Volume 10, Issue 1 February 2021

The Rum Tub or Norrie’s Nocturnal and Nautical Editorial Natter By Shipmate Norrie Millen Hi! Shipmates, In this issue This will be the first newsletter of the New Year, a Editorial ...... 1 year which I know we all hope and pray will see us Captain Duncan Knight Obit ...... 2-5 The Ships Cat ...... 5-6 emerge from this terrible pandemic and into a French Cruiser Surcouf . 7-10 better place. As I sat down to write this, I received Blue Liners ...... 10 A Modern ASW ...... 11-13 another of those dreaded calls with bad news. As Humour ...... 14 soon as a friend of a shipmate’s wife calls, I know what the devastating news is going to be. A guy who I joined the with in 1957 at St Vincent and who I still maintained contact with, succumbed to C0vid this morning. Tim (named changed for personal reasons) had completed nine years in the RN, when he decided to transfer to the Royal Marine Commandos. After nine years as a Royal Marine Commando, he decided to transfer back to the RN. I tried to establish why, but he was always tight lipped "OLD" IS WHEN Your sweetie over this. says, "Let's go upstairs and make love," and you answer, "Honey, I Tim had not been too well the last few years. In the last six can't do both!" months he suffered 10 strokes, which left him almost speechless, unable to walk anymore and confining him to "OLD" IS WHEN Your friends a wheelchair. A devastating blow to a super keep fit compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot fanatic. Obviously with these serious health issues he was most vulnerable and tested positive three weeks ago when "OLD " IS WHEN A sexy babe he was admitted to hospital, never to recover. catches your fancy and your pacemaker opens the garage door. Sadly he had not left any finances or plans for his final journey and only instructions he left for his widow was no OLD " IS WHEN Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your funeral, no flowers, and no cards. He just wants to be taken face. to local cemetery and buried without any fuss or ceremony. I was able to point his widow in the right direction to try and "OLD " IS WHEN You don't care secure some money for a plot, burial expenses and the where your spouse goes, just an long as you don't have to go along. undertaker’s fee. The lesson here: Be like a boy scout, be prepared. "OLD " IS WHEN You are cautioned to slow down by the 2020 was a terrible year for us all in one way and another. doctor instead of by the police. Let’s all hope and pray that 2021 will see a massive improvement for us all and on the right side of Covid-19 and "OLD" IS WHEN “Getting a little action" means I don't need to take leading normal lives again. any fibre today. By the time your get around to reading this I will have reached another th "OLD “IS WHEN "Getting lucky" milestone, my 79 birthday. I often reflect on past years and wonder means you find your car in the where they all went, years which seem to pass more quickly as one parking lot grows older “OLD” IS WHEN An "alI nighter" The way I see it anyway! *means not getting up to go to the bathroom. Volume 10 Issue 1 February 2021

Captain Duncan Knight RN (Rtd) – Obituary The naval officer who took part in the destruction of two U-boats. Submitted by Shipmate Kevin Maguire

He was awarded the DSC “It was the most exciting moment of for his actions in 1941 and my life”, Knight wrote. “For 18 1942 off . months we had hunted for U-boats without success and suddenly we Captain Duncan Knight, who were almost alongside one!” has died aged 100, sank As Hesperus passed two U-boats in similar through the swirl of circumstances, five water left by the U- weeks apart. boat on the In the early hours surface of the of December 7 darkened sea, 1941 he was officer Knight released a of the watch in the pattern of five depth charges set Hesperus, in the to explode at Atlantic west of shallow depth. For the Gibraltar, when the rest of the night radar operator, Leading Hesperus, joined by Seaman John Sheard, her sister ship reported an echo dead ahead. Harvester, searched using their radars and , but dawn broke Ordering the ship’s searchlight to be on an empty and silent sea with no switched on, Knight expected to see sign of a U-boat or any a fishing boat: instead, right wreckage. Hesperus ahead, fully illuminated returned, by the searchlight, disappointed, to was a surfaced U- Gibraltar; boat on the same however, post- course and a war analysis similar speed to proved that Hesperus. Knight had sunk Knight could see men U-208. in the conning tower On January 15 that had obviously 1942, Hesperus been unaware of was part of the escort of a homeward Hesperus’s approach, and as they bound convoy from , in disappeared below, and the U-boat foggy weather and a heavy swell, not dived, Knight rang for “Action far from Gibraltar. Again, Knight and Stations!” Sheard shared the middle watch, when at 02:10 Sheard suddenly Rum Tub Page - 2 Volume 10 Issue 1 February 2021

