OPERATIONS OF THE TENTH CRUISER SQUADRON: A CHALLENGE FOR THE ROYAL NAVY AND ITS RESERVES. TERENCE DAWSON LILLEY B.A.(Hons.), M.A., Master Mariner. A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Greenwich for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy © June 2012 i I certify that this work has not been accepted in substance for any degree, and is not concurrently being submitted for any degree other than that of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Greenwich. I also declare that this work is the result of my own investigations except where otherwise identified by references and that I have not plagiarised the work of others. T.D.Lilley 20th June 2012 ............................... First Supervisor Professor R.J. Knight ............................... Second Supervisor Professor S.R.Palmer ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge the careful and continued guidance received from my supervisors, Professor Roger Knight and Professor Sarah Palmer. In addition, Edward Phillips, Senior Law Lecturer and Suzanne Louail also of Greenwich Maritime Institute gave useful help. As ever, academic research depends on support from librarians and archivists and mine is no exception. I am indebted to the staffs of the British Library, Bromley Central Library, Caird Library, Dreadnought Library, London School of Economics, National Archives and the Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth. Particular help came from Miss J.M.Wraight, Admiralty Librarian and Dr. Alan Scarth of Merseyside Maritime Museum, Liverpool. Finally, I acknowledge the loyal support and patience of my late wife, Margaret and the constant encouragement from my daughter Susan to undertake my research. The work is dedicated to the memory of Margaret and all who served in The Tenth Cruiser Squadron. iii ABSTRACT The Tenth Cruiser Squadron provided a vital element to the Blockade of Germany, patrolling the seas between northwest Scotland, Iceland and Greenland. It was the longest continuous naval operation of the war lasting from 1914-1917. The Squadron’s resources were armed merchant cruisers manned by Naval Reservists and Mercantile Marine ratings all commanded by a Flag Officer and Royal Naval Commanding Officers. The thesis follows the Royal Navy’s deliberations to establish its Reservist elements and how the Navy assumed the men of the Mercantile Marine could be brought into naval service. A parallel debate in Parliament considered the viability of taking up ocean liners for conversion to armed merchant cruisers. Both sets of discussions lasted nearly fifty years. Most existing Squadron literature is chronological, drawing heavily on official reports of proceedings. This thesis concentrates on analysing personal diaries and biographies and is focused on the crews’ daily work to reveal a broad picture of life in the Squadron. Topics included are pay, accommodation, feeding scales, daily routines, promotion, pastoral and medical welfare, and recreation. These issues were in addition to the daily threats from surface and submarine attack and the constant debilitating bad weather. Although deemed successful, the thesis concludes, the blockade could have been tightened sooner if the Government had used statistics already held on imports and exports. The conclusion is also made that the Royal Navy’s failure to understand fully the shipping industry’s unique facets and the merchant seaman, created problems that could have been avoided. The Squadron’s operational achievement was intercepting nearly 13,000 suspect vessels. Its patrols performed a constabulary function which encouraged ships to call voluntarily at examination ports to be searched effectively. Less tangible, but equally praiseworthy, was the successful cohesion built amongst crews of widely differing experience. iv CONTENTS List of Abbreviations vii List of Illustrations viii List of Maps x List of Tables xi Part One Chapters Page 1. Introduction. 1 The Squadron, its sphere of operation and resources. Basics of the Declaration of London, Blockade and Contraband of War. .Important Squadron literature and research sources. 2. Blockade: the Westminster and Whitehall Perspectives. 23 Germany’s need for sea trade. The Declaration of London. The Foreign Office’s part in the blockade. Tensions between the Navy and the Foreign Office. Letters of Assurance. House of Lords’ debate on blockade. 3. Merchant Ships Taken Up From Trade. 54 Historical background of the Navy commandeering merchant shipping. Parliamentary debate and the slow approach to accept the concept circa 1890. Development of the required ship type. Contractual term for ship-owners. Converting a merchant ship for blockade/convoy duties. The emergence of the 10th Cruiser Squadron. 4. Mobilising the Navy’s Reserves. 80 Historical development of the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Introduction of the Royal Fleet Reserve. Surgeon Probationers and the Royal Marine element in the squadron. Heavy reliance on merchant seafarers and employment arrangements. Demands on commanding officers to create cohesion in the ships’ companies 5. Early Disasters: New Training And Technology. 