HMS Pegasus by Ivan Berryman.
The
last seaplane carrier built for the Admiralty, HMS Pegasus was launched
in 1917 and benefited from all the lessons learned from her
predecessors, possessing a flying-off platform forward, served by twin
derricks, and a hangar and cranes aft, capable of carrying up to nine
aircraft. She is shown here with one of her Short 184s (N9290)
about to take off, whilst a similar aircraft is preparing to be lowered
into the water in the background.
HMS Iron Duke at Weymouth Bay 1927 by Randall Wilson
Iron Duke, a veteran of the Battle of Jutland and Flagship of Lord Jellicoe
at that engagement, is seen here painted in the rays of the setting sun
at Weymouth Bay 1927.
HMS Agincourt by Randall Wilson.
HMS Agincourt is shown alongside HMS Erin with ships of the 1st
Battle squadron of the Grand Fleet, on the eve of the Battle of Jutland.
Engage by Randall Wilson.
HMS Glorious and HMS Repulse fire opening salvos against the German
cruiser Pillau at the Heligoland Bight 17th November 1917.
Battle of the Dogger Bank 1915 by Randall Wilson
HMS Tiger is shown under full steam.
Battle of Dogger Bank, 24th January 1915.
A
German force of 4 Battle Cruisers , 4 light cruisers and 22 destroyers
left their German port to attack targets on the English Coastline. on
the same day a Royal navy fleet of 6 battle cruisers, 8 light cruisers
and 28 destroyers had left Scapa Flow to patrol the North Sea.
The naval battle which ensued lasted three hours with the German
losing The battle Cruiser Blucher which was sunk by Gun fire and torpedo
hits. The British flag ship HMS Lion was hit in the engine room
and was halted. Many of the ships that took part received damage. but
the casualties to the Germans were 1,000 killed and 300 wounded compared
to the British losses of 6 killed and 22 wounded.
HMS Barham with HMS Eagle in Valetta Harbour in Malta during the
1930s by Ivan Berryman. The Battle ship HMS Barham in company with the aircraft carrier HMS
Eagle between the two World Wars. Both fell victim to German U-Boats
during World War Two.
Fast and Furious by Stan Stokes.Thomas
Sopwith was a distinguished British aviator who organized the Sopwith
Aviation Company. Sopwith produced an aircraft which won the coveted
Schneider Trophy race. With the start of WW I, Sopwith Aviation shifted
its focus to military aircraft, and was to become one the major
suppliers to both the Royal Air Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.
In October of 1914 two Sopwith Tabloids flew a 200-mile round trip
strike against the airship sheds at Dusseldorf and Cologne. The Sopwith
Strutter firmly entrenched Sopwith as a producer of quality-built
aircraft. The Strutter was a precursor of the Sopwith Pup, which would
serve as the Royal Navys first carrier aircraft. The first production
Pup was delivered to the Royal Navy in 1916. Most Pups were powered by a
80-HP Le Rhone radial engine, which gave the Pup a top speed of 115-MPH
and an endurance of three hours. Many Navy Pups were modified to utilize
a tripod mounted Lewis gun which could be fired forward or upwards
through a cutout in the upper wing. Sopwith Pups were also utilized on
battlecruisers. In fact, a Pup launched from the HMS
Yarmouth downed the Zeppelin L.23 in August of 1917. The Royal Navys
HMS Furious was the first
dedicated aircraft carrier in the world. The Furious was initially laid
down as a battlecruiser, but the design was modified during construction
to include a flying deck forward of the main bridge. This configuration
allowed aircraft to be launched as the Furious
steamed into the wind. An attempt at recovery
by having aircraft side slip on to the deck proved ineffective
with one of the early attempts resulting in the death of the pilot,
Squadron Commander E. H. Dunning, who had made the worlds first
successful carrier landing on a ship underway only days earllier. The
Royal Navy decided to further modify the Furious
by adding a second deck aft of the bridge. The fore and aft decks were
connected by a narrow ramp on either side of the funnel and bridge, and
this permitted aircraft to be to moved between the two decks. Sets of
longitudinal wires were set across the aft deck, and were designed to
catch the skids of the Sopwith Pups during landings.
Recovering aircraft was still tricky, and a rope barrier was
erected aft of the mainmast to prevent aircraft which overshot from
crashing into the superstructure of the ship. The first carrier-based
naval air strike in history was carried out against the Zeppelin hangars
at Tondern by the Furious on
July 19, 1918. Seven Sopwith Camels, each carrying two 50-pound bombs
were utilized for this mission. This important moment in the history of
naval aviation is captured magnificently in Stan Stokes highly detailed
painting entitled Fast and
Furious.
HMS Dreadnought at Portsmouth by Randall Wilson
The
Lion, Sir David Beattys flagship,
And Other Great Vessels Dashing After The flying Germans.
It happened that Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty was making a
patrol cruise off the English coast with a force of similar composition
to the German, and disposed in much the same way.
That is, the light cruisers and the destroyers were out ahead of
the main squadron. Shortly before half past seven the lookout in the Lion,
Sir David Beattys flagship, which was commanded by Captain A. E. M.
Chatfield, sighted the flash of guns.
A few minutes later a message was passed to the flagship to the
effect that the cruiser Aurora, commanded by Captain W. S.
Nicholson, was in action with the advanced guard of the German fleet.
In a very short time the whole fleet was going hell for
leather after the flying Germans.
The Scene Amongst The Gunners Of
The Carmania During The Action With The Cap Trafalgar.
The non-combatant members of the Carmanias crew also
distinguished themselves during the action with the Cap Trafalgar.
Though running considerable risk from shells which burst about
the upper works of the ship, two stewards went from one gun crew to
another with buckets of limejuice and water for the refreshment of the
men who were working in the sweltering heat of a tropical sun.
Together with others of the crew they were awarded the D.S.M.
The German Battle Cruisers
Derflinger,
Seydlitz And Moltke, And The Battleship Blucher, The
North Sea To Shell English Seaside Resorts.
On the early morning of Sunday, January 24th 1915, a
powerful German force of battle cruisers, light cruisers and destroyers
came pelting across the Dogger Bank bent on shelling English seaside
resorts. There was the
newly completed Derfflinger, carrying eight 12-inch guns on her
28,000 tons; the Seydlitz and Moltke, armed with ten 11-inch
apiece; and the Blucher a sort of semi-Dreadnought with the fine
sounding armament of twelve 8.2-inch guns.
The light cruisers and destroyers were sent on ahead so as to
give timely warning of any danger.
The Opening Of The Action
Between The Kent And The Nurnberg Off The Falkland Islands.
The Kent began the engagement with Admiral Von Spees fleet
by opening fire on the Nurnberg at a range of 11,000 yards-nearly six and
a half miles.
A fight at full speed was