Royal Navy

The ‘Battle’ of May Island

June 29, 2017

By Laurie Watson

In the many memorial services to commemorate the centenary of World War I events, that commemorating the Battle of May Island is very likely to pass under the radar of much of the press and the organizers of ceremonies. May Island, or more correctly the Isle of May, is a speck of granite near the entrance to the Firth of Forth, far from Australia, yet the Royal Australian Navy lost one of its most promising young officers during the so-called battle, and the Royal Navy lost 105 of its officers and sailors on the night of 31 January 1918.

Despite being known as the Battle of May Island, the events of that night represented no battle at all, but rather a catastrophic series of blunders, miscommunications, ignorance, and sheer bad luck. So what was the ‘Battle of May Island’?

The C-in-C Grand Fleet, Admiral Beatty, devised an exercise, known as Operation EC1, to exercise his cruiser squadrons and to practise fleet deployments. It was to be an enormous exercise involving twenty-six battleships from seven divisions of the fleet, plus nine cruisers and four destroyers, all from Scapa Flow. They would be joined by three units of the 5th Battleship Squadron, four units of the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron, fourteen cruisers from various cruiser squadrons, numerous destroyers, and two flotillas of ‘K’ class submarines, all from Rosyth.

The exercise was scheduled to take place on the night of 1 February 1918, with the Scapa Flow and Rosyth forces meeting out in the North Sea.

Of importance to the events of 31 January is the nature and employment of the K-Class submarines. Fleet tactical doctrine still regarded submarines as normal fleet units that were expected to keep up with the capital ships, but diesel electric boats demonstrably could not do so. Consequently, the steam-driven K boats were developed. They were large for the time at 339 ft, and their steam turbines could drive them at 24 knots, but as a class they were plagued with a wide range of technical problems and soon earned the sobriquet ‘K-Kalamity Class’, or more ominously ‘K-Killers’.

Of the two submarine flotillas participating in EC1, the 12th flotilla comprised K-3, K-4, K-6, andK-7, led by the light cruiser HMS Fearless, while the13th flotilla comprised K-11, K-12, K-14, K-17and K-22led by the destroyer HMS Ithuriel.

The exercise began at 1830 on 31 January when the battle cruiser HMS Courageous led the force out of Rosyth with Ithuriel and the 13th Submarine Flotilla (SF) following in line ahead. At the same time, and five miles further up The Forth, the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron consisting of HMAS Australia and HM Ships New Zealand, Indomitable, and Inflexible got under way. The battle cruisers were followed by Fearless leading the 12th SF, then the battleships, some of the destroyers, and finally the light cruiser squadrons. The entire fleet proceeded in line astern, and made rendezvous with screening destroyers further down The Forth.

The submarines were travelling at 16 kts two cables apart and although otherwise darkened, were showing blue, half-brilliance stern lights. At 1833 Ithuriel opened to 1200 yards astern of Courageous whose screening destroyers took station in the gap; the submarines of the 13th flotilla maintained station astern of Ithuriel. A few minutes later the ships ran into a low-lying mist and Ithuriel lost sight of Courageous. Simultaneously, twenty miles down the estuary eight armed trawlers sailed to sweep for mines, but incredibly nobody in the trawlers or at their reporting base on the Isle of May knew anything about EC1 or the movements of the Grand Fleet, nor did the Grand Fleet know about the sweeping operations.

In an attempt to regain visual contact with Courageous, Ithuriel and the submarines of the 13th Flotilla increased speed to 19 knots, but by now Courageous was abeam the Isle of May and increased speed to 21 knots as per the exercise order. The mist had reduced visibility for normal navigation lights to about one and a half miles. Events of the next few minutes raised the curtain on the forthcoming disaster when LCDR Harbottle, captain of K-14, 1200 yards astern of Ithuriel and watching intently the blue lights of the two submarines ahead, saw first K-11and then K-17apparently reduce speed and haul out to port. Harbottle maintained course but reduced speed to 13 knots when two hitherto invisible minesweeping trawlers ahead and on a collision course suddenly switched on navigation lights.

Harbottle in K-14ordered hard-a-starboard, whereupon his helm jammed, so he reduced speed to dead slow; his immediate concern was the submarine following, K-12, but he saw her pass safely astern; confident that K-22would be following in the track of K-12, Harbottle’s fresh concern was keeping clear of the battle cruisers, now about four miles astern. His helm suddenly freed itself, so Harbottle attempted to return to his station; K-22had lost sight of him, but suddenly the bridge staff of K-22saw a red navigation light close ahead, and at 19 knots and sluggish to turn, K-22ploughed into K-14.

K-22struck K-14 on the port side of the crew space, just abaft the bow torpedo compartment, severing part of the bow. Water rushed into the compartment, drowning two crew members immediately, but quick damage control action by the first lieutenant saved the boat from sinking. Both boats were in grave situations, with K-22 having two forward compartments flooded, and K-14 unable to move, down by the bows, and in imminent danger of sinking. Both switched on all navigation lights, radioed and flashed distress messages, and stood by with Very flares to warn the ships coming up.

Ithuriel and the three leading boats of the flotilla sailed off into the night, totally unaware of the drama behind them. It was over an hour before Ithuriel’s radio department picked up K-22’s distress call.

Fifteen minutes after the collision, at 1930, Australia, leading the four ships of the 2nd BCS with their accompanying destroyers was bearing down on the spot where the two submarines lay dead in the water, flashing and radioing their distress calls. Australia saw the flares and detached a destroyer to investigate and assist, while those on the decks of K-14and K-22 watched anxiously as the battle cruisers and destroyers swept past on both sides at 21 knots – all but the last battle cruiser Inflexible. She had lost sight of her next ahead, Indomitable, when lights were sighted ahead; there was confusion on the bridge as to what they were, and despite trying to take evasive action, Inflexible slammed into the stricken K-22at 18 knots, ripping her bows around so that they stuck out at 90º to the line of the submarine’s hull.

As Inflexible had started her evasive turn, her stern swung round crashing down the side of the submarine, tearing off her external starboard ballast and fuel tanks, and pushing the submarine down into the water so that only her bridge was above the surface. The propellers of the swinging battle cruiser then crashed down the side of K-22 before she drew clear. Amazingly, K-22 remained afloat, but equally amazingly Inflexible rushed off unheeding into the night.

K-14 lay close by, still afloat and firing off Very flares at a steady rate as surface ships raced by, alarmingly close. Ithuriel finally received K-22’s distress signal at 2010, about an hour after the collision. She signaled Courageous and Barham that she was turning around with the remaining boats of the 13th SF to assist two submarines in distress, but for unexplained reasons the coded message did not leave the ship for a considerable time. By now, the forty or more ships in the exercise were stretched over thirty miles of The Forth, heading seawards at high speed.

Having turned his ship and squadron back to assist the damaged K-22 and K-14, Commander Leir in Ithuriel was shocked to find Australia almost dead ahead and coming straight towards him. The battle cruisers were following a track further to the south than the submarines had followed, and Commander Leir had turned his flotilla directly into their path. He altered course rapidly, and avoided Australia by less than 600 yards, but the sluggish maneuverability of the three remaining submarines with him meant they had a much narrower escape. It’s estimated that K-12, last in the line, missed being run down by Australia by as little as three feet, and men on the upper deck of the battle cruiser reportedly could see the boiler fires down the submarine’s funnels.

Confusion ensued, and both Ithuriel and the three submarines found themselves dodging the battle cruisers’ escorting destroyers independently and as best they could. They wove their way safely through the destroyers and K-11and K-12found Ithuriel again, but K-17 had lost ground and fell about a mile behind. Still coming down the Forth and about five miles distant, Captain Little in Fearles swas leading the 12th submarine flotilla comprising K-4, K-3, K-6, and K-7in that order; near May Island he had intercepted K-22’s distress signal, informed the boats of the 12th SF, and instructed them to switch their blue stern lights to full brilliance and keep a look out for the damaged K-22and K-14.

By 2015 Captain Little in Fearless was past May Island and felt he was well clear of the scene of the collision, but the signal from Ithuriel warning the force that she and three submarines had turned around had still not left the ship. However at 2025 a signal had been sent from Australia warning the battleships behind the 12th SF that she had just passed Ithuriel and three submarines inward bound, but it came too late to warn Fearlessand her submarine flotilla. At about the same time as Australia’s signal went, Captain Little and his men saw the lights of three ships on their port bow and crossing their track; the first two crossed clear, but the third was some distance back – it was in fact K-17which had lost ground when dodging the destroyers. Captain Little had right of way and held his course, assuming the other ship would alter course and pass down his port side; it didn’t, and Fearless slammed into K-17at 21 knots just ahead of the conning tower. The crew of Fearless watched K-17 wrench free and bang down the side of the cruiser, with water pouring in through a great gash in her side. Within eight minutes K-17 had sunk, but the entire crew managed to escape into the frigid waters of the Forth Estuary, including an Australian Midshipman, Ernest ‘Dick’ Cunningham, on loan from HMS Glorious. The collision tore a great hole in the bows of the cruiser and flooded a number of her forward compartments.

HMS Fearless after the collision with K-17

Ithuriel, now with only K-11 in company, continued towards the spot where K-22 and K-14 lay wallowing, unaware of the mounting chaos going on around them. K-12, having slid down Australia’s side was now on collision course with K-6 of the 12th flotilla, but each saw the other just in time to take evasive action. K-6, which had been following K-3, had lost sight of her in the near-collision. He picked up a white light and, assuming it to be the stern light of K-3, took station on it; however within a short time, a starboard steaming light appeared, and K-6realised he had not seen K-3’s stern light at all, but the steaming light of another ship, which was on a collision course with him; the lights were in fact from K-4, and K-6ploughed into her at almost right angles travelling at 21 knots, almost cutting K-4 in two. The boats remained locked together, with K-4 sinking fast and beginning to take K-6down with her. Finally K-6’s frantically reversing propellers and her greater buoyancy let her break free, whereupon K-4 sank, taking her entire crew with her.

Within two hours of sailing, and before even reaching the open sea, the fleet had lost two submarines sunk, two more badly damaged, one damaged, one cruiser badly damaged, fifty-seven men dead, and fifty-five others thrashing around in near-freezing water. But the drama was not yet over.

Submarine K-7, following astern of K-6 in poor visibility suddenly saw the sinking K-4 dead ahead, and in an attempt to avoid hitting her, put her engines full astern; in the event, K-7 still hit K-4 but in going hard astern her propellers sucked in and killed the majority of the crew of K-17. Only eight members of the crew survived. One who did not was Midshipman Cunningham, a graduate of the 1913 RANC entry; he had been a cadet captain, good sportsman, and had gained maximum time and several academic prizes on passing out from the RANC. He had also won the Grand Fleet Bantamweight Boxing Championship in 1917.

After her collision with K-17, Fearlesssent a priority message to Barham reporting that she had sunk the submarine, and the signal from Ithuriel advising she had turned around finally left the ship – twenty minutes after she had done so. It was now 2038. Once again, it was too late for the battleships to alter course and they and their escorting destroyers swept through the place where the remnants of the submarine flotillas were wallowing in the fog. In only three terrifying minutes they tore through the spot at 21 knots, miraculously but narrowly avoiding further collisions with the stricken submarines and those standing by to assist, but washing several men off their decks with their bow waves.

Fearless and K-22 with their gaping bow wounds crept back to Rosyth stern first; K-14 was towed back, and Exercise EC1 went ahead as planned. Little wreckage and very few bodies were ever found. A board of enquiry was convened after the exercise and blame was apportioned amongst five officers from the ‘K’ boats, but only one was court martialled for hazarding his ship, and reprimanded. Being wartime, all records relating to the ‘Battle’ of May Island were then sealed, but after the war it suited the Admiralty to keep them sealed, and in effect suppressed, and they were only reluctantly released in 1994 after surveyors for a wind farm came across the wrecks of K-4and K-17. A memorial to those lost in the submarines was unveiled in 2002 at Anstruther on the mainland near the Isle of May.

Acknowledgments:

World Naval Ships Forums – Notes ‘Battle of May Island’.

‘Battle of May Island’. UK Ministry of Defence 30 Jan 2002.

Thanks to VADM Peter Jones AO DSC RAN Rtd for clarifying several conflicting points.

Fifty Years under the Australian White Ensign

March 29, 2017

With the Australian White Ensign approaching its fiftieth anniversary on 1 March 2017 it is appropriate to reflect on the history of the revered ensign in its various forms with some relevant background.

When King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England in 1603 he desired that both countries be represented on a national flag which his subjects could fly on their ships. The result was the first Union flag which was introduced on the 12 April 1606. It was intended to be flown at the main top in all British ships and, as a concession to the Scots, either the Scottish or the English flags, those of St Andrew or St George, was to be flown in the foretop.

In 1634 the use of the Union flag was restricted to ships in the Royal Service by King Charles I and has never again been permitted to be used by merchant ships in its plain form.

The early method of dividing the English fleet into squadrons is said to have originated in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603). The earliest surviving instructions relating to the wearing of coloured flags to denote the three squadrons into which the fleet was divided, namely Red, Blue and White in that order of seniority, is dated 1617.

During the Commonwealth era (1649-1660) the ‘Council of State’ (1649-1653) changed the order of seniority of the squadron colours in 1653 to Red, White and Blue for unknown reasons.

In 1660 following the restoration of King Charles II and the re-establishment of the Union flag, its use was restricted to use by the King’s ships by the Lord High Admiral, the Duke of York, later King James II of England and VII of Scotland. However in 1674 English merchant vessels were allowed to fly a Red Ensign with the St. George’s Cross in the canton.

In 1702, in order to avoid confusion with the plain white field of the French ensign of Louis XIV (1643-1715), the Red Cross of St George was placed upon the fly of the White Ensign of the White Squadron which had hitherto been plain white. The plain White Ensign was retained for use in home waters until 1720.

With the Act of Union between England and Scotland under Queen Anne in 1707 the 1606 Union flag became the National flag of Britain and is sometimes referred to as Queen Anne’s flag. Squadron Ensigns wore the Union Flag in the canton. Merchant ships were then permitted to fly the Red Ensign with the Union flag in the canton instead of the Cross of St George.

As a result of the union of Ireland with England and Scotland in 1801, the 1606 style Union flag was redesigned to its present form and from 1 January 1801 became the national flag. Prior to the battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805, Lord Nelson, as Vice Admiral of the White Squadron, ordered all ships under his command, irrespective of their squadron colour, to fly the White Ensign and to fly the Union flag from a foremast stay in order to avoid confusion in battle.

Colonial ship Spitfire Bethel at Cooktown c1855 flying her state ensign

On 5 August 1864 the Squadron colour system was abolished as being of no further relevance in the era of steam warships. The Red Ensign was allocated for use by the merchant navy, as it had been for a long time; the Royal Navy adopted the White Ensign, whilst the Blue Ensign was assigned to ships in government service.

Evolution of the Australian White Ensign

Before federation the Australian colonial navies flew the British Blue Ensign, defaced with the symbol of their relevant colony. When operating outside colonial waters, these ships were often temporarily commissioned into the Royal Navy, and consequently flew the British White Ensign. After Federation in 1901, ships of the newly formed Commonwealth Naval Force used the Australian National Flag in its original format with a six pointed Commonwealth Star which in 1908 became a seven pointed star.

HMAS Yarra on commissioning 10 September 1910 flying the Australian National Flag. On her delivery voyage to Australia she flew the British White Ensign.

With the formation of the Royal Australian Navy in 1911, RAN warships used the British White Ensign, with the Australian National Flag flown at the jack to signify their nationality. This situation served well and was used throughout two World Wars and the Korean War. However Australia’s participation in the Vietnam War created an unusual situation as this was the first time the Commonwealth had not fought alongside Britain. The British Government was embarrassed that its flag was being used in a conflict in which it was not involved.

During a Naval Estimates hearing in 1965, Samuel Benson, a Victorian politician, voiced concern on the use of the British White Ensign by Australian ships on wartime deployments, and Donald Chipp, Minister for the Navy, announced that an Australian ensign was under consideration. The Australian Naval Board later recommended the current design, which is identical to the Australian National Flag, but with the reversal of the blue background and the white Commonwealth Star and Southern Cross. This design was originally submitted by Commander (later Rear Admiral) G.J.H. Woolrych.

Following Royal Assent creation of the Australian White Ensign was announced by Prime Minister Harold Holt on 23 December 1966. It was intended that the change-over date for the new ensign would be Monday 1 May 1967, but this was brought forward to Wednesday 1 March 1967 to correspond with the commissioning of HMAS Boonaroo.

HMAS Boonaroo flying the Australian White Ensign

MV Boonaroo was an Australian National Line cargo ship supporting Australian forces in Vietnam. After completion of her initial voyage, members of the Seamen’s Union of Australia refused to sail on subsequent voyages to Vietnam in protest against Australia’s involvement in the conflict. Accordingly the ship was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Boonaroo at 21.00 on 1 March 1967, becoming the first ship to be commissioned under the new ensign, and possibly the first to conduct this ceremony in darkness. All other RAN ships and establishments had previously raised the new ensign at morning colours on the same day. Boonaroo’s crew was replaced by RAN personnel, with the exception of two engineers who were commissioned into the RANR.

Summary

As this story tells us while we may only be celebrating ‘Fifty Years under the Australian White Ensign’ there is a relevant history extending back many centuries.

Petty Officer Fredrick Harold Harvey and Colombian Naval Service

December 27, 2016

As told by his son CMDR Vic Harvey, RAN, Rtd

Fredrick Harold Harvey was a proud Geordie lad, born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s suburb of Benwell, on 13 August 1899. Benwell in the West End of Newcastle, with many streets of neat terraced houses, is dominated by its colliery. After leaving school at 14 Fred found work with the tramways and became a tram conductor.

At the time of the Great War on 30 July 1917 he entered the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman, a month later on his 18th birthday, he signed a 12 year engagement. On entry Fred was only 5 feet 3 inches tall, so he instantly earned the nickname ‘Shorty’, had brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion with a couple of well–earned scars, as Shorty was known for getting into scraps.

At this time there was little shore–side training and his first ship was the formidable looking four-funnel cruiser HMS Powerful, but she was from a past age, had most of her armament removed, and was used as an accommodation ship. He later joined the armoured cruiser HMS Shannon, she had been built pre-war and after Jutland became flagship of a cruiser squadron patrolling in the North Sea. Fred remained in her until she paid off in May 1919. There must have been some action concerning ship salvage as post-war Fred received £4/13/6 in prize money.

It was then off to warmer climes for service with the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean in HMS Centaur. On New Year’s Day 1921 Fred was promoted to Able Seaman. With vast post-war reductions to the fleet Fred had quite a few posting ashore to the training depot HMS Vividat Devonport, which later became better known as HMS Drake.Fred was promoted to Leading Seaman while still in Vividon 10 December 1925 and passed out for Petty Officer on 6 July 1926.

Only known photo of Frederick Harvey in naval uniform Family archive

At the time his engagement expired on 12 August 1929 he was serving in the distinctive new battleship HMS Rodney. Her main armament comprised nine 16-inch guns in three turrets, all forward of the bridge. From Rodney Fred was issued with a ‘Gunnery History Sheet’ providing a record of his proficiency in gunnery examinations conducted in all his seagoing ships and a ‘Trade Certificate’ signed by Captain F.L. Tottenham, RN (later Admiral Sir Francis Tottenham). The latter document notes ‘a thoroughly reliable Leading Seaman displaying intelligence, energy, initiative and power of command’.

In 1926 Fred married childhood sweetheart Dorothy Elaine Rodgers and they set up house in Plymouth where the first of two boys, Frederick Harold, was born in 1927. But 1929 was not the best of times to be leaving the comfort and security of the Royal Navy with the Great Depression beginning to cast an ominous shadow over industrial England. With little prospect of work the family migrated to Windsor in Ontario where they had relatives. While some work was found conditions in Canada were not much better than England and the harsh winters did not suit Mum especially with young Victor Edward coming along in 1931. The next year they returned to Plymouth.

South America

In the 1920s the Admiralty authorised the establishment of British Naval Missions in various countries with the aim of providing training and support with increased cooperation through targeted ship visits. This in turn aimed to demonstrate British technical expertise and encourage foreign shipbuilding orders.

In 1932 a conflict erupted between Colombia¹and neighbouring Peru regarding a border dispute in the region of the Amazon River. This led to the re–establishment of a Colombian naval service, which had previously been disbanded. A Royal Naval Mission was quickly dispatched to assist the Colombians. This was mainly in response to a potential ‘Red Threat’ with Peru acquiring two older Russian destroyers, renamed Almirante Villarand Almirante Guise, from the politically unstable Republic of Estonia in 1933. Colombia is strategically placed between South and Central America with many neighbours and responsibility for its naval waters over both the Atlantic (Caribbean) and Pacific oceans. In this instance the Peruvians, with their naval forces based only on the Pacific coast, sailed a task force into the Atlantic – so the threat was real.

Post WWI the Admiralty invited requests from British shipyards for new destroyer designs. The winning designs were from Yarrow and Thorneycroft resulting in the construction of one ship from each yard, HM Ships Ambuscade and Amazon.A year after commissioning in 1928 these ships were sent on a cruise around South America, which included calls at Colombia and Peru, and home via Panama and the West Indies.

The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 called for significant reductions in naval tonnage resulting in the Royal Navy having no suitable ships to offer Colombia. However a class of six new destroyers based on the Ambuscade design was being built for the Portuguese Navy. The first quarter of the 20th century was tumultuous in Portuguese politics as Britain’s oldest ally transitioned from a catholic monarchy to a socialist republic, cumulating in a 1926 military coup. Despite this two ships were built in Britain and the remainder in Portugal. With British assistance two of the Portuguese built vessels were purchased off the stocks by the Armada Nacional Republica de Colombia (ANC) and renamed Antioquiaand Caldas. The Portuguese then built two further replacement ships. Royal Naval support was provided in commissioning, storing, manning and working up these vessels.

Leading Seaman Frederick Harvey joins the Colombian Naval Service

A recruitment campaign was undertaken in England to help man the two new destroyers. No mean perk for those in the know, with a two year contract being offer on very similar conditions to service to those afforded under Kings Regulations & Admiralty Instructions (KRAI) which included medical cover, insurance and death benefits. The real incentive, in these times of grave unemployment, was 33⅓% additional pay in £stg for an equivalent RN rank. While this was a single man’s posting, at the completion of the contract a fully paid return passage to England was provided, plus an additional two months pay in lieu of leave.

Duro Class destroyer Lima – a sister ship of Antioquia and Caldas

On 23 February 1934 a formal ‘Contract for Ratings’ (written in English) was entered into between the Chargé d’Affaires of Colombia representing the Government of Colombia and Frederick Harold Harvey. This was witnessed by a Royal Naval officer. On New Year’s Day 1935 another bonus was received with Fred promoted to Petty Officer.

There is an interesting aside in the report of a football (soccer) match between the two ships when working up. This notes that Antioquia’s goalkeeper ‘Shorty Harvey’ accidentally collided with an opposing player with the result that Shorty lost most of his teeth but with true British grit he continued playing with his ship winning 5 – 1. Shorty was not carted off to hospital until the end of the game.

Eventually both new destroyers reached their home port of Cartagena in Colombia on 14 May 1934. They were more of an insurance policy as the dispute with Peru had been settled before their arrival. We are not aware of Fred’s service in country but it does not appear to have been arduous and, strictly in accordance with his contract, he returned home on 22 February 1936. Upon return, with tales to tell and employment gradually improving, Fred became a postman in his native Newcastle. He also joined the RNR.

