said Brown.
“What?” exclaimed the militia officer.
“I have no objection to that,” said the German captain. He oversaw the loading of the wounded, then returned to his bridge. All the Leipzig’s sailors climbed back aboard, and the cruiser cast off.
“How about that?” said the captain of the Tees. “I have a ship again. Deckhands! Cast off from Saxonia. Bring up the steam! I want to put some distance between us and that great sinking hulk before she capsizes on us!”
A bit of a backhanded send off for Brown there, especially hearing it from one of the men who headed up Rainbow's destruction. In the end the Canadians made off with a good number of men and escaped captivity, can't get much better than that in such a situation.
Leipzig managed 22 knots OTL at the battle of the Falkland Islands, 4 months later than this, although her engines were noted to have been in rough shape. Nürnberg ITTL right now is beyond repair outside of a shipyard. The rest of the auxiliaries were until recently British, New Zealand, or Canadian, and would be expected to have had recent maintenance.
Yes, there is concern about when Izumo will show up.
Presumably, Nurnberg is about to be scuttled. She's of no further use. Preferably where her corpse is either a problem, or out of reach of recovery
For reference Whytecliff Park area just north west of West Vancouver goes from a nice gentle 40’/13m deep bay to sheer open wall that Is 250m deep. Great scuba diving but definitely need to watch depths and close enough to scare the daylights out of Vancouver again.