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friends
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SCUTTLEBUTT
1914
GRAND FLEET
prepares for
WAR
WAR
War at sea
C-Cubed at Jutland
Royal Navy
in 2014
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UK No
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1126283.
friends
of the
Royal
Naval
Museum
and
HMS
Victory
The Magazine of
The National Museum of the
Royal Navy (Portsmouth)
HMS Victory and the Friends
SCUTTLEBUTT
AWARD WINNING MAGAZINE
Edition No 48, Spring 2104
3.00 or by subscription
ISSN 2052-5451
CONTENTS
Council of the Friends
Chairmans Report (Peter Wykeham-Martin)
6
7
UPDATES:
News from the National Museum of the Royal Navy (Graham Dobbin)
Reflections of the Chairman
of the Trustees of the NMRN (Sir Jonathon Band GCB DL)
HMS Victory, Commanding Officers Report (Rod Strathern)
Steam Pinnace 199 - Progess Report (Martin Marks OBE)
12
14
16
REGULAR FEATURES:
Series on Museum Figureheads (David Pulvertaft)
The Grand Fleet in art (Rick Cosby)
The Museum Models - HMS Collingwood (Mark Brady)
Naval Swords - The Red Earls sword (John McGrath)
Naval Medals (James Kemp)
Naval Museum HMS Victory & Friends Events
18
20
42
63
69
78
The greatest assemblage of naval power ever witnessed in the history of the world
The Grand Fleet on the eve of the Great War
HUNTER KILLERS
Secret submarine operations in the Cold war
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Anglo-German Naval Armament Race (Bernard Ireland)
WW1 commemoration project HMS Caroline (John Roberts)
War at sea - C-Cubed at Jutland (Admiral Richard Hill)
The Grand Fleet on the eve of the Great War (John Roberts)
Secret Diary of a senior naval officer in the Grand Fleet (Chris Howat)
Secret submarine operations - Cold War (Iain Ballantyne)
Royal Navy TODAY overview (John Roberts)
Royal Navy in Mesopotamia (David Gunn)
Continuing our history of British naval nuclear weapons
Strategic Part 2: (John Coker)
70
REGULAR ITEMS:
Welcome aboard! (come & join us), benefits of membership
Book Reviews
Letters to the Editor
78
82
89
22
28
30
36
38
46
52
64
TODAY
OVERVIEW
Photographs and images, courtesy of the National Museum of the Royal Navy
( Crown Copyright) unless otherwise stated
*The term Scuttlebutt is nautical slang for the latest gossip and rumours;
it derives from scurrilous chatter between sailors gathered round the water cask,
the equivalent, in modern terms to the office water cooler.
Cover picture: A contemporary picture of HMS Iron Duke leading the 1st & 2nd Battle Squadrons of the
Relections of the
Chairman of the trustees
NMRN
Commemoration project
HMS Caroline
Grand Fleet (taken from a periodic review published in the early years of the First World War)
Scuttlebutt |
| Scuttlebutt
friends
of the
Royal
Naval
Museum
and
HMS
Victory
The Magazine of
The National Museum of the
Royal Navy (Portsmouth)
HMS Victory and the Friends
SCUTTLEBUTT
AWARD WINNING MAGAZINE
THE COUNCIL OF THE FRIENDS OF THE ROYAL
NAVAL MUSEUM AND HMS VICTORY
Patron: Admiral of the Fleet HRH The Prince of Wales
KG, KT, OM, GCB, AK, QSO, ADC
VICE PRESIDENTS
Admiral S ir Brian Brown KC B, C BE
Rear Admiral Richard Irwin C B
Lord Judd
President: Vice Admiral S ir Michael Moore KBE, LVO
Chairman: C ommodore Peter Wykeham-Martin Royal Navy
Vice Chairman: Lieutenant C ommander John S civier Royal Navy
Executive Secretary & Treasurer: Mr Roger Trise
Honorary Secretary: Dr C ampbell McMurray OBE
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
Lieutenant C ommander Nicholas Bates, Royal Navy
Mr David Baynes Events Organiser & Volunteer Liaison
Lieutenant C ommander Mark Brady, Royal Navy
Lieutenant C ommander C live Kidd, Royal Navy
Mr C hristopher Knox
C aptain John Roberts MBE, Royal Navy
Mr Ivan S teele S team Pinnace 199 Project
Mr Paul Woodman
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
C ommander John Bingeman, Royal Navy
S ociety for Nautical Research
Mr Graham Dobbin Deputy Director General NMRN
Lieutenant C ommander Rod S trathern Royal Navy
C ommanding Officer HMS Victory
C ouncillor Rob Wood - Portsmouth C ity C ouncil
C ouncillor C hris C arter Hampshire C ounty C ouncil
Executive Secretary
Roger Trise (023 9225 1589) rnm.friends@btinternet.com
The purpose of the Friends is to provide assistance to the National
Museum of the Royal Navy (Portsmouth) and HMS Victory when
requested, to promote the interests of the museum and to help
financially wherever possible
National Museum of the Royal Navy, HM Naval Base (PP66)
Portsmouth PO1 3NH
www.royalnavalmuseum.org
Scuttlebutt |
CHAIRMANS
REPORT
Peter Wykeham-Martin
| Scuttlebutt
Museum NEWS
Top left: Racing to war Dreadnought painting
Top right: Pickle Night dinner in New York
Bottom left: Museum Community Road Show
Bottom right: Lowering in the 4-in gun from
HMS Lance
Top left:
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
meets museum staff
Top right:
HRH The Princess Royal at
Trinity House fund raising dinner
Bottom left:
USS New York in New York
Middle:
M33 in dry dock
Bottom right:
USS New York presentation
Scuttlebutt |
Graham Dobbin
Deputy Director General
Spring 2014 Edition
| Scuttlebutt
Museum NEWS
All of one Company
I would have the gentlemen to haul
with the mariners and the mariners to
haul with the gentlemen. Let us show
ourselves to be of one company
Admiral Sir Francis Drake, 1578
10
Scuttlebutt |
Matthew Sheldon
Head of Strategic Development
| Scuttlebutt 11
t is a pleasure to be able to
make a contribution to
Scuttlebutt in this very
significant year for the NMRN
and particularly the Portsmouth
element.
12
Scuttlebutt |
Above: Matthew Sheldon shows HRH The Princess Royal the 4-in gun from HMS Lance.
Above: The destroyer HMS Lance, which fired the first shot of the Great War at sea.
| Scuttlebutt 13
HMS
VICTORY
COMMANDING OFFICERS REPORT
14
Scuttlebutt |
Rod Strathern
Spring 2014 Edition
| Scuttlebutt 15
199
STEAM PINNACE
Boiler Progress
The target date for completion of the
boiler has slipped to the end of February
at the time of writing. Over on the Isle of
Wight two items have caused delays. In a
previous boiler rebuild some years ago,
nuts and bolts were incorrectly used in
place of studs to secure the hand hole or
access doors on the water drums. The
bolt heads were welded inside the drum
to prevent rotation but the bolt heads are
obstructing the use of the mandrel tools
for expanding the adjacent tube ends,
causing two mandrels to be written off.
The heads were ground out but this is
time consuming. In addition the new boiler
tubes, ordered on advice from a
professional engineer involved in old
steam machinery, were over specified.
16
Scuttlebutt |
The Pinnace
In the meantime back in Gosport, the
volunteer team have been rewiring the
pinnaces electrical systems. S he has a
| Scuttlebutt 17
The Warship
FIGUREHEADS
of Portsmouth
HMS CALCUTTA
1831-1908
18
Scuttlebutt |
David Pulvertaft
20
Scuttlebutt |
Left page Top picture: "The Grand Fleet's Famous 5th BS at Jutland". 2012 FW Wood's estate. Image from R Cosby
Left page Bottom picture: "Boy Cornwell bravely remaining at his post, wins a posthumous VC. 2010 Frank Salisbury's estate.
Image by R Cosby with permission HMS RALEIGH
Left page Middle picture: "Grand Fleet destroyers engaging MAINZ, Heligoland Bight, August 1914". Watercolour by W L Wyllie.
2008 Image by Rick Cosby
Right page picture: Always at sea, always filthy weather - and back in Scapa, coaling, coaling, coaling! Battlecruisers of the Grand Fleet in
roughers again. Watercolour by Charles Dixon. 2009 and image by Rick Cosby
Rick Cosby
| Scuttlebutt 21
Part Two
- Fisher and the
Bernard Ireland continues our series
commemorating
theDreadnought
Great War
On Trafalgar Day 1904 Admiral
Sir John Fisher assumed the
post of First Sea Lord (1SL).
A no-nonsense man, Jacky
Fisher was totally alive to the
German threat and would prove
to be a worthy counterweight to
Admiral Tirpitz. To him, war was
inevitable.
THERE WILL BE
NO TIME FOR
ANYTHING!
WAR WILL COME
LIKE THE DAY
OF JUDGEMENT!
SUDDENLY!
UNEXPECTEDLY!
OVERWHELMINGLY!
22
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| Scuttlebutt 23
24
Scuttlebutt |
| Scuttlebutt 25
HMS Dreadnought
26
Scuttlebutt |
Bernard Ireland
Bernard Ireland spent a lifetime with the
Royal Naval Scientific Service. For over
thirty years he served at the Admiralty
Experiment Works, Haslar, engaged in
the development of the Royal Navys
ships and submarines. To a long and
deep interest in naval history he has
added a thorough technical knowledge
and has written thirty books and
contributed to many other books,
magazines and journals.
| Scuttlebutt 27
COMMEMORATION
PROJECT
GRANDSON OF JELLICOE,
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF THE GRAND FLEET
(1914-1916)
AND HMS CAROLINE
IN BELFAST
Nick Jellicoe pictured with HMS Caroline moored in the Belfast dockyard
28
Scuttlebutt |
YOUR FOCUS.
OUR RING SIGHT.
BOTH PERFECT.