reported an echo on the to Falmouth for repairs. starboard side about one and For skill and enterprise in a half miles away. action against enemy Knight altered course and Knight was increased speed, called the awarded the DSC and captain, and ordered Sheard the DSM. “Action Stations!” When Duncan Dalziel Knight starshell was fired to was born in Kingswood, illuminate the radar echo, Surrey, on October 20 there was a U-boat at full 1920, a descendant of speed on the surface. Captain Charles Mansfield, His captain, Commander who had commanded the 74- A. A. Tait, took over the gun ship-of-line conn while Knight, whose Minotaur at the Battle of action station was as gunnery officer, Trafalgar in 1805, and scion of a had opened fire with Hesperus’s family who peopled the 4.7 in guns when Tait decided to Empire over several ram. Hesperus struck the U- centuries. Educated at boat a glancing blow, so Banstead prep, he chose forceful that the German Dartmouth over captain, Kapitänleutnant Harrow and joined the Horst Elfe, was catapulted Navy in the Anson into the sea. term of 1933. As the U-boat scrunched along Knight served in the Hesperus’s side, a pattern of cruiser Amphion on the depth charges was released and Africa station under the the U-boat stopped about 200 future Admiral Sir Bob yards off. Lieutenant David Seely Burnett, victor of the Battle of North and a boarding party set off in the Cape, and had been at sea for a year ship’s whaler, hoping to capture an when the ship received the signal Enigma machine, but the U-boat “TOTAL GERMANY”, the call that sank less than 15 minutes after war had been declared. Sheard’s first radar detection. He recalled his first wartime order, Despite the known risk of when during the night of other U-boats being September 4-5 1939; he present, Tait picked heard the guns up some 40 ordered to “Load, survivors of U-93 Load, Load, and who were landed in no bloody Gibraltar before skylark!” Hesperus was sent

Rum Tub Page - 3 Volume 10 Issue 1 February 2021

As a newly promoted sub- specially trained German- lieutenant in June 1940, speaking operators he was one of the armed embarked, she boarding party who intercepted the radio stormed the French conversations which flagship in not only gave away the after enemy’s position but the fall of France. also their intended Later that year, movements. Knight and he took It was Knight’s first part in Operation experience of being Lucid, one of under fire, and as the Churchill’s madcap night erupted in a blaze schemes to blockade of explosions, at first he the invasion ports and found it difficult to not to set them on fire. Bad duck, but took his example weather prevented a first from his captain, Lieutenant attempt: on a second try, Commander Nigel Pumphrey Knight’s ship, the elderly merchant DSO, DSC, who “was quite ship River Tyne, was sunk by a mine unmoved”. The merchant ship and off Dieppe and Knight was rescued an escort were sunk, but several men by an MTB, only to find that his in Goathland were wounded, uniform and effects had already been including Knight, who was admitted sent to the “deadmen’s store” to hospital, and Mentioned in because his initials were “DD” – Despatches. which in naval parlance means Knight specialised as a signal officer, “discharged dead”. and saw the end of the war as Fleet Throughout the war the weather was Wireless Assistant in the British the worst enemy, and Knight could Pacific Fleet in the cruiser never forget the experience of Bermuda, whose duties took hauling exhausted and injured her to Formosa, Yokohama, men, often covered in oil, on Shanghai and Hong Kong. board: “The merchant Post war, Knight seamen,” he wrote, “were undertook a number of the real heroes of the Battle highly secretive of the Atlantic.” Knight appointments, as liaison himself was permanently between the Admiralty seasick, a condition which and GCHQ, including was cured on return to responsibility for the harbour by a bowl of hot 1,500 strong Admiralty chips and tomato sauce. Civilian Shore Wireless In April 1943, in the destroyer Service, which manned Goathland, Knight took part in listening stations at home and one of the first successful abroad intercepting “Headache” operations in foreign wireless traffic for the Channel, when with Rum Tub Page - 4 Volume 10 Issue 1 February 2021