111 Team building. Early experiences. Basic navigation and limited weather reporting. New technology: electricity and wireless telegraphy. The need to develop a Northern coaling base to minimise passages back to Clyde and Mersey. Possible use of kite balloons explored. Learning to cope with constant bad weather. The need for proper clothing. 6. Boarding Neutral Shipping. 137 Hazards for boarding crews. Procedures on interception and actions on board suspect vessels. Methods of boat launching. Examples of dangers to boarding parties and armed guards when ‘taking in’ an arrested vessel. Regular blockade runners. The interception of Kristianafjord by Teutonic. v CONTENTS (Continued) Chapters Page 7. Gunnery Systems of The Tenth Cruisers Squadron. 162 Cruisers armament. Gunnery control systems. Gun drill and ratings’ training. Loss of Alcantara after close gun action against German commerce raider Greif. Subsequent enquiry into loss 8. Mines, Torpedoes and Submarines. 185 Mine and torpedo threats. Urgent attempts to develop countermeasures i.e. minesweeping, paravanes, zig zag, dazzle and camouflage painting. Losses from torpedo attacks. The struggle to save the Arlanza mined in Russia. 9. Social and Professional Tensions, Discipline and Recreation. 210 Tensions related to anomalies of pay and promotion. Victualling. Discipline issues. Medical and pastoral care. Accommodation. Off duty entertainment and recreation. 10. 1917: The Squadron’s Final Year. 236 The Squadron’s final year before dispersal. Review of blockade and squadron’s performance. Lessons for Government, the Royal Navy and its many Reserve elements. Final reflections on the Squadron’s contribution to the war effort 11. Rewards, Remembrance and Retrospection 250 Awards and decorations. Memorials. Post war retrospectives on selected Squadron vessels and individuals. List of Appendices 255 Bibliography 314 vi List of Abbreviations 10CS Tenth Cruiser Squadron FO Foreign Office G.O.C. General Officer Commanding M.M. Mercantile Marine NMM National Maritime Museum NFRNR Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve NRS Navy Records Society P&O Peninsular Steam Navigation Company RMSPC Royal Mail Steam Packet Company RA10CS Rear Admiral Tenth Cruiser Squadron R.D. Reserve Decoration (for 15 years service) RGSS Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen R.N. Royal Navy R.N.R. Royal Naval Reserve R.N.V.R. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve R.U.S.I. Royal United Services Institution TNA The National Archives VA10CS Vice-Admiral Tenth Cruiser Squadron vii List of Illustrations Fig. Page 1 Rear-Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair R.N 1 2 An Edgar Class Cruiser 2 4 Vice Admiral Sir Reginald Tupper R.N. 10 5 H.M.S Hecla. 57 6 Requisition telegram Otranto 69 7 General arrangement armed merchant cruiser Virginian. 75 11 R.N.V.R. Recruitment Poster (TNA) 96 12 Newfoundland Reservists on wharf adjacent HMS Calypso 100 13 Title page from R.J.Willan’s book 101 14 R.M. Recruitment Poster (TNA) 103 15 RN, RNR, RNVR Officers’ Uniforms compared 107 16 H.M.S. Changuinola -- Composition of Crew 108 17 Extract from ADM 137/822 Re Mercantile Ratings 115 18 Patent Sounding Machine 117 20 Six-inch guns guard the entrance to Swarbacks Minn 126 21 BBC Forecast Areas in 1924. 131 22 Warm Clothing Instructions 133 23 H.M.S.Almanzora on patrol. 138 24 Visit and Search Operation 140 25 The Big Blockade book cover 143 26 Norwegian America Line’s Kristianafjord 157 27 Teutonic Leaving Liverpool 161 28 4.7” Naval Gun 162 29 Six Pounder Mounting 162 30 6”Naval Gun 163 31 H.M.S Alsatian’s bridge front and foredeck 164 32 Commercial Rangefinder 1947 vintage 165 33 Allowance of Practice Ammunition 172 34 Ratings training for Defensively Armed Merchant Ships 172 35 Line drawing of German raider Greif 176 36 Tracing Alcantara v. Greif action 177 42 The Otter Paravane in action 196 44 R.M.S.Alsatian in peacetime livery 206 45 Model of H.M.S Alsatian in wartime colours 206 viii List of Illustrations (Continued) Fig. Page 46 H.M.S Almanzora (sepia photograph) 206 47 H.M.S. Almanzora (Oil Painting) 206 48 R.M.S. Ebro (Post Card) 207 53 Christmas Dinner 1914 menus aboard H.M.S. Cedric 219 54 Men’s Sleeping Flat - ‘B’ Deck 223 55 The Theatre - (First Class Lower Smoke Rom) 224 56 The Boxing Ring (First Class Social Hall) 224 57 Concert Programme H.M.S. Cedric 30th July 1915 231 58 The Almanzora’s Bell 252 59 Muckle Flugga Lighthouse 277 60 Patrol Lines as at 1 January 1915 280 61 Patrol Lines as at October/November 1917 281 62 Ship Formations 282 63 A Range Clock 287 64 A Typical Dumaresq 287 ix List of Maps Fig. Page 3 Tenth Cruiser Squadron Sphere of Operations 6 39 North Channel Approach from the North West 191 40 H.M.S. Arlanza Winter 1915 Location 193 x List of Tables Fig. Page 3 Selected operating figures for H.M.S. Andes / R.M.S Andes .