5

5.

I crossed from Thurso to Scapa by a small ferry steamer. The fleet has
disappeared. We were accommodated in a repair ship, already overcrowded.
When the fleet returned I was sent to the flagship, "Iron Duke", but was still
looking for the "Glory". I was then informed that "Glory" was on patrol
outside New York, and that, as I was a G.L.1, I would remain with the
battle fleet. After making a few trips into the North Sea in "Iron Duke', I was
suddenly landed at midnight in Rosyth dockyard, with instructions to return to
"Excellent" at Portsmouth. On arrival, I found I had been recalled from the
"Glory" and was again on draft; also that my name had been forwarded to the
Admiralty for promotion to director gunner (warrant rank). I was to get measured
for my uniform in Portsmouth, then proceed to Plymouth and join the "Benbow".
I was told to watch the press for the date of my promotion. I carried out my
instructions, and joined "Benbow" as petty officer on 15th October, 1914.
My promotion to director gunner reached the ship on the 17th; my uniform
arrived about seven days later. I was the third director gunner
promoted from the Portsmouth gunnery school, the other two being appointed
previously to the "Iron Duke". Director firing was then new and was installed only in
capital ships; so I grew up with director firing."

When H.M.A.S. "Australia" was launched at John Brown's yard at
Clydebank in 1911, H.M.S, "Benbow" was being built at Beardmore's, also on the
Clyde. Little did I then realise that "Benbow" was to be my home for over four
years during the First World War.

While serving in her, the gunner (a senior warrant officer) became ill
and was sent to hospital. The gunnery officer gave me the gunner's job.
I had now to look after all the ship's ammunition as well as carry out my
director's duties, and this was considerable in a first-class ship with five
13.5-inch turrets besides twelve 6-inch guns and H.A. guns, etc. Now, being a
store-keeping officer with books and all kinds of records on my charge, I was
allotted a cabin until a new gunner was appointed to the ship. Cabin accommod-
ation was never available to many at sea - I have seen 2 1/2 ring officers
sleeping in hammocks."

Another of my "Benbow" recollections has to do with Commander
[handwritten an Australian] T.W. Biddlecombe, R.A.N., who joined the battleship as an "additional" after
commanding the H.M.A.S. "Pioneer" in East African waters. Biddlecombe
wanted the Admiralty to give him another command, and it was not very long before
he left "Benbow". Some time later I was going the rounds of our turrets when
I overheard a story by a corporal of marines who had just joined us.
This corporal was a survivor from the Q-boat which had been sunk by a German
submarine in April, 1917. I asked him what had happened to the commander,
because at that time the German submarines were taking prisoner all officers.
It was then that I learned that the Commander of his Q-boat was Biddlecombe,
who was last seen in the wheelhouse and went down with the ship.