Horst Elfe, Kapitänleutnant of U- 93; was later a German senator who was appointed honorary CBE for his work towards Anglo- German relations

The Ship’s Cat analysis by GCHQ. Submitted by Shipmate Alan Port Knight also commanded three ships, the Comet and Caprice Eds. Note. Although I ran a similar article back in and the frigate Blackpool. He 2016, this has a slightly different twist and involves interspersed these seagoing not one but two cats. commands with first-class shore As far back as appointments ancient including to families storing grain over winter NATO in realised the value of Oslo the domesticated cat for and keeping vermin away from their valuable crops. It was therefore no surprise that cats became regular members of the Naples. ship’s crew whenever food needed protection from the rats which would scurry On onboard and hide in the bilges waiting to retirement sneak out and steal the crew’s rations. from the This tradition carried on into the Second Navy, Knight was private secretary to World War and some cats received fame, the Lord Mayor of London for some or notoriety, for their exploits. 18 months before being appointed general manager to Trinity College of Perhaps the most famous Royal Music; he guided the college from an Navy cat was underfunded private institution to a 'Able fully funded higher education Seaman establishment. Simon’. In In 2001 Knight was invited by the 1948 the frigate HMS survivors of U-93 to their annual Amethyst was reunion, to discover that Horst Elfe storing ship at ‘Stonecutters’ Island' in was a German senator and recipient Hong Kong when a black and white cat of an honorary CBE for his work called Simon was smuggled onboard by a towards Anglo-German relations. young sailor. Fortunately the Captain took a liking to Simon and, as the ship had a Knight married Flavia Drake in 1947. vacancy for a good rat-catcher, Simon was She predeceased him in 2010, and he pressed into service. is survived by their son and two Simon quickly settled into naval life and, daughters. when not catching rats, spent his time Rum Tub Page - 5 Volume 10 Issue 1 February 2021 sleeping on the Captain’s bunk, on the It is recorded that the Bismarck had, chart table, or even in the Captain’s Hat! amongst its crew, a black cat called However, Simon’s idyllic life was about to ‘Oskar’ who was onboard when the be upset by a turn of events. HMS Bismarck’s gunners sent Ginger and Amethyst was ordered to sail to Nanking Fishcakes to a watery grave. However, to take up the role of guard ship in revenge came quickly, when a April 1949. As history records, from a Swordfish aircraft the Amethyst came under fire from HMS Ark Royal disabled on passage up the Yangtze the Bismarck. The Royal Navy River. The Captain was killed closed in and carried out and Simon wounded when a ’s order to Chinese shell struck the ship. ‘Sink the Bismarck’. Three pieces of shrapnel Oskar, however, was not done were removed from Simon’s for and was spotted (and back, but he survived and, painted for posterity) floating on according to the crew, lifted their a piece of wood in the middle of spirits during the four months the ocean. He was picked up the Amethyst was held captive by HMS Cossack and re- by the People’s Liberation named ‘Oscar’. Unfortunately, his rescue Army. was not to prove an entirely lucky break as In July 1949, the Amethyst made a daring the Cossack was herself sunk five months escape and was able to return home, later. Oscar, however, having survived one together with the brave Able Seaman sinking, knew the drill and again made it Simon. Tragically, however, Simon onto a piece of floating debris and, in a succumbed to his wounds, but not before bizarre twist of fate, was picked up by he had been awarded the Amethyst HMS Ark Royal - the ship that had sent Campaign Medal, the Blue Cross Oskar into the water only a few Medal for animal bravery and months earlier. heroism, and the Dickin Medal Oscar, now re-named ‘Unsinkable - the animal version of the Sam’ was not finished with the Victoria Cross (he remains war just yet. The following year it the only cat to have received was HMS Ark Royal’s turn to be this award). sunk in enemy action (this led to some believe that Oscar, or Other feline casualties of war Oskar, was revenging the memory occurred across the Navy, of his first masters onboard the deemed ‘missing in action’ were Bismarck). This time Seaman Tom ‘Ginger’ and ‘Fishcakes’, Blundell saved Oscar’s life and both of inhabitants of HMS Hood. They were not them were picked up by HMS Legion. however the only animals lost when the However, Oscar’s reputation as a cat that sank Bismarck sunk the Hood. The Hood, which ships resulted in him being handed over to the was called by some ‘Noah’s Ark’, is Harbour Master in Gibraltar. Oscar’s sea time reported to have gone down with a goat, a was over. His last posting was to an Old possum, a squirrel, a monkey, a Sailors’ Home in where he saw out his marmoset, a beaver, a variety of birds, a days, dying in 1955 at the age of 15. wallaby and a dog! PS: Despite HMS Legion landing the ‘jinxed’ Oscar she did not escape the ‘curse of the Bismarck’, for Two notable cats she too was sunk in March 1942. Finally, there is the tale of the luckiest (or Eds. Note: As for Sam’s legacy, it goes to show that even un-luckiest) cat in the Royal Navy - Oscar, in the most dire of circumstances, even as everything around you is crumbling down, you can still cling on to a also known as ‘Unsinkable Sam’. piece of wood, get rescued, and move on to another ship and start over again. Or it goes to show that cats really do have 9 lives — all of which are absolutely worth living. Rum Tub Page - 6 Volume 9 Issue 5 October 2020

French Cruiser submarine FS Surcouf From the Internet Complied and edited by Norrie Millen

Part I The Surcouf was named after Robert Surcouf, who had been a French privateer. At the time of FS Surcouf was the her launch in 1929, she was largest French cruiser the world's largest pre- submarine. She Second World War served in both the submarine, 361 feet French Navy and long, and weighed the Free French 3,304 tons. She was Naval Forces during the powered by a pair of Second World War. 3800-hp Sulze She was lost during diesel engines and the night of 18/19 two electric motors February 1942 in and had a range of 10,000 miles at 10 the Caribbean Sea, possibly after colliding with an knots. She could reach as surface speed of 18 knots, 8.5 American freighter. Surcouf was named after the knots submerged. French privateer Robert Surcouf. She was the largest submarine built until surpassed by the first Japanese I- The Surcouf was designed to be an underwater heavy 400-class submarine in 1943. cruiser, which would see and engage in surface combat. She was armed with The French croiseur sous-marin (cruiser twin 203-mm/50 Modèle submarine) FS Surcouf (NN-3), served 1924 (8-inch) guns mounted in both the French Navy and the Free in a single pressure-tight French Naval Forces during the turret forward of the Second World War. conning tower. These At 10.30pm on 18 February 1942, guns were the same the FS Surcouf was lost with all calibre as that of a hands in the Caribbean Sea. An surface , a official joint U.S. and Free French formidable armament for report stated that she left Bermuda on a submarine. 12 February and was accidentally rammed She was provisioned with 600 and sunk by the American freighter rounds of ammunition. Thompson Lykes off the north coast The two guns had a 60- of Panama near the Panama Canal. round magazine capacity The report states that the accident and were controlled by a was due to both vessels running at director with a 5-m (16 ft.) rangefinder, mounted high night without lights because of the menace of German enough to have an 11 km (5.9 nmi/6.8 mi) view of the U-boats. horizon. The Surcouf’s crew was capable of putting It is possible the collision had damaged Surcouf 's radio the guns into action and firing within three minutes and the stricken boat limped towards Panama hoping after surfacing. Using the boat's periscopes to direct the for the best. The records of the USAAF 6th Heavy fire of the main guns, Surcouf could increase this Bomber Group operating out of Panama show them range to 16 km (8.6 nmi/9.9 mi). An elevating platform sinking a large submarine northeast of Columbus on the was originally supposed to lift lookouts 15 m (49 ft.) morning of 19 February 1941. Two high, but this design was abandoned Northrup A-17 and one Douglas B- quickly because of roll. Two 37- 18 Bolo aircraft were involved, mm Hotchkiss Anti-aircraft dropping eight bombs on the cannon and machine guns vessel. Since no German were mounted on the top of submarine was lost in the the hangar. area on that date, it could have The boat encountered several been Surcouf. A later French technical challenges, owing to the investigation commission stated that 203-mm guns. Because of the low the Surcouf had been sunk by US height of the rangefinder above the planes in the morning of the 18th in a "friendly fire" water surface, the practical range of fire was 12,000 m accident in the same area. (13,000 yd) with the rangefinder (16,000 m (17,000 yd) with sighting aided by periscope), well below the Rum Tub Page - 7 Volume 9 Issue 5 October 2020

