It could be argued that, from a German point of view, the damage inflicted on Spartan was the result of a "lucky" hit. At the instant of the explosion the main switchboard room was wrecked and the power supply to the ship was cut. The rent in the port side meant the after boiler room immediately began to flood. Meanwhile the shock of the explosion shut the steam emergency shut-off valve from the forward boiler room cutting off all steam, while the secondary explosions from the torpedo warheads started a large fire in the recreation space and splinters penetrated Y turret and ignited the ready use ammunition.

This latter blaze was of such concern, in that it might spread to the after magazines, that these were control flooded to obviate the danger if the fire reached there.


With the flooding of these compartments, in addition to the continuing steady ingress of water through the ships side, the Spartan began to settle by the stern.


In such circumstances counter flooding of compartments is normally effected in order to keep the ship on an even keel, however the limited power available from the diesel generators was primarily sourced to the fire pumps.


Once the heel on the ship had reached eighteen degrees, it is believed that there was uncontrolled flooding of the after lower deck areas via the magazine.