John Roberts
| Scuttlebutt 29
German light battlecruiser SMS Bluecher sinking at the battle of the Dogger Bank 1915
The battlecruiser HMS Queen Mary, under fire from Derfflinger and Seydlitz at Jutland blows up
30
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A British super dreadnought battleship firing a broadside with her 13.5-inch guns
| Scuttlebutt 31
32
Scuttlebutt |
We have two more of our very special cruises for 2014 If you like
cruising or love ships, then without doubt, these are the best cruises
in the world. For full information on ordering this DVD and on our cruises, please go to our website at:
www.snowbow.co.uk or email: des@sbowbow.co.uk or call on: 01273 585391. All DVDs cost 18. 95p each plus p&p (Extra for
overseas) We still have our special offer of 3 DVDs for the price of 2 running. which really is a great saving, especially when you
appreciate that we now have 35 of these fantastic, 60 minute maritime DVDs available. For payment by cheque or Post Order, send
to: Snowbow Productions (2000) Ltd, 145 The Promenade, Peacehaven , East Sussex, BN10 7HN. England.
| Scuttlebutt 33
34
Scuttlebutt |
HMS Iron Duke leads the Grand Fleet at the Fleet Review, 20 July 1914
36
Scuttlebutt |
1st Battlecruiser
Squadron
The capital ships of the Grand Fleet were supported by the 2nd and
3rd Cruiser Squadrons, the 1sLight Cruiser Squadron and forty-one
destroyers. Future editions of Scuttlebutt will focus on the many
operations, battles and events at sea as we mark their various
anniversaries on the appropriate dates.
John Roberts
Spring 2014 Edition
| Scuttlebutt 37
38
Scuttlebutt |
The cruiser HMS Blanche, attached to Grand Fleet 4th Battle Squadron
| Scuttlebutt 39
40
Scuttlebutt |
Chris Howat
Spring 2014 Edition
| Scuttlebutt 41
T H E
M U S E U M S '
M O D E L S
Top: HMS COLLINGWOOD in 1913, painted by the artist A B Cull. The ship is pictured as flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Stanley Colville, commanding
the 1st Squadron (comprising the 1st Battle Squadron and 1st Cruiser Squadron) of the Home Fleets. Admiral Colville flew his flag in
COLLINGWOOD from June 1912 to June 1914, when the flag of VAdm 1st Squadron was hoisted by the newly-commissioned 'Super-Dreadnought'
HMS MARLBOROUGH. The painting, formerly owned by Admiral James Ley CB CVO (who as a Captain commanded HMS COLLINGWOOD from
June 1912 until end-November 1916) now hangs in the Wardroom of the Training Establishment HMS COLLINGWOOD. It is reproduced by
permission of MOD(N) and of Captain Richard Cosby LVO RN, the Director of 'Maritime Prints' (see www.maritimeprints.com).
The Dreadnought
HMS COLLINGWOOD
The subject of this article is a rather
unusual birthday-present given to a
young girl in 1937 a sizeable scalemodel of a battleship in which her
father had served as a naval officer
during the Great War.
The model is probably of HMS COLLINGWOOD as she would have appeared in mid-1917 the
'coffee-pot' searchlight towers at the foot of the mainmast, aft-facing 'range clocks' and the screen
on the fore-funnel were all post-Jutland additions. It should be noted, however, that Dr Oscar
Parkes' drawing of COLLINGWOOD in 1917 (see inset - drawing reproduced from Parkes' book
'British Battleships') indicates the model may not be wholly accurate in certain details.
42
Scuttlebutt |
H M S C O LLI N G W O O D, N OV E M B E R 1918
HMS COLLINGWOOD at the time of the Surrender of the High Seas Fleet. With the exception of HMS DREADNOUGHT herself (sidelined due
to her weak secondary armament) the Grand Fleet 'Dreadnoughts' were considered useful throughout the war; and benefitted from the programme
of modification, training and practice which by mid-1918 had rectified most of the shortcomings revealed off Jutland two years previously.
In November 1918 HMS COLLINGWOOD was a well-equipped and effective battleship - but with the German naval threat removed there was
no reason for the Royal Navy to retain her. (Drawing from Siegfried Breyer's 'Battleships & Battlecruisers 1905-1970' with tinting, minor alterations
and annotations by Mark Brady).
| Scuttlebutt 43
T H E
M U S E U M S '
M O D E L S
44
Scuttlebutt |
HUNTER KILLERS
SECRET
SUBMARINE OPERATIONS
A controversial new book
by Iain Ballantyne, Hunter Killers,
exposes the incredible secret
story of how Royal Navy
submarines waged a dangerous
and daring, covert campaign,
to gain a vital edge over their
Soviet counterparts during the
Cold War. Here he explains that
diesel submarines were essential
to enable the Royal Navy to hold
the line for NATO during the early
years of the long perilous EastWest confrontation.
46
Scuttlebutt |
| Scuttlebutt 47
HMS Alliance at Gibraltar in the early 1970s. (Photo: Rob Forsyth Collection)
HMS Auriga noses through ice in Arctic waters in the early 1960s, while operating out of Canada.(Photo: Forsyth Collection Rob Forsyth)
48
Scuttlebutt |
| Scuttlebutt 49
Cold War era Super-T diesel submarine: HMS Tiptoe, pictured in 1967.
