Beginning and end of WW 1

[Randi]

The entry into the war for the Merlin was never actually mentioned, but suddenly the ship began sailing at night without lights. The date in the Merlin's log happened to catch my eye because I had just finished reading "The Good Soldier" by Ford Madox Ford, and much is made of the date 4 August 1914 in that book, and subsequent anniversaries.

The start of the war was well documented in Odin's log with preparations for war before the date (unspecified) and on the day the fact that GB was at war with Germany was recorded. Thereafter they started painting the ship grey, and recording darkening ship etc.

K

Painting the ship grey? Was this to camouflage the ship? What color was it before?

I think it was exactly as camouflage. I suspect that all of the ships that were "modern" around the start of the war were already painted grey, but the old sloops like Odin etc were clearly either white or black with a smart white line, before the war. See the pictures in wikipeida.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadmus_class_sloop

Odin's log has her crew starting to paint her grey on the day after war was declared and it took at least two days. They specifically recorded that they were painting her grey.

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There was more painting after that which I assumed was also more painting grey, but the log didnt specify.

They were in Muscat at the announcement, on the 4th of August so I guess there must have been a ready supply of grey paint there. Presumably they werent carrying round enough grey paint to do the whole ship, just in case war was declared!!!


K

It's interesting to note the changes in the logs. When I first joined the Merlin, it was in 1920 or so, and the hands were always cleaning or painting the ship, and surveying.

Now I'm back in 1915, and the hands do no surveying, and generally are engaged in traveling around Owens LV, Nab, St Helens, and sometime over to the Isle of Wight and back again, day after day, patrolling the coast. Once in awhile, they practice signalling or do a little target practice, but it has become somewhat repetitious...

HMS Implacable 1914/08/04 log: 11.30 Received telegram from Admiralty stating "Hostilities have commenced against German Empire"
wow...really puts you in the moment typing those words!

[Randi]

From topic War is declared

I was very disappointed when none of the ships that I was on in November 1918 even mentioned the end of the war. Perhaps they were so numbed by the whole process that it just didn't seem real to them. For the past day or so I've been working on the logs of HMS Glory in July and early August 1914. The lead-up to the declaration of war (Britain-Germany) is fascinating to read, if terse in its telling.

On 1 and 2 August: 'Order to mobilize' and 'officers and men joining on mobilization'.

On 3 and 4 August: 'Employed preparing for battle'

Finally, just before midnight on 4 August: 'Recd telegram stating war declared with Germany'

Here are the logs for the four days:
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Reading about the events as they unfolded in a book is fascinating (Massie's 'Dreadnought' is a brilliant read). Reading the chronology of events written by men who did not really appreciate what was coming gives a very different feeling for the history of the time.

The only ship I've had yet in August 1914, was an old slow 19th century-built sloop who got almost more speed from a full use of her sails than from her single putt-putt engine. She was on a complex mission, sailing between various South Pacific islands and didn't hear until 6th August. All that appeared then was the sudden statement, "Preparing for war," which was repeated with variations and drill choices the next two days.
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Then at 3.55am on the 9th, they changed course from "to Suva, Fiji" to "to New Zealand".
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The changed drills, "Preparing for war," continued until they reached Aukland. There they discharged most of their officers and men and ammunition, who were all sent to more modern ships, and manned with volunteers for her last voyage ever as "HMS Torch" to Wellington.
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First instincts seemed to have been to sell her for break-up, but the New Zealand branch of the RN ended up keeping her as harbor training ship "HMS Firebrand."
http://forum.oldweather.org/index.php?t ... 9#msg13589

This is one of those good news / bad news postings. The good news is that HMS Glory has just sailed from Plymouth, bound for Halifax.

The bad news? The date is 7 August 1914. Good things come to those who wait.

Try to contain your excitement.
::)

Another record of mobilization, from August 1st 1914, HMS Grafton, in Portsmouth:

3.30 Mobilize. Disch'd boys & ratings for mobilization to RNB. Lit fires in all boilers. Emp'd preparing for war, getting up ammunition, clearing for action, clearing away wood gear lashing top & top gallant masts & fitting preventer lifts to yards. Shifted chronometers & spare compasses & gear to sail room in fore 9.2 space (under armour)

Mobilization officers & C.G. ratings joined ship. Lieut (G) Curtis. Eng Lt Huggill. Act Surg Parker. Lt (Ret) T Di Couzar
Capt Pyddoke disch'd to shore

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On 2nd August, both morning and afternoon, there's simply the entry:
'Emp'd preparing for battle.'