normal maximum of 26,000 m (28,000 yd). The The Surcouf was unreliable and suffered from several duration between the surface order and the first crucial design defects. She was prone to leaks, firing round was 3 minutes and 35 particularly within the gun turret, and which seconds. This duration could have seriously affected the trim of the craft been longer in case the boat was when submerged. On more than one going to fire broadside, which occasion, the Surcouf dived meant surfacing and training uncontrollably well below her the turret in the desired specified maximum depth of 80 direction. Firing had to metres but where safe operation occur at a precise moment of was resumed without loss. pitch and roll when the ship Her diesel engines, electric motors was level. Training the turret and other systems often broke to either side was limited to down and spare parts were almost when the ship rolled 8° or more. impossible to obtain due to her unique The Surcouf was not equipped to design. In some cases, the problems fire at night, due to inability to were an inherent part of the design observe the fall of shot in the and could not be resolved. dark. The mounts were The additional weight and designed to fire 14 rounds from each gun before their wind-shear above the deck caused the vessel to roll magazines were reloaded badly even in a modest swell, making it nearly She was built with a cylindrical watertight hangar impossible to assemble and launch the aircraft in all but located behind the conning tower, housing a dead calm conditions. During stormy weather, Marcel Besson MB.411-AFN acid was apt to spill from her batteries. reconnaissance floatplane. This Diving meant securing twenty- aircraft was stored in 'kit form' four vents and typically took and it could be rolled out and about two and half minutes to launched from a ramp. The complete during which time floatplane was primarily she was vulnerable to aerial used for gun calibration and attack. In an age of rapidly was capable of a speed of developing aircraft with 100 knots with a range of greater capability and 400 kilometres. The Besson range, there were doubts observation plane could be whether Surcouf and other used to direct fire out to the vessels of this design could guns' 26 mi (23 nmi; 42 km) ever operate safely in areas maximum range. where land-based aircraft could reach. Overall, Surcouf was The Surcouf's underwater far less than the planners armament included ten had envisaged, and future torpedo tubes with four 550- development of the design was cancelled. Surcouf mm (22-inch) torpedo tubes in the bow and two would remain as a sole member of her class. swivelling external launchers in the rear superstructure, each equipped with one 550-mm and two 400-mm (14- From the beginning of the Surcouf's career until 1942, inch) torpedo tubes. The Surcouf carried eight 550- the boat was painted of the same grey colour as surface mm and four 400-mm reloads, and another 8 X warships, then in Prussian dark blue, a colour 400-mm torpedoes. which was conserved until the end of 1940 where the boat was repainted The Surcouf also carried a 4.5 m (14 with two tons of grey, serving as ft. 9 in) motorboat and contained a camouflage on the hull and cargo compartment with fittings conning tower. to restrain 40 prisoners or lodge 40 passengers. The submarine's The Surcouf's first fuel tanks were very large; commanding officer was enough fuel for a 10,000 nmi Capitaine de Frégate (Frigate (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) range Captain/Commander) and supplies for 90-day patrols Raymond de Belot. His could be carried. missions included ensuring contact with the French colonies; working in The Surcouf's maximum safe diving depth concert with French naval squadrons to was 80 metres; however, the boat was capable of search and destroy enemy fleets, and to pursue enemy diving to 110 meters without notable deformations to its convoys. thick hull, with a normal operating depth of 178 m (584ft). Crush depth was calculated at 491 m (1,611ft). Rum Tub Page - 8 Volume 9 Issue 5 October 2020

