Lieutenant Commander Griffin had cut his teeth in minesweepers - hard, disciplined, dangerous work, performed at low speed and normally close inshore. It was a task that demanded precise navigation and unbroken concentration, keeping a flotilla manned almost entirely by reservists to an exact routine, leaving no awkward corners unswept, missing no part of a minefield. An officer who could excel in minesweepers was a man of outstanding ability, fit for a senior role, preferably as Commander in a battleship where his painstaking virtues were immediately applicable.
Simon had to turn Griffin into a destroyerman, achieving this trick overnight so that he could be an instant success in his half of the flotilla. Less than immediate competence could not be accepted – he was to be responsible for his own boat and three others.
“High speed work and snap decisions, Griffin. You rarely have ten seconds thinking time – you must give your orders with no delay at all. No possibility of muddling though, either. Get it wrong and you are likely to be dead. More importantly, so will your ships be!”
Griffin could accept that his own life was of secondary importance. That was the Navy way.
“Typically, Griffin, you will be up against full flotillas of German destroyers. They are faster than us and more heavily armed. After eighteen months of war in the Channel and southern North Sea, they are experienced and skilful. You must never allow them to reach as far as the Barrage. The small ships there are capable of catching and sinking submarines. That is their job. They cannot live against destroyers. The Barrage protects the cross-Channel traffic, as you know. If it is broken then we face disaster.”
Griffin was aware of the need to protect the Channel.
“We shall be patrolling at a distance from the Barrage, out into the North Sea as far as the Broad Fourteens and across to the Belgian coast. Our job will be to pick up anything coming down from the north, in addition to watching for sorties from the Belgian ports.”
“Yes, sir. I was aware of that. I have spent some time considering the problem and have come up with a patrol line that I think will serve us well.”
“No, Griffin. The last thing we need is a patrol line. We must never be predictable. Submarines will watch us and will use their wirelesses at night to tell the destroyers where we are so that they can either avoid us or lay up in ambush. They would very soon pick up any pattern in our behaviour. We cannot even get into a habit of say, three days out and two in Harwich – we would be observed.”
Griffin could not imagine that they were simply to venture out on random sorties, wandering the North Sea hopefully.
“Almost. We shall vary our patrols, in part according to information given us from the Commodore’s people, to a great extent depending on our own observations. Obviously, we shall be under the orders of the Patrol as a whole and may often be sent out with specific orders. When we are on our own, we must use our initiative.”
Simon smiled and then proceeded to make clear that the initiative in question was to be his alone.
“I shall give all captains a briefing before we go out. You will be at my side, having discussed the patrol with me first. What I would have in mind would be to beat up the coast from Dunkerque, holding inshore of the minefields, frequently, sometimes as a whole flotilla, others with half inshore of the fields, the remainder out to sea. That would be at night exclusively. The batteries are too big and too many to be ignored now – they have closed their coast in daylight hours. Following a run up coast, then skirt Dutch waters and reach out across as far as Dogger, thereabouts, and make a low speed patrol – fifteen knots – to keep submarines down. Boats at about four cables abeam of each other, working a long zigzag to cover as much sea as possible, reversing track at random interval, all simply aiming to make it too dangerous for submarines to attempt to make their passage surfaced in daylight hours.”
Griffin could not see the benefits of such action.
“We will make them take an extra day, perhaps two, on passage in and out of the Atlantic. That will cut down on the time they can spend on station, will slightly reduce their chances of making kills. Anything that saves our merchant ships will be a blessing, just at the moment, Griffin. The losses are becoming worrying, even with the restricted warfare the Kaiser has laid down. You know that we have almost no chance of detecting a submarine when submerged in the open sea – the only thing we can do is harass them, make them a little less effective.”
“Would we not be wiser to patrol at lower speeds, sir? Fifteen knots is rather high for our purpose.”