Had Fred remained in Antioquia he might have seen some unusual action. On 21 January 1936 on the occasion of the death of King George V the Bermuda Militia Artillery were instructed to fire a ceremonial salute from their 4.7-inch gun battery. This salute consisted of 70 blank rounds – one for every year of the sovereign’s life. Because of damp storage conditions there were insufficient blanks so the shortfall was substituted with life rounds fired at maximum elevation. As they opened fire the gunners were unaware that Antioquia was making for the Royal Naval Dockyard, where she was scheduled for refit. Although straddled the ship was not damaged.

Once more with the outbreak of war in 1939 Fred volunteered for naval service but was knocked back. This did not stop him from joining the Army as a private. Now over forty years of age he remained in the United Kingdom, mainly employed as a Batman/Driver to a senior officer based in Scotland.

After the war Fred was welcomed back into theA Post Office where he worked as a driver until the time of his death in 1963. He is buried in Newcastle. His widow Dorothy came to Australia and lived with her son Victor and his wife Connie until her death in 1986. The eldest son Frederick Harold (junior) with his wife Violet migrated to Canada where they made successful business careers and raised two children. Finally younger son Vic continued the family tradition, joined the Andrew and, with many years of distinguished service in the RAN … but that is another story.

Notes:

1. In terms of population, present day Colombia, with a population in excess of 49 million, is the second largest country in South America.

Petty Officer Fredrick Harold Harvey and Colombian Naval Service

December 27, 2016

As told by his son CMDR Vic Harvey, RAN, Rtd

Only known photo of
Frederick Harvey in naval uniform – Family

South America

In 1932 a conflict erupted between Colombia¹and neighbouring Peru regarding a border dispute in the region of the Amazon River. This led to the re–establishment of a Colombian naval service, which had previously been disbanded. A Royal Naval Mission was quickly dispatched to assist the Colombians. This was mainly in response to a potential ‘Red Threat’ with Peru acquiring two older Russian destroyers, renamed Almirante Villar and Almirante Guise, from the politically unstable Republic of Estonia in 1933. Colombia is strategically placed between South and Central America with many neighbours and responsibility for its naval waters over both the Atlantic (Caribbean) and Pacific oceans. In this instance the Peruvians, with their naval forces based only on the Pacific coast, sailed a task force into the Atlantic – so the threat was real.

Post WWI the Admiralty invited requests from British shipyards for new destroyer designs. The winning designs were from Yarrow and Thorneycroft resulting in the construction of one ship from each yard, HM Ships Ambuscade and Amazon. A year after commissioning in 1928 these ships were sent on a cruise around South America, which included calls at Colombia and Peru, and home via Panama and the West Indies.

With British assistance two of the Portuguese built vessels were purchased off the stocks by the Armada Nacional Republica de Colombia (ANC) and renamed Antioquia and Caldas. The Portuguese then built two further replacement ships. Royal Naval support was provided in commissioning, storing, manning and working up these vessels.

Leading Seaman Frederick Harvey joins the Colombian Naval Service

NRP Lima constructed by Yarrow & Co.,
Glasgow

After the war Fred was welcomed back into the Post Office where he worked as a driver until the time of his death in 1963. He is buried in Newcastle. His widow Dorothy came to Australia and lived with her son Victor and his wife Connie until her death in 1986. The eldest son Frederick Harold (junior) with his wife Violet migrated to Canada where they made successful business careers and raised two children. Finally younger son Vic continued the family tradition, joined the Andrew and, with many years of distinguished service in the RAN … but that is another story.

Notes:

1. In terms of population, present day Colombia, with a population in excess of 49 million, is the second largest country in South America.

Shades of Grey

December 21, 2015

As Father Time catches up with us all strands of hair turn to lighter shades, perhaps not unlike warship livery which is again changing to a different shade of grey. Our small research team has compiled this article with information mainly taken from our archive and library.

Two years ago in December 2013 the then Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, announced that the RAN would progressively change the colour scheme of its surface fleet to meet modern war-fighting and regional environmental conditions. It was claimed that the new ‘Haze Grey’ paint scheme, using reflecting pigments, reduces the ship’s infrared signature and also the external shipboard temperatures by up to 20 degrees Celsius, compared to the current ‘Storm Grey’ colour. Research has also shown that the new polysiloxane paints provide improved durability and fire resistance over older polyurethane systems. The results are now being demonstrated as ships leave refits in their new livery.

So what is the history of paint colour adopted by warships? An analysis of paint samples taken from HMS Victory confirms that her now dramatic orange ochre scheme is unlikely to have formed part of her original hull colour. This was mostly black with varnished upper works, black pitch being used extensively as a hull covering on earlier ships owing to its preservative qualities. If we therefore had black ships when did they become grey? And has the shade of this colour changed over time?

Early Colour Schemes

Until the late 1800s the selection of colour schemes for warships was made without considering the need for concealment. British warships of those times had black hulls, white superstructures and buff (yellow) masts and funnels. Many contemporary German naval vessels were painted white overall, while the ships of other nations displayed varied colour schemes. In about 1895 when the first thoughts of war were looming and with considerable increases in the range of naval guns, the German High Seas Fleet was painted a uniform shade of warm grey. Their French counterparts were painted a dark grey.

During the Spanish-American War of 1898 the United States Navy turned to a neutral grey colour scheme for its ships and the Royal Navy followed suit in 1903. In 1912 Russian Fleet Instructions specified a two-tone scheme for both Baltic and Black Sea fleets, with a dark grey hull and light grey upper works.Subsequently all other major navies made similar changes, so that well before the outbreak of WWI grey was recognised as the appropriate colour for all types of warships excepting submarines, which were mostly black.

This simple form of aiding concealment helped reduce the range at which ships were visible in a wide range of sea and weather conditions, when applied generally to mid latitudes in the northern hemisphere. The risk of submarine attack led to the application of camouflage systems in an attempt to disguise and confuse attacking submarines, leading to the ‘Dazzle System’ which has been widely discussed elsewhere.

Colour Schemes from 1901

Early black and white photography tells us little about colour, so where better to start than artistic representation. Much valuable information can be found in ‘The Royal Tour 1901,’ based on the journal of the cruise of HMS Ophir by Petty Officer Harry Price, DSM. The author came from an artistic family and his brother was a Royal Academician. He possessed a copperplate hand of wondrous clarity and was an accomplished artist. At the time of his enlistment his trade was given as a painter and decorator. We must however be careful in observing colour from an artist’s palette, as this can vary with the composition, the amount of natural light and the need to provide contrast between sky and sea. There is also of course the desire of the artist to attract attention, which can lead to undue emphasis on certain features.

There are similarities between the circumstances of the 1901 Royal Tour and those of today. There was a new but now unglamorous elderly king, who had been too long in the royal waiting room. An appealing younger couple found favour on the celebrity stage – the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (later King George V and Queen Mary). Their nine-month tour of an empire on which the sun never set was immensely popular way of saying thank you for supporting the mother country during the Boer War. It was also of great importance to the Commonwealth as Their Highnesses officiated at the opening of the first federation parliament of the Australian states which took place in Melbourne on 9 May 1901.

The Orient liner Ophir was chartered for this tour as no existing royal yacht could span the distances between coaling ports. From the coloured painted sketches in Price’s journal we are able to identify numerous ships involved in this tour. As a commissioned ship Ophirhad a white hull and upper works and buff funnels. She was escorted from home waters by the cruisers HM Ships Diadem and Niobe with black hulls, white upper works and buff masts and funnels. En route they met Portuguese and Spanish men of war with similar paintwork to those of the Royal Navy. In the Mediterranean and through Suez as far as Aden they were escorted by a number of HM Ships, all with similar paint schemes to Diadem and Niobe.

At Aden they were met by HMS Racoon. This ship had a white hull and white upper works with a buff masts and funnel. This livery was maintained by other escorting ships of the East Indies Squadron and China Squadron. At Singapore they were joined in the anchorage by other men of war, a Dutchman in similar livery to the Royal Navy, and an Italian with a white hull but brown masts and funnel. A picture of a Frenchman and Japanese warships is also shown. For the first time we see ships painted grey overall with the exception of funnel tops which have black bands.

Later the royal yacht is met by ships of the Australian Squadron, namely HM Ships Royal Arthur, Ringarooma, Wallaroo and Mildura.All had black hulls with white upper works and buff masts and funnels. On the Australian Station they meet a Russian cruiser with a white hull and buff funnels with a black band at the top, and an American cruiser also white hulled with brown upper works, masts and funnels. A German cruiser has a white hull with buff upper works and funnels. We also met His Majesty’s Colonial Ships Cerberus and Protector with a black hulls, white upper works and buff funnels.

On a voyage to New Zealand they encountered heavy seas before being met by a squadron comprising HM Ships Archer, Pylades, Sparrow and Torch, all in the traditional livery as per Royal Arthur etc. On the homeward voyage at Albany, accompanied by Royal Arthur, St George and Juno, they were saluted by Australian troops in a white hulled SS Britannic on their way home from the wars in South Africa.

On leaving Australia under varying escorts the Ophir made for Mauritius and then South Africa and Canada before proceeding home. On reaching home waters they were met by the Channel Squadron of six battleships and six cruisers.

The flag ship was HMS Magnificent and Petty Officer Price has a picture of her in what he terms ‘War Paint’. He says: ‘Magnificent in full war paint black and grey, and she looked much more formidable than if she was painted in the ordinary naval colours of black, white, yellow and red.’ From these comments it is assumed that this is the first occasion that Price, a seasoned petty officer, had seen a British warship sporting grey livery.