Photo: Jonathan Eastland/AJAX. www.ajaxnetphoto.com
50
Scuttlebutt |
Above: HMS Osiris, an Oberon Class diesel submarine of the Royal Navy. Photo: BAE Systems
| Scuttlebutt 51
TODAY
OVERVIEW
It is upon the Navy under the good Providence of God that the
safety, honour, and welfare of this realm do chiefly depend.
(King Charles II, in the introduction to The Articles of War)
52
Scuttlebutt |
| Scuttlebutt 53
TODAY
54
Scuttlebutt |
| Scuttlebutt 55
TODAY
56
Scuttlebutt |
| Scuttlebutt 57
TODAY
Top left: HMS St Albans boarding team returns to the Type 23 frigate
Top right: Artist impression of the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at sea
Below left: The aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth under construction in Rosyth
Below right: The white ensign continues to fly proudly around the world
All pictures ( crown copyright)
58
Scuttlebutt |
John Roberts
Spring 2014 Edition
| Scuttlebutt 59
N A V A L
S W O R D S
GO TO THE PAST
Commemorate the
1914-18 Centenary
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PFOBUUJNFTPGEBOHFS&TUBCMJTIFEJO
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UISPVHIPVUUIFJSMJWFT
:PVSEPOBUJPOXJMMIFMQVTUPIFMQUIFN
Castaway House, 311 Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 8RN
T: 02392 690112 F: 02392 660852 E: rnbt@rnbt.org.uk www.rnbt.org.uk
LOSING
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TRAUMATIC
BUT BLESMA
BELIEVES
THERE IS
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Twitter: @blesma
Facebook: /blesma
Registered Charity Number: 1084189 (SC010315)
| Scuttlebutt 61
N A V A L
S W O R D S
Spencer connection is clearly indicated on
the outer face of the blade, close to the
shoulder by an etched design of the Spencer
device of six intertwined letters S, in this
case surrounded by the collar of the Order
of the Garter, Fig. 6, which had been
awarded in 1864. The inner face carries
the Royal Cipher, EVIIR.
This sword is a fascinating direct link to one
of the major influences in naval policy in the
latter years of the nineteenth century. Had
Spencer lived to see the start of World War I,
he could have been secure in the knowledge
that his obstinacy some two decades earlier
had helped to ensure that the material state
of the Royal Navy was up to the challenges it
was about to face.
John McGrath
Acknowledgement:
The author is grateful to the Corporation of Trinity
House for permission to use the image of
Earl Spencer which appears as Fig. 2.
Reference sources
Peter Gordon, Spencer, John Poyntz, fifth Earl Spencer (1835
1910), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University
Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008
[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36209, accessed
21 Nov 2013].
Malcolm Lester, Spencer, George John, second Earl Spencer
(17581834), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford
University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008
[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/26125, accessed
21 Nov 2013].
J. K. Laughton, Spencer, Sir Robert Cavendish (17911830), rev.
Andrew Lambert, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford
University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2012
[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/26136, accessed
21 Nov 2013]. This article also contains information about the
fourth Earl.
Ireland, Bernard, The Anglo-German Naval Race, Part One,
Scuttlebutt, Edition No 47, Autumn 2013, p 27.
Provenance: Christies Sale number 5467, The Althorp Attic Sale,
Lot 229 and then via Les Martin, dealer, to the present owner.
Bezdek, Richard H., Swords and Sword Makers of England and
Scotland (Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press, 2003) p. 154.
May, Commander W E, RN and Annis, PGW, Swords for Sea
Service (London: Her Majestys Stationery Office, 197) Vol I, pp. 36
& 46, Vol II, Plate 37.
McGrath, John and Barton, Mark, British Naval Swords &
Swordsmanship (Barnsley: Seaforth, 2013) pp. 73 75.
McGrath, John, Swords of Trinity House, Classic Arms & Militaria,
Vol XIX, Issue 6, December 2012/January 2013, pp. 12 17.
http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/78610.ht
ml and /78946.html.
| Scuttlebutt 63
HMS Clios drum and fife band. Phil Gunn third from left ( Author)
ROYAL NAVY IN
MESOPOTAMIA
As 2013 moved into 2014, the heavy guns of the historical journalist world poured
forth their World War One offerings. Hastings and Paxman salvoes were fired at a
public ready and eager to enter the centenary commemorations. It was mostly
about the trenches, understandably as that had been just across the Channel.
Much also dealt with what had been happening at home. The books did not
mention the navy much, other than to say that its German opposite numbers had
bombarded Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool, Kitchener drowned in
HMS Hampshire and that at the Battle of Coronel we had suffered the first defeat
in a battle at sea since before Trafalgar. Then there was the draw at Jutland.
Credit was given for the protection of the troops crossing to the continent.
64
Scuttlebutt |
A swarm of bellums (canoes), lashed in pairs came around the sterns of the sloops and tore towards the beach as the sloops bombarded
the enemy positions. The advance up the Tigris had begun.
| Scuttlebutt 65
Above: HMS Clio looked like a rich mans yacht but was armed with six 4-inch calibre guns ( Author)
66
Scuttlebutt |
45.00
36.00
30.00
24.00
45.00
36.00
421851
Spring 2014 Edition
| Scuttlebutt 67
68
Scuttlebutt |
Above: Phil took charge of a launch, towing two horse boats armed with 4.7-inch guns,
to support the army and bombard the Turks
David Gunn
His book Sailor in the Desert, the
adventures of Phillip Gunn, DSM RN in
the Mesopotamia Campaign 1915 has
recently been published by Pen & Sword
In 1900 an admiral
inspected HMS Astraea
and wrote a report
praising the Ship's
company for their good
physique, (remarkably
clean and well dressed;
the stoker division a fine
body of clean and welldressed men. At exercise
the men moved very
smartly and the ship
looked well inside and
out, and is very clean
throughout). It is extraordinary that he made
absolutely no reference to the fact that HMS
Astra was one of the best shots in the
Navy nor was there any praise for her
captain and gunnery lieutenant for making
the ship such an efficient fighting unit.
Appearance appeared much more important
than gunnery and battle-worthiness.
Fortunately this situation changed, largely
due to the work of Captain (later Admiral Sir)
Percy Scott. He saw the crucial importance
of improving gunnery equipment and training
and also that competition could raise
standards. Shooting was first stimulated by
the introduction of an unofficial the
Bluejacket Medal, in 1902 (retrospectively
issued from 1900). It was presented to the
best shot in the Navy with the gun captain
receiving the medal in silver and his gun
crew each receiving the medal in bronze.
Then in 1903 an official Naval Good
Shooting Medal was introduced. The medal
was struck in silver and the obverse (the
front) shows the head of the monarch
(Edward VII, 1903 1910, George V 1911
1914). The reverse of the medal shows
Neptune holding five thunderbolts in each
hand. The Latin motto Amat Victoria Curam
(Victory Loves Care, more aptly Victory
Loves Preparation) is around the
circumference of the reverse. The medal
ribbon has a red central stripe with blue edge
stripes and thin white stripes in between.
The Naval Good Shooting Medal was only
awarded to the gun layer and not the whole
gun crew.
James Kemp
James Kemp started collecting medals
over 45 years ago and is a member of
the Orders and Medals Research Society.
He spent over thirty years working on
various ship and naval equipment
projects, which started in Chatham
Dockyard. His last project being the
Combat System Manager for the design
and build of the Landing Platform Docks
HM Ships Albion and Bulwark.
| Scuttlebutt 69
HEROISM AT SEA
A unique and detailed history of the Awards for
Skill and Gallantry presented by the Society since 1851.
This E-book gives a fascinating insight into British
maritime history and the selfless acts of bravery of so many.
Of special interest to anyone with an interest in maritime
history and love of the sea.
Published on CD at 9.95 plus P&P
STRATEGIC
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
in the Royal Navy
The previous article, Part 1, provided a brief overview of the development of nuclear weapons in Britain
from the Second World War to the cancellation of Blue Streak and the planned purchase of the
American Skybolt missile to be carried by RAF Bomber Commands Vulcan aircraft.
This part will review the events leading to the acquisition by the United Kingdom of the Polaris Weapon
System (SWS) and the early days of the British Naval Ballistic Missile System (BNBMS).
70
Scuttlebutt |
Shipwrecked
MarinersSociety
STRATEGIC
NUCLEAR
WEAPONS
Queen
Victoria
School
Raising to
Distinction
72
Scuttlebutt |
Open Morning
Sat 20 Sept 2014
Admissions Deadline
Thu 15 Jan 2015
Queen Victoria School in Dunblane
is a co-educational boarding
school for the children of UK
Armed Forces personnel who
are Scottish, or who have served
in Scotland or who have been
members of a Scottish regiment.
The QVS experience encourages
and develops well-rounded,
conident individuals in an
environment of stability
and continuity.
The main entry point is into
Primary 7 and all places are fully
funded for tuition and boarding
by the Ministry of Defence.
Families are welcome to ind out
more by contacting Admissions on
+44 (0) 131 310 2927
to arrange a visit.
www.qvs.org.uk
Spring 2014 Edition
STRATEGIC
NUCLEAR
WEAPONS
in the Royal Navy
Naval Staff, informed the Cabinet that four submarines, each with
sixteen missiles, could be completed between early 1968 and 1970.
At the December 1962 Nassau Conference Macmillan and Kennedy
drew up, in broad terms, the main principles governing the provision
by the US to the UK of the Polaris SWS, less the missiles warheads,
and spares on a continuing basis. Britain was to be responsible for
the hull, propulsion and other ship systems, with UK Polaris being
used in support of
the Western Alliance, except when supreme national interests
were at stake, so maintaining Britains operational independence
of her deterrent.
2014 PROGRAMME
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| Scuttlebutt 75
STRATEGIC
NUCLEAR
WEAPONS
in the Royal Navy
as the base for the hunter-killer SSNs was redeveloped with new
jetties, maintenance and training facilities, stores accommodation etc
to cater for what became the 3rd and 10th (SSBN) Submarine
Squadrons. Coulport, on Loch Long, was developed to include missile
storage, servicing and loading facilities.
Post the 1958 MDA the decision had been taken to manufacture
virtual copies of US warhead designs, with the US Mk 28 warhead
being adapted for Red Snow but anglicisation had proved far more
difficult than expected. AWRE had been working on a copy of the US
W-59 warhead for Skybolt at its cancellation and this design led to
common lineage of warheads for the WE177 variants and Polaris.
The reduction in physical size to fit into the Polaris A3 Re-entry
Vehicle (RV) ablative shell meant that mechanical safeing had to
be introduced.
In mid 1963 a Naval Staff Progress Committee was formed to
consider the tasks that would need to be completed to support the
operational aspects of the Polaris Force prior to first deployment.
Topics covered included: Command and Control with a reliable and
unambiguous firing chain, provision of a Polaris Command Centre
and robust communications system, targeting, as well as the
recruiting, training and appointing of officers and men for the Force.
With the project underway uncertainties emerged with the election
of Labour administration committed by their election manifesto to
the re-negotiation of the Nassau Agreement. Their manifesto for
the 1966 general election proposed an Atlantic Nuclear Force
(ANF) and stated that Labour stands by its pledge to internationalise
our strategic nuclear force. Nevertheless Polaris continued as an
independent deterrent but politics and the economy dictated various
aspects of the overall project including the number of hulls to be built
and commissioned. The administration also had to resolve command
and control issues, respond to Multilateral Force (MLF) proposals,
and consider the possible deployment of Polaris east of Suez. The
number of hulls was reduced to four which led, in later years of
deployment, to considerable problems in maintaining a continuous
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WELCOME ABOARD
DO COME & JOIN US!
EVENTS CALENDAR
MEMBERSHIP OF THE FRIENDS OF THE ROYAL NAVAL MUSEUM (PORTSMOUTH) & HMS VICTORY
The Friends were formed in 1976 to support the Royal Naval Museum. They play an important part in assisting, promoting and
publicising the museum and their primary purpose remains to support both the Museum and HMS Victory financially and in various
other ways including work on specific projects, purchasing and collecting important items and artefacts and providing volunteers.
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
In return for their support members of the Friends receive a range of benefits and special privileges, particularly to assist them in using
and expanding their knowledge of the Museum, HMS Victory, the Royal Navy and the wider aspects of Britains great Maritime Heritage.
The many benefits are listed on the Friends website at: http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/support_friends_join.htm
Do come aboard and join us, you will be most welcome, complete the form below or the online application at:
http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/support_FriendsMembershipform.htm
Post Code ..
Signature:
Please enclose a cheque for one years subscription, payable to the Friends of the RN Museum and HMS Victory
or, preferable, use the Bankers Order Form below
BANKERS ORDER
Name & Address of Donors Bank
Please pay to the Friends of the RN Museum - (Bank Account No 10049576 - Sort Code: 16 19 28)
Royal Bank of Scotland PLC, Fareham Branch, 1-2 Westquay House, 20 West Street, Fareham, Hants. PO16 OLH
the sum of ... on the..day of .20
And annually thereafter on the same day until further notice from my account No:
Full name and title in CAPITALS:
Address:
Please print, sign and return this form to Roger Trise, Executive Secretary,
Friends of Royal Naval Museum & HMS Victory, Royal Naval Museum,
HM Naval Base (PP66) Portsmouth, Hants PO1 3NH
78
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Date 20
LIMEFRESH MEDIA
Forum House, Stirling Road, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 7DN
t:02392 001 373 m:07843 435 385 e:maurice.snowdon@limefreshmedia.com
www.limefreshmedia.com
| Scuttlebutt 79
EVENTS CALENDAR
EVENTS CALENDAR
events
January December 2014
2014
9 July
Emma Nash
emma.nash@nmrn.org.uk
or write to:
The National Museum of the Royal Navy
HM Naval Base (PP66), Portsmouth
Hampshire PO1 3NH
80
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2014
11 June
1730-1830
This conference addresses the vital connections between the Royal Navy
and the British Atlantic empire, focusing on such themes as slavery,
abolition, war, revolution and imperial expansion in the period between
1756 and 1815.
This conference aims to explore the Anglo-German naval arms race during
the early twentieth century and the Great War at sea with an emphasis
prior to the Battle of Jutland.
5, 6 September
19, 20 June
Felting
14 May
1730-1830
Special lecture
2013-2014
2014
RESEARCH
PROGRAMME
HMS Photography
Collection Twilight
Tour
This conference will explore the War of 1812 and the Royal Navys part in
it, its successes, its failures and how the Royal Navy contributed to British
national strategy and the winning of the war.
families
families & childrens
childrens
events
events
Soulid
mam
Holidays
SSummer
ummer Holidays
HSummer
yser Holidays
HMS V
Victory
ictory Summer Fun
Investigate life on board HMS Victory by
identifying the mystery sounds, smells and
objects in our Ships Challenge. Dress up as a
member of the crew and make your own HMS
Victory souvenir to take home. Activities are
available on the following dates:
Au
Autumn
tumn Half
Half Term
Term
Three excellent events have been organised for the Autumn and it is hoped that
Friends and their guests will support what are sure to be extremely interesting,
informative and sociable opportunities for meeting up with other Friends.
THURSDAY 18th SEPTEMBER
A day in Poole, visiting the RNLI HQ and Training School and Poole Lifeboat
Station. There will be a tour of the state-of-the-art facilities, with an opportunity to watch
training in progress. At the Station the 2 lifeboats, together with the full range of
equipment and kit, will be on display and volunteers will be on hand to describe its history
and current operational role. The cost of the day will be 30, to include coffee on arrival at
10.30am, the tours, lunch with splendid views across the harbour and a donation to the
Stations operating fund. The site is very convenient for rail travel. If driving, details of
nearby parking will be sent on booking. Car sharing will be organised as appropriate.
WEDNESDAY 22nd OCTOBER
At the Royal Maritime Club.
Underpinning the Nations Security through the 21st century
Captain Iain Greenlees will give a perspective on developments at Portsmouth Naval Base
during the next decade, including preparations for the new aircraft carriers - for which he
has personal remit. The evening will commence with canaps in the Victory Bar from
6.30pm, followed by Captain Greenlees presentation and discussion in the Nelson
Lounge at 7pm and then supper in the Horatio Restaurant at 8.15pm. The cost will be
20. The venue is a few minutes from the Harbour rail and bus stations. Parking
arrangements will be advised on booking.
THURSDAY 20th NOVEMBER
At the Royal Maritime Club. NMRN : The Way Forward . . . . .
Admiral Sir Jonathan Band, Chairman of the Trustees of the National Museum of the
Royal Navy, will tell us how NMRN evolved, describe its achievements to date, together
with its current strategies and future plans. The Victory Bar will open for coffee and prelunch drinks at 11am and a 3-course lunch will be served at 12.30pm in the Horatio
Restaurant. Admiral Bands talk will commence at 2.30pm in the Nelson Lounge and will
be followed by a discussion session.
Menu options will be sent out nearer the date. The Royal Maritime Club is in Queen
Street, Portsmouth, not far from the Historic Dockyard Victory Gate. If you will be
travelling from some distance, overnight accommodation at the Club is available to Friends
at the members rate. Call 02392 824 231. Parking arrangements will be advised on
booking.
All bookings will be acknowledged.
To book for the above event please detach and complete the form below
and send it with your cheque to:
David Baynes, 17, St.Thomass Street, Portsmouth, Hants, PO1 2EZ.
Please call 02392 831 461
or email baynes.david@btinternet.com with any queries.
Trafalgar
rafalgar Challenge
T
Museum by T
Torchlight
o
orchlight
Date: Wednesday 29th October
T
Time:
ime: 6pm-7.30pm
BOOKING FORM
I wish to book . . . . place(s) on the Poole Visit
on 8th September @ 30 per person.
I wish to book . . . . place(s) for Talk and Supper
on 22nd October @ 20 per person.
I wish to book . . . . place(s) for the Talk and Lunch
on 20th November @ 20 per person
h Octoberr,
Date: Wednesday 29th
T
ime: 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm
Time:
Address :
Telephone :
Signed :
Email :
Date :
| Scuttlebutt 81
BOOK REVIEWS
stretch over two pages (p524-525) and
should be contrasted with those on
Beresford (p96-97). Whether subsequent
volumes will be quite so interesting remains
to be seen, in any case it will require a
prodigious amount of work if Alastair
Wilson is going to tackle it all on his own. I
am not sure who this work will appeal to
but certainly naval historians, genealogists
and any serious students of twentiethcentury naval history.
John Roberts
A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY
OF THE TWENTIETH-CENTURY
ROYAL NAVY
Volume 1 Admirals of the Fleet
and Admirals
by Alastair Wilson, published by Seaforth
at 30 (hard back 88 pages plus CD)
Alastair Wilson has embarked on a hugely
ambitious project using an interesting and
relatively new concept of book and CD
combined. This is the first volume,
described as a compendium, of a planned
six volume series covering twentieth
century naval officers from admiral of the
fleet to lieutenant-commander and below
(selected). Volume 2 Vice-Admirals is in
the course of preparation and volume 3,
Rear-Admirals is in outline. This first
volume covers some 336 senior admirals
who have served since 1900.
The book is a very slim hard back, taking
less space on the book shelf and provides
the basic information to understand and
interpret the extensive data on the CD. The
7.66 MB CD has 1,479 pages of data (over
600,000 words). The admirals are covered
alphabetically in the special database
programme, using a standard data
template for each; this is in contrast with
Heathcotes narrative style in The British
Admirals of the Fleet 1734-1995. Each
data section is set out with black for outline
headings and sections and blue for the
specific information contained within each.
Each entry has an interesting record of
service and many have a fascinating
general remarks section and it is this
latter section that many readers will find
most interesting. Reading through them
one comes across all sorts of gems of
information. The general remarks on Fisher
82
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84
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HUNTER KILLERS
By Iain Ballantyne, published by Orion
at 20 (hard back 482 pages)
Ian Ballantyne is to be congratulated on
tackling this very difficult, sensitive and
much neglected but very important side of
naval operations since the Second World
War. These highly dangerous and secret
missions conducted by our submarines in
hostile Soviet waters have been shrouded
in mystery and concealed from the general
public by strict secrecy rules. The result is
that a generation of courageous
submariners, who have faced all sorts of
perils during many vital dangerous covert
| Scuttlebutt 85
86
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SEAFORTH WORLD
NAVAL REVIEW 2014
Edited by Conrad Waters, published
by Seaforth Publishing at 30
(Hardcover 192 pages)
BRITISH WARSHIPS & AUXILIARIES
2014/2015
By Steve Bush, published by Maritime
Books at 8.99 (soft back, 121 pages).