“The Commodore has laid down that fifteen knots is to be the minimum for patrol. No submarine can attain more than twelve knots surfaced – or so we believe to be the case. Fifteen knots prevents them observing us and then headreaching to attain an ambush point off our bows. Submarines do not make beam attacks on warships if they can be avoided – they much prefer to shoot from off the bow at about four cables, particularly when dealing with small ships. Same rule for us, of course.”
“You mean we should not make torpedo attacks except when bows on to the foe, sir?”
Simon was not sure he liked the word ‘foe’ – it was Victorian, might give an indication to the man’s habits of thought.
“Generally, yes, Griffin. Use torpedoes sparingly on small, fast ships – they are the most difficult of targets. Your Gunner will have his opinions there, I do not doubt. Remember as well that reloads are in short supply. A torpedo used today may not be replaced for a week or two; the Commodore’s people say that the munitions shortage is almost at an end but it is as well still to be careful with our expenditure.”
Griffin had not heard that there was a shortage. It had not affected him on minesweeping duty.
“Not just us, Griffin. The Hun as well are under orders to conserve their torpedoes, the more I expect because their submarines need them, must have their loads if they are to do anything at all.”
“Makes us sound more like shopkeepers than naval officers, sir!”
“We must live with the circumstances we find, Griffin. Returning to the point. We may not work the Belgian coast at all on some nights, more or less at random, though I am inclined not to try to follow the inshore passage when there is no moon. Might be profitable to lay to off Zeebrugge on occasion, simply wait in the swept passage out of the harbour. In that case, half the flotilla inshore, the other four boats out to sea on a sweep for submarines coming in or out. Might be that that we could pick up minesweepers or, less commonly, minelayers coming out on business as well. Always useful to sink them. Means that the Hun will have to send replacements down from Kiel. They will cut through Dutch waters, most likely, and irritate the Dutch government, which is always to our benefit.”
Simon explained why it was desirable that the Dutch should be at loggerheads with the Germans.
“Keeps them neutral on our side, you might say, Griffin. Handy, that. I must at this point formally warn you that any breach of Dutch neutrality by our ships will result in a court and certain dismissal of the captain from his ship and probable loss of his commission. The Admiralty will accept no excuse other than your ship out of control due to storm damage or enemy action – if you sink in Dutch waters, you will probably be exonerated, preferably posthumously!”
“You just said that the Germans habitually breach Dutch neutrality, sir.”
“They do. We don’t. The Dutch know that and act accordingly. They are building coastal defence ships, I am told. A year at most and they will be able to defend their neutrality. For the while, every breach they observe is beneficial to us. Interned soldiers are put on ships home and escapees are escorted to the ports and sent off to England without charge – because the Dutch are angered by the German contempt for their rights. The Commodore has told me that the bulk of the soldiers interned in ’14 have been returned to England, repatriated on medical grounds, officially. Most of them have been returned to active service.”
“So, sir, we must always stand clear, even in hot pursuit?”
> “Unfailingly. I will accept no excuse from a captain who breaches Dutch neutrality. The only reason for so doing is because your ship is sinking; if that is the case, you cannot come back. If you do come back, by definition, you must be guilty.”
Griffin thought that was excessively hard.
“It is. Intentionally so. Now then, have you further queries about your orders?”
Simon would have been surprised if he had after so uncompromising a question.
“Excellent. Now, what of your three captains? Are you happy with them? Are the ships in good order? What are their needs?”
Griffin had his papers with him. He had inspected all three, and his own Lark, naturally, had statements of condition for them.
“All four vessels recently from the yard, sir. A high angle gun added to each, quite why, I do not know.”
“German seaplanes, Mr Griffin. Not a commonplace still, far less rare than they were. We shot one down on Lancelot last year, using the Gunner’s machine guns, part of his unofficial stock. They are a nuisance at the moment. It is possible that they could become a menace. We hear of plans for aeroplanes to carry a ton of bombs. Was that to be the case, they could become a dangerous weapon with the capability to close the Channel to us.”
Griffin was not pleased at such a prospect. He was much of the opinion that it was the job of the Flying Corps or Naval Air Service to put down such menaces.
“No doubt they will do all they can, Griffin. In their absence, we must protect ourselves. What have they given you?”
Whatever the yards could scrape together was the answer.
“Two three inchers, sir. One two pounder-pompom. One French, Hotchkiss abomination, in millimetres, of all things! A thirty-seven! It uses strips of shells, eight at a time, which it fires ‘semi-automatically’, the Gunner tells me!”
“Yes. Highly effective. Can also be fired with the main armament, low angle. I wonder if a better means of loading might be found – the strips slow the gun’s rate of fire. That apart, it is the most useful of close-range weapons. The pompom we know well enough. The problem there is the canvas belts, as you will have noticed. A useful gun in the hands of a good Gunner. The three inchers are unsuitable to destroyers, should not be put aboard us. I shall send a formal complaint to the Commodore – the yards have been asked not to put them aboard small ships. They will no doubt reply that they had nothing else to hand. If we ever see a Zeppelin, they might come in handy. Not otherwise. I hear, by the way, that they are proposing to build monitors with a pair of high angle six inch guns to accompany the Grand Fleet and provide protection against Zeppelins – drive them off if they are on reconnaissance duty.”
Griffin had little doubt that they would be a fine ship, just what was needed. Their Lordships tended to be well aware of what was best, what was ideal for the Navy.
“That brings us back to this Hotchkiss, sir. Utterly out of place, a French gun on a British ship!”
“Some Hotchkisses are now being made at Coventry, I am told, Griffin. Good enough for me. I had rather see them than three inch twelve pounders aboard our boats. What of your captains?”
“All three green, sir. New to command but years in destroyers. I suspect they will do, sir, once I have curbed their over-enthusiasm. Too much inclined to hare off after anything in sight. Need to be brought up to the bit!”
“Possibly, Griffin. Destroyers must retain a degree of initiative, however. Don’t tie them too tight to your apron strings. At the same time, make it very clear that orders are not up for discussion! Difficult to hold a balance. You have the experience to do just that.”
“Thank you, sir. You mentioned the possibility that we might be sent on other duties than the unending patrols in the North Sea?”
Simon recalled he had done so. It seemed that his every word would be remembered, might possibly be used against him.
“Oh, yes. Only an offchance. If the Grand Fleet is brought to an action in the southern reaches of the North Sea – off the Danish coast, perhaps – we will be called out to sweep to the south. The expectation is that they will come to battle further to the north. The High Seas Fleet will, if it comes out, be trying to break out into the Atlantic and so will be found off Norway, most likely.”
“Then let us hope for a battle to the south, sir. A chance for us to be part of the second Trafalgar!”
“We must all hope for that, Griffin. It is worth noting that so far in this war the naval balance has tilted to the German side – better gunnery than ours, particularly. If they bring the Grand Fleet to battle at fifteen thousand yards, or more, then the results may be unhappy for us.”
“Admiral Jellicoe must have his plans, sir. The aim must be to close to three thousand yards at most before firing broadsides. Ridiculous to so much as consider action at seven or eight miles distant! It is necessary to be close to take the enemy’s surrender – how can one board and bring home a battleship if one is not within range of it?”
“Nelson is dead, Griffin! The old days of taking by boarding died with him. The sole aim now is to sink the enemy while taking minimal losses ourselves. Their Lordships much want us to board German destroyers – they have even issued cutlasses for the purpose! You will not indulge in such foolishness except you collide with the enemy in the dark of night. I most certainly do not expect to see cutlasses in evidence when I inspect your ships – they should be locked away in a dark corner of the magazine where none of the hands can trip over them.”
“Boarding is our oldest tradition, sir. It has made the Navy all that it is!”
“Possibly so, Griffin. Times have changed. We must change with them. We fight a twenty-five knot war now. Nelson crawled into battle at walking pace. We do not. We are creating a new Navy in the boats. You must be part of it.”
“I am afraid I cannot agree, sir. With respect, sir, you have little experience of the more important aspects of naval life – when you have another ten years in, you will come to appreciate that the old ways are best – they have developed over centuries, sir, they must be right! For the while, sir, I am sure I can guide you into a correct way of doing things.”
Griffin returned to his ship happily convinced he had shown his young master the correct path. He ordered the crew to gunnery exercise, agreeing that to be necessary.
“Maximum rate of fire over open sights, Gunner. Assume a range of two cables and shortening. The important thing is to chieve the highest possible rate of fire. No need to worry about aim. Rifles and revolvers to every gun and to the torpedomen, ready to board.”
The Gunner, commissioned after twenty years in, was heartily in favour. Broadsides at arm’s length was exactly how he wished to fight the ship.
Simon paid a call on Tyrwhitt to discuss readiness and orders.
“A first shakedown patrol, sir, and then ready for trade, with one exception. I find I cannot work with Griffin. He believes in fixed patrol lines on an unvarying routine. If we should be ambushed, well and good! That will give us the opportunity to close the range and take the enemy by boarding. I do not believe he has considered the torpedo or the possibility that faster and better-armed German ships would simply hold off and batter. He will not enter into the spirit of my orders, being convinced that once I have a few more years in, I shall learn that the old ways are best. He is not suitable for service in destroyers, sir.”
“So be it, Sturton. I shall have the devil’s own job with the clerks at the Admiralty, trying to explain to them that all small ships are not identical. A man who has done well minesweeping at four knots is not necessarily to excel at nearly thirty knots in a destroyer. The ships may be much of a size; the demands on the captain are very different. The decision is mine, however. Griffin will be relieved of duty as of this day. Discovering his replacement will take a little longer, should be able to lay hands on a body inside two days. Luckily, the clerks who are in charge of making new appointments live in different offices to those responsible for dealing with unsuitable officers who
have been relieved from duty in their ships for reasons other than disciplinary.”
It seemed peculiar. Simon’s slight knowledge of the Admiralty suggested it was not surprising; it was a strange place.
“Oh, while I think of it, Sturton, I was in Town over the weekend, met up with your old shipmate Baker. The VC, you know?”
“In company with his slightly eccentric lady, sir?”
“Elkthorn’s daughter? Yes, they make a fine couple, happy with each other. A pleasure to see. He has made brigadier, has been given three battalions of the New Army to take out in May.”
“Good for him! You know, sir, we lost a good man there. Makes me wonder sometimes if we in the Navy go about things the right way all the time. Never known a mid to be beaten as frequently as Baker was, or to seem so useless – yet we can see his achievements and must admire them, since he left the Navy.”
Tyrwhitt wondered if that was not going too far. Perhaps the young man had been unsuited to the sea, was of a different genius.
“Can’t deny his ability, Sturton. Pleasant chap to talk to, as well. Young Adams’ name came up as well – engaged to a daughter of the Duke of Blair. Don’t know how he blotted his copybook but he is navigator on Black Prince now and has made his way back into Their Lordship’s graces, for the duration. He will have to send his papers in when the war ends, of course, but there will be no disgrace.”
“Glad to hear that, sir. A good shipmate, although determined to rise in the world in the old way. I had thought he would have made post captain by the end of the war and rear five years later, all by standing at Jellicoe’s shoulder. I do wonder just what he did – so wholly out of character!”
“We shall never know, officially. You know what the Navy is like, Sturton – somebody will talk, one pal to another, and the word will eventually spread. Not to worry. Griffin for now. Call him across to Naiad, inform him that you cannot work with his attitude, you do not consider him suited for service in destroyers, send him directly to me. Unpleasant interview for you – something that you need to do. Good experience. When you break a man, always do it face to face – makes you a better officer. You have things to learn if you are to rise further in the world, Sturton. You will need three years at least in Naiad, then, if this damned war is over, it will make sense for you to be appointed to a flagship for two years before coming out as a post captain with a new cruiser or one of these aircraft carriers they are talking about – might be good for your future, that. Should see you as vice inside twenty years, one of the youngest ever.”
The Death of Hope Page 25