In 1940, Surcouf was based in Cherbourg, but in May, Apparently the Besson floatplane was taken ashore when the Germans invaded, she was being refitted in while Surcouf was docked in Britain and moved to a Brest following a mission in the Antilles and the Gulf of nearby dock shed for service. The Besson aircraft was Guinea. Under command of Frigate Captain Martin, destroyed there during a bombing raid and could not be unable to dive and with only one engine functioning replaced. For much of its later career, Surcouf sailed and a jammed rudder, she limped across the without the aircraft aboard and with an English Channel and sought refuge empty hangar that was a liability in Plymouth. rather than an asset. On 3 July 1940, the British, View of the Surcouf's aircraft concerned that the French hangar open and the Fleet would be taken over submarine's anti-aircraft guns by the German elevated vertically, 1936. at the French Surcouf then went to the armistice, executed Operation Canadian base at Halifax, Nova Catapult. The Royal Navy blockaded Scotia and escorted trans-Atlantic convoys. the harbours where French warships were In April 1941, she was damaged by a German plane at anchored and delivered an ultimatum: re-join the fight Devonport. On 28 July, Surcouf went to the United against Germany, be put out of reach of the Germans, or States Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, New Hampshire scuttle. Few accepted willingly; the North African fleet for a three-month refit. at Mers-el-Kebir and the ships based at (West Africa) refused. The French in North Africa After leaving the shipyard Surcouf went to New were eventually attacked and all but one sunk at their London, Connecticut, perhaps to receive moorings by the Mediterranean Fleet. additional training for her crew Surcouf left New London on 27 French ships lying at ports in November to return to Britain and Canada were also Halifax. boarded by armed marines, sailors and soldiers, but the In December 1941 Surcouf only serious incident took place carried the Free French at Plymouth aboard Surcouf on 3 Admiral Emile Muselier to July, when two Royal Navy submarine Canada, putting into Quebec City. officers, Cdr Denis 'Lofty' Sprague, captain of HMS While the Admiral was in Ottawa, the Surcouf sailed to Thames and Lt Patrick Griffiths of HMS Rorqual and Halifax, where, on 20 December, they joined Free French warrant officer mechanic Yves Daniel were French Escorteurs, the Mimosa, Aconit and fatally wounded, and a British seaman, Albert Webb, Alysse, and on 24 December, took control of the islands was shot dead by the submarine's doctor. of St. Pierre and Miquelon (south of Newfoundland) for without resistance. In January 1942, the By August 1940, the British completed Surcouf’s refit Free French leadership decided to send Surcouf to and turned her over to the Forces Navales Françaises the Pacific theatre, after she had been re-supplied at Libres, FNFL (Free French Navy) for convoy patrol. the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. However, The only officer not repatriated from the her movement south triggered rumours original crew, Capitaine de frégate that Surcouf was going to Georges Louis Blaison, became the liberate Martinique from the new commanding officer on 7 Vichy regime. In October 1941. Because of fact, Surcouf was bound Anglo-French tensions about for Sydney, Australia, via the submarine, accusations Tahiti. She departed Halifax were made by each side that on 2 February for Bermuda, the other was spying for Vichy which she left on 12 February, France; the British also claimed bound for the Panama Canal. Surcouf was attacking British ships. Later, a British officer and two The Surcouf vanished on the night of sailors were put aboard for "liaison" purposes. 18/19 February 1942, about 130 km (70 One real drawback was she required a crew of 110 - nmi/80 mi) north of Cristóbal, Colón, while en route for 130 men, which represented three crews of more Tahiti, via the Panama Canal. An American report conventional submarines. This led to the Royal Navy's concluded the disappearance was due to an accidental reluctance to recommission her. collision with the American freighter Thompson Lykes, steaming alone from Guantanamo Bay, on what was a The MB.411 was a very compact monoplane with a very dark night. The freighter reported hitting and large central float and two small outriggers under the running down a partially submerged object which wings. In order to reduce the hangar requirements she scraped along her side and keel. Her lookouts heard had an unusual tail with the larger part of the vertical people in the water, but the freighter did not stop, rudder mounted below the fuselage instead of above it. Rum Tub Page - 9 Volume 9 Issue 5 October 2020