The Duke and Duchess were officially welcomed home by their Majesties in their Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert. She notably had a black hull, white upper works and buff masts and funnels. The author and artist also shows a sketch of HMS Victory, which was then afloat, with black hull highlighted with white gunports.

Colour Schemes from 1914

Mal Wright is another commentator who says at the commencement of WWI Royal Naval capital ships used a colour scheme officially termed ‘Battleship Grey’ which was very dark, almost charcoal grey. This was changed during the first year of the war to ‘Mid Grey,’ partly because of a shortage of dark pigments. However, the new shade proved popular and was retained. When camouflage was first introduced at the time of the Dardanelles campaign it was usually confined to vertical lines of pale grey over dark grey on the funnels and upper works.

Earlier classes of Torpedo Boat Destroyers were black, but dark grey for newer vessels. Eventually, by 1917 most were painted mid grey. HMA Ships Parramatta and Yarra originally had black hulls but after delivery to Australia these were soon changed to grey. Early submarines were black but during WW1other schemes were tried including dark grey, dark green, mid grey and pale grey.

The practice in many ‘Tiddly Ships’ of painting areas around anchor cables and turret tops Brunswick Green continued in many ships throughout the war years. In coal burning ships metal decks around the funnels were painted black, but this was discontinued on oil fuelled ships. Corticene was a mid-brown linoleum-type decking used in many RN ships as an alternative to wood. The Germans used a similar material but coloured pale tan.

Tales from HMS Caroline

The cruiser HMS Caroline is unique to the Royal Navy, remaining in commission from shortly after her launch in 1914 until 2011, and is now being retained as a museum ship. In May 2015 during her restoration it was revealed that during the past one hundred years she had received thirty-eight shades of grey paint, ranging in colour from beige-cream to a rather dark grey at the time of her launch in 1914. An example of these changes is shown on the colour chart on the inside of the back cover of this magazine. The above clearly demonstrates that the colour and consistency of grey paint applied to warships has varied over time.

During the inter-war period the ingredients and formula for mixing Pattern 507C Grey Paint was laid down in Admiralty Fleet Order 1658/27, with similar guidance contained in Commonwealth Navy Order 109/1934. Larger ships where a Painter rating was borne were expected to mix their own paint to the given formula, but smaller ships could draw quantities from Garden Island Dockyard which was mixed to the same formula.

Since WWII the British Standard for ships’ hulls was BS381C Light Grey and a similar Australian Standard was AS1700 42 Storm Grey. Decks are painted BS381C 632 Dark Admiralty Grey, also known as Australian Standard AS1700 N63 Pewter. The Royal Navy experimented with other shades from the mid 1950s with a blue grey tinge, but in 1968 they standardised on BS381C 676 Light Weatherworks Grey for their hulls.

In the 1950s the RAN adopted and retained ‘Storm Grey’ with its greenish tinge. ‘Storm Grey’, a British Navy colour suited to overcast skies of the North Atlantic rather than Australia’s tropical waters. During her conversion to the anti-submarine role at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in 1954 HMAS Queenborough was the first RAN vessel painted Storm Grey. For more than sixty years this colour has served us well and our ships have stood out when berthed with those from other navies. The new colour ‘Haze Grey’ refers to the contrast between the dark blue of the sea and the lighter blue of the sky, which on the horizon merges into a strip of grey. Ships painted this new colour will therefore blend better into the horizon.

The Seamanship Manual

Early editions of that masterpiece of information on ship’s husbandry, the Admiralty Seamanship Manual, are surprisingly reticent on this topic other than advising on the organisation required for painting ship. Gems from Volume II of a 1923 edition include:

The annual service allowance for a fully commissioned ship is eight coats of grey paint for outside and weather parts, two coats of white for inside parts, and one coat biennially of grey and white enamel for definite spaces. The shade of grey used for outside work is laid down.

While the supply of paint at these times appears copious the quality was possibly not of the highest standard. Usually two coats were required and then, when ships were measured by their appearance there was a continuous touch up process.

Summary

From Colonial times to the present day the colour schemes adopted by ships serving on the Australian Station has been one of constant modification and change. The new, lighter shade of ‘Haze Grey’ should be well suited to our environmental conditions.

Bibliography

Admiralty Seamanship Manual Volume II, London: His Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1923 Edition.

Gardiner, Richard & Brown, David K. (Editors),The Eclipse of the Big Gun: The Warship of 1906-1945, London: Conway Maritime Press, 1992.

Price, Harry, The Royal Tour 1901, Exeter: Webb & Bower, 1980.

Wright, Mal, Warship Colour Schemes of World War 1, accessed 1 October 2015, http://www.gwpda.org/naval/s1200000.htm

Royal Navy

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