By 4th August, they're at sea:
7pm Warning telegram rec'd
Midnight Declared War on Germany

Another example here, HMS Essex, patrolling from Bermuda on the 4th August 1914,

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[Randi]

Armistice Day

I won't get to Armistice Day on my ship. It will be sunk and most of the crew will have perished before then :'(

This year's two minute silence will have more meaning for me, I think. I don't know any current servicemen/women, and nobody I'm connected to was killed in any wars, so I've not had much connection to Remembrance Day before. However, now I have a whole ship full of men to remember.

Its 11 am on 11th November 1918 and the end of the War to end all Wars that has been going on for four years and involved most of the world.

So what do you write in your log book?
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Got to make sure you've remembered all the latest from "Heat" ;D.

Leviathan's log was equally anticlimactic - Hands employed cleaning ship.

Ditto Torch's log - they were in dock for refitting and the whole ship's company on extended leave. But you'd of thought the yard hands standing watch on the ship would have at least mentioned it.

Same for Avoca where I have just noted the flu epidemic sick list numbers, i.e. nothing re the Armistice.

Clearly Royal Navy log books were not for recording "other" issues.

Same for the Kent in dry dock in Hong Kong:

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John

H.M.S. Challenger

The only clue that something special is going on is that 87 cases of ammunition where landed.

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Rinaldo has at last done something more interesting than normal!

11th November 1918 at 1.30 'Guns fired from battery denoting signing of Armistice. Dressed ship overall'.

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Does anyone know what dressing the ship meant? It was undressed later in the same day.

And one whole watch was on leave until 14th November; with half the other free until 8am on 12th. This may well be because the ship is in dock in Simonstown, rather than because of the Armistice though

And on 12th November (which was Tuesday) a church party was landed to attend massed meetings, which I'm assuming were to celebrate and give thanks for the Armistice. Obviously it helped being in port when the Armistice happened.

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HMS Galatea
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Not only does the signing get recorded, but in the evening the main brace gets spliced, then lights are lit and sirens sounded to celebrate.

Having seen 2 other ships thru 11 November with no mention, it's nice to see a bit of human nature

Yes, that's great. Canterbury totally ignored it ...

Armistice Day 1919 commemorated on board the HMS Fame:

HMS New Zealand was in harbour at Esquimalt (Victoria, British Columbia) on 11 November 1919. The log says they landed small arms parties & Marines & field gun & crews for march through Victoria, but no mention of Armistice Day.

Just ran across this for the Thistle -

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Please see the 11:00am entry -

simple; touching

What Armistice?

[Randi]

From the log of "Woodlark" 15 November, 1918 - at Changsha

"Dressed ship in celebration of Allied Victory"
and later "Fired 21 gun salute"

Although I have passed this date on more than one vessel this is the first time the end of the war has been mentioned so I thought that it was worth a mention.

LGB

[Randi]

Peace is Celebrated

HMS New Zealand in Sydney harbour, 30 June 1919:

"Dressed ship and fired 101 gun salute on signing of Peace Terms by Germany"

101!

And:

"Held Thanksgiving Service. Their Excellencies The G.G & Lady Munro Fergeson The State Governor & Lady Davidson attending. Address by H E The Governor General"

And there's more!

The serious stuff was in the morning, then in the afternoon:

"Manned and cheered ship"

"Spliced the Main Brace"
(Never thought I'd see that!)

"Leave to Watch till 0700"
(Not just Pw or SW...)

"Illuninated ship. Searchlight display. Firework display"

And the captain signed the page.

26 June, 1919 "Woodlark" is at Kinkiang and celebrated "Signing of Peace" by dressing ship AND issuing an extra rum allowance

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Cheers to one and all

LGB

Merlin's log, 29 June 1919, Port Sudan: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM_ ... -017_1.jpg

"X.0. Dressed ship overall to celebrate signing of Peace."

Merlin seems to have celebrated the peace a few days later than the Woodlark.

Merlin seems to have celebrated the peace a few days later than the Woodlark.

Woodlark has broadband?

[Randi]

HMS Valerian
11 Nov 1922 - Armistice Day - Kingston, Jamaica
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09.55 Ceremonial small arm party landed.
11.00 Observed 2 mins silence
11.20 Small arms party returned.