thinking she had hit a U-boat, though cries for help entitlement the punishment varied from a were heard in English. A signal was sent to Panama describing the incident. possible seven days in the cells, to three months loss of duty-free privileges, 30 days stoppage of leave and perhaps a fine Blue Liners thrown in for good measure. Copied from Facebook Your popularity soared if you didn’t smoke; as the coupons were extremely 27 January 1989 saw the beginning of the tradeable. You could swap them for end for the Royal Navy’s ‘Blue Liner’ cigarettes and tobacco. submariner's sweaters, chef's t-shirts, DMS boots, - in fact, just about any piece Blue Liners were so called as they carried of kit you needed. Plus, apart from selling a blue line down each your coupons for a bit of cigarette, along with the extra spending money, it words 'HM Ships only'. They was also possible to find were issued to seamen in someone to do your duty shore bases or on Reserve for you in exchange for one, ships not at sea. Each month or more, of your coupons. every person who had declared themselves as a DCI(RN) 11/89 signalled smoker received three pink the end of the Naval perk cigarette coupons, with each though, with the Admiralty coupon entitling them to 100 deciding that the health cigarettes or a tin of tobacco. and fitness of sailors should Different rules applied for sea- take priority over the perk, going ships where one was and that smoking should be issued six blue coupons. You discouraged in the face of could get most brands of such strong medical cigarettes from the NAAFI at evidence. Over the next two duty-free prices - the limit was years prices were gradually 600 per month in UK waters, increased until they unlimited abroad. A sailor was allowed 25 reached the same level as commercial cigarettes a night when proceeding products on general sale. In the early ashore, or 200 cigarettes if going on leave seventies, 300 Blue Liners cost 6 shillings for seven days or more. and 6 pence which is about 37p in today's money. On the reverse of a packet of Blue Liners were the words: "These cigarettes are supplied duty free for the exclusive use of officers and men of the Royal Navy and are not to be landed, given away or otherwise disposed of contrary to regulations." Smuggling more than your allowance ashore, was a punishable offence. If you got caught with more than your

Rum Tub Page - 10 Volume 9 Issue 5 October 2020

A modern Royal Navy ASW based on the WWII Flower-Class By Nicholas Drummond , Submitted by Shipmate Gord McLennan This article considers a naval topic that has the ship a range of 4,650 Nm (6,482 km) at aroused much recent interest both 13 knots. Its top speed of 16 knots within and beyond the UK (29.6 k/ph) was quite slow Defence Community: relative to larger the need for light Navy warships, and many of which corvettes to were capable of compensate for a 28-30 knots, reduced total but it was fast number of enough to warships. As the chase a UK Ministry of submerged Defence prepares to submarine, which review bids for its typically Type 31 frigate travelled at requirement, it around 8 knots may be helpful to (14.9 k/ph). consider UK requirements in this area by Almost before the first Flowers began to roll looking back on similar ships produced down the slipways of sundry British between 1939 and 1945 shipyards, it was realised that additional At the beginning of the Second World War, vessels were needed to escort the Royal Navy had 332 warships transatlantic convoys. As making it the world’s largest is so often the case navy. The fleet included with ships, 15 battleships, 7 aircraft and aircraft carriers, 66 armoured cruisers, 184 vehicles in destroyers, 45 patrol time of war, vessels, and 60 they were submarines. While the pressed into size of the Royal Navy’s service in a fleet was a major factor role for in deterring Hitler’s which they invasion plans in 1940, were not the Admiralty realised designed. that it was short of small escort vessels for Fortunately, the Flowers were large enough coastal patrol duties. This led to a to negotiate Atlantic in mid-winter, requirement for an inexpensive inshore although they rolled easily in rough seas vessel that could be produced quickly in which quickly exhausted their crews. large numbers. It also needed be easy to Flower-Class corvettes packed a remarkable operate, so it could be crewed by punch for such a small warship. A single BL inexperienced sailors. The resulting design, Mk IX 4” naval gun with 100 rounds of developed by Smith’s Docks in ammunition was mounted on the forecastle, Middlesborough, was based on a pre-war four Mk II dispensers plus 25 whale catcher and dubbed the Flower-Class depth charges, and twin .303 Lewis guns corvette. It displaced 940 tonnes, measured were mounted aft. The ships were later 62.5 metres in length, and 10 metres in modified so that they additionally had a width. Two oil-fired cylindrical boilers 40mm “pom-pom” anti-aircraft gun on a powered a 2,050 Kw steam engine giving Rum Tub Page - 11 Volume 9 Issue 5 October 2020

Mk VIII bandstand mount amidships, two roll in even in gentle swells, the Flowers Oerlikon 20mm cannons on the made a crucial difference and bridge, and anti- saved millions of tons of submarine mortars on shipping. the foredeck. A total of 267 Flower During WW2 Class corvettes were German U-boats built between 1939 sank about 2,780 and 1940. They were ships, totalling of 14.1 operated by British, million tons in gross Canadian, French and tonnage. This figure US navies. Despite a very represents about 70% of high number being built, the all allied shipping losses to design constantly evolved hostile action in all theatres of throughout the vessel’s service life the war. The most successful and it was uncommon for any to be year was 1942 when over 6 million tons of alike in either configuration or appearance. shipping were sunk in the Atlantic. Between 1939 and 1945, 36 Flower- Winning the Battle of the Class corvettes were lost, of Atlantic required Flowers to be which 22 were torpedoed by fitted with Type 123 ASDIC enemy U-boats. They sonars for detecting German accounted for 51 enemy U-boats. These were placed submarines sunk (47 in dome fixed to the hull German boats plus 4 about 12 metres from the Italian). The most bow. Early Flower-Class successful Royal Navy ships had an enclosed Flower-Class vessel was wheel house on top of the HMS Sunflower, which bridge. This was later single-handedly sunk U-638 changed to an open design on 5 May 1943 and U-631 on for better visibility. Refitted 17 October 1943. It shared in ships added a surface radar the sinking of a third mounted in a lantern housing submarine, U-282, on 29 behind the bridge. This became October 1943. Winston very useful for tracking Churchill took great delight in submarines that followed announcing that a Royal Navy convoys on the surface. vessel with a name that made it sound more like a pleasure cruiser than a warship had Initially, Flower-Class vessels had a sunk three German submarines. crew of 47, but this was increased to 85, including five Ultimately, Flower-Class corvettes officers. The forecastle of gave the Royal Navy critical refitted versions was mass at a crucial moment. In lengthened to add doing so, they saved countless additional accommodation lives, millions of tonnes of for the extra crew. shipping, and prevented Britain from being starved into Flower-Class corvettes were surrender. These small corvettes small, inexpensive vessels were mediocre ships at best, but designed for inshore escort they represented almost 50% of duties. A chronic lack of escorts total number of allied escort vessels for the vital North Atlantic during WW2. The significant convoys resulted in such ships being contribution made by the Flowers was used in a role for which they were never graphically depicted by the 1952 war film intended. Despite cramped accommodation, “The Cruel Sea” starring Jack Hawkins and a slow surface speed and a willingness to Rum Tub Page - 12 Volume 9 Issue 5 October 2020

Denholm Elliott. Based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Monserrat, it ranks among the greatest of British war movies. As the war progressed, the operational experience gained by Flower-Class crews provided useful feedback that enabled the Royal Navy to design and build a range of vastly superior frigates and destroyers, such as the River-Class frigate. These vessels displaced 1,390 tonnes, were faster, with greater endurance and improved seakeeping abilities; but their weapons and sensors were similar in capability to those fitted to Flower-Class ships. The Loch-Class frigate, which entered service in 1944, had better weapons and sensors (including the Squid anti-submarine mortar which fired depth charges ahead of the vessel), but by this time, the tide had turned in the North Atlantic. Though unsophisticated, even by 1940 naval standards, Flower-Class corvettes proved to be the right ship at the right time. Today, Britain has the 5th largest navy behind the USA, Russia, China, and Japan. It currently possesses 74 vessels including 2 aircraft carriers, 6 destroyers, 13 frigates, 11 submarines, 2 commando assault ships, 13 MCM vessels, 22 patrol boats and 5 survey ships. Although today’s Royal Navy warships are much better equipped than their forbears, 19 surface combatants is an extremely low number to fulfil the many roles essential to the ’s maritime defence and security. In terms of critical mass, the Royal Navy may now be too small. With a vastly increased naval threat posed by Russia and China, a major conflict would require Britain to address the same problem it faced at the beginning of WW2: a shortage of ships capable of detecting and destroying submarines. It is unlikely but not impossible that Britain might have to fight a third battle of the North Atlantic. Regardless, the threats we face have evolved and are significant. China has 59 submarines, including the sophisticated Yuan-Class diesel electric boats, while Russia has 58.

Rum Tub Page - 13 Volume 9 Issue 5 October 2020

Rum Tub Page - 14