For the busy reader who wants to keep
abreast of current naval affairs and
particularly Royal Navy matters, but who
does not have the time or money for the
classic reference, Janes Fighting Ships
| Scuttlebutt 87
Letters to the
SCUTTLEBUTT
Editor
We welcome letters to the magazine
so do please write if you have a
point of interest to share.
Letters can be emailed to the editor
(jaorob@tiscali.co.uk)
or posted to:
The Editor, Scuttlebutt,
c/o The Friends of the
National Museum of the
Royal Navy (Portsmouth),
HM Naval Base (PP66),
Portsmouth PO1 3NH.
RJS
Dear Editor,
Dear Sir,
Just received the autumn 'Scuttlebutt', for which very many
thanks. I'll enjoy reading it, I'm sure, especially the article on the
Anglo-German naval race.
Just one thing I've spotted (as I'm sure many other readers will
also spot). In the article on the Indonesian Confrontation, or page
62, there is a photograph captioned, "HMS Bulwark
(Aircraftcarrier) and HMS Tidereach (Cruiser) " Surely not? At
the risk of being a pedant, shouldn't this be "HMS Bulwark
(Aircraft Carrier) and RFA Tidereach (Fleet Replenishment
Tanker)? Apologies for picking this up.
Dear Mr Roberts
Many thanks for pointing this out, many of our readers
also spotted the same errors and wrote in to tell us. At
least it shows that lots of people are actually reading
Scuttlebutt - Ed
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Bob Hastie
Dear Sir,
I very much enjoyed reading the articles about the coming of the
Great War in the recent editions of Scuttlebutt. I have always
been fascinated by the naval battles of the First World War,
particularly the Battle of Jutland because my Grandfather fought
in the battle.
He joined the Indefatigable class battlecruiser HMS New
Zealand in the first battlecruiser squadron in December 1914. He
was onboard in time to be present at the Battle of the Dogger
Bank the following month. He was still serving onboard her but in
the second battlecruiser squadron when she took part with
Beatties battlecruisers at the Battle of Jutland at the end of May
1916.
As a stoker my grandfather would have been in the bowels of the
ship with little idea of what was going on up top. From the
| Scuttlebutt 89
Letters to the
SCUTTLEBUTT
Editor
hurried orders for full speed, violent alterations of course and the
sound of the big guns firing he would have been only too well
aware that the battlecruisers were engaging the enemy in a major
action. Deep in the engine and boiler room they would have been
working in unbearable heat, shovelling coal and hearing the
enormous explosions, first of HMS Indefatigable blowing up
immediately astern of them and then a short while later HMS
Queen Mary, blowing up ahead of them. With such terrible
explosions ahead and astern they must have feared they could
suffer the same fate at any moment. Being down below they
would never have had any chance of escape and they would all
have known that. In 1918 he transferred to the Lion class
battlecruiser HMS Princess Royal in the first battlecruiser
squadron.
Grandfather survived the war and went on to be a deep sea
diver, but he was invalided out of the Navy on 24th July 1919 at
Haslar having lost his right hand during a diving accident. It is
rather ironic that he survived right through the war and fought in
two great sea battles only to be invalided out in an accident
shortly after it was all over!
Jenny Wraight
Naval Historical Branch | Royal Navy
Dear Editor,
Many thanks for the latest edition of Scuttlebutt. What an
excellent publication it has now become. Just a small point: the
list of council members on page 4 does not seem to have caught
up with the fact that our patron has now attained 5 star rank!
Yours faithfully,
Regards
Dear Sir,
Exiting Portsmouth Harbour in winter.
Yours faithfully,
David Gunn
LARBOARD v PORT
Dear Sir,
I write regularly for the CS Forester Society's journal.
The editor - a good (Dutch) friend has asked,
when did Larboard become port?
Can you help?
I suspect it wasn't an exact time!
Dear Editor,
First, congratulations on Scuttlebutt it really is interesting and
informative even to an octogenarian naval historian like me.
I assume the article on Confrontation is yours? I just missed it at
either end (HM Ships Torquay and Hermes) but with a lot of time
with the Fleet Air Arm have a number of non PC stories about the
different attitudes between the services.
However, thoroughly enjoyed the article but (there has to be
one!) The cruiser HMS Tidereach in the first picture and a pity
the Hermes photo was not as she was then. Forgive a grumpy
old man I have similar problems from time to time with Navy
News!
Yours,
Julian Loring
Commander
In Memoriam
We were most sorry to hear the very sad news of the passing of the following:
Mr Trevor Hughes, a long and loyal supporter of the Royal Naval Museum, HMS Victory
and the Friends who served with Captain Don Beadle on the Council of Friends
Our condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues.
Many thanks for taking the trouble to write and point out
the caption error. Ed
Ken Napier
90
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