2

2.

In 1907 the first draft of these seamen and stokers went to England
by passenger steamer; on arrival, each man decided what branch of the service
he would like to follow in the R.N. As leading seaman, I was drafted to
H.M.S "Excellent," the gunnery school at Whale Island, Portsmouth; I
did my torpedo training in H.M.S. "Vernon," also at Portsmouth. At this
period, recommendations for advancement could come only from a seagoing
ship. Consequently, as each man completed a course of instruction, he
would receive a draft-note for sea. At the end of 1907, I went to H.M.S.
"King Edward VII," the flagship of the Channel Fleet (commanded by Admiral
Lord Charles Beresford).

"We had many cruises around England, and to Norway and Sweden.
Captain Sturdee - subsequently our Admiral, of Benbow," at Jutland - was then
staff officer to Admiral Beresford . The lieutenant in charge of the boats
was Lieutenant Royds (known to the ship's company as the "Polar Bear"), who
had been a member of Captain R.F Scott's expedition to the Antartic in
1901. Royds put me, a leading seaman, coxwain of the steamboat, by taking
out a petty officer. He would seldom report a seaman, but if he got
close enough would give him a kick in the stern sheets with his sea-boot."

Each year the Channel Fleet carried out a gun-layer's test -
a shoot of 6 - inch guns. The gun - crew of the ship obtaining the most
hits got a small sum of prize money from the gunnery funds.
"Our ship, "King Edward VII", had to average six hits per gun to beat the "Hibernia."
The gun is loaded and at the half-cock, and when the target comes in sight
projectiles and cartridges are readily available. Our turn came for the
shoot - a target approximately 6ft. square, range not more than 3,000 yards.
We commenced the run past the target ; perhaps two six- inch guns would
get off on a target run. We were below the average of six hits per gun; one
minute only is allowed from the commencement to the cease fire. A private
of marines, also a gun-layer, who had been in the captain's report for
some misbehavior to an officer, had been tried and punishment awarded.
He lost a good conduct badge, but the warrant for his punishment had not
yet been read out to the ship's company of marines. His gun-crew closed
up around the 6 - inch gun ready for the shoot. "Commence" sounded -
the gun-layer fired - the crew put through fourteen rounds in one minute -
and the layer hit the target twelve times! Our gunnery officer ran down from
the bridge, gave the marine a golden sovereign, took him on to the bridge, and
the captain gave him back his badge. "Hibernia's" total of hits per gun was
beaten."

Another of my memories of "King Edward VII" was when the Channel
Fleet was in Portland Bay (Weymouth). The admiralty had ordered, "Some kind
of inspection," and each ship was busy cleaning paint-work and polishing brass.
The cruiser "Argyle" was out in Weymouth Bay carrying out sub calibre practice
when Captain Percy Scott, of H.M.S "Good Hope", made the following signal: