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Commanded by Captain Thomas Lawrie Shelford, Goliath was part of the Allied fleet supporting the landing at X Beach during the landing at Cape Helles on 25 April, sustaining some damage from the gunfire of Ottoman Turkish forts and shore batteries, and supported Allied troops ashore during the First Battle of Krithia that day. She covered the evacuation on 26 April. She was damaged by Turkish guns again on 2 May. On the night of 12-13 May, Goliath was anchored in Morto Bay off Cape Helles, along with Cornwallis and a screen of five destroyers, in foggy conditions. Around 01:00 on 13 May, the Turkish torpedo boat Muavenet-i Milliye, which was manned by a combined German and Turkish crew, eluded the destroyers Beagle and Bulldog and closed on the battleships. Muavenet-i Milliye fired two torpedoes which struck Goliath almost simultaneously abreast her fore turret and abeam the fore funnel, causing a massive explosion. Goliath began to capsize almost immediately, and was lying on her beam ends when a third torpedo struck near her after turret. She then rolled over completely and began to sink by the bows, taking 570 of the 700-strong crew to the bottom, including Captain Shelford. Although sighted and fired on after the first torpedo hit, Muavenet-i Milliye escaped unscathed. For sinking Goliath, Turkish Captain Ahmet Saffet Bey was promoted to rank of Major and the German captain of Muavenet-i Milliye, Kapitan-leutnant Rudolph Firle, was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class as well as Austro-Hungarian and Turkish decorations.
9 Freemasons died on HMS Goliath: CLARK George Henry Petty Officer DAWE John James Shipwright GAWNE Albert Edward Seaman HALL Henry Fowler Colour Sergeant HUTCHINS Frank James Charles Engine Room Artificer LOVELL Frank Artificer MULES Arthur Benjamin Stephen Carpenter PATTEN Alfred Albert Engineer Artificer RICHARDS William John Petty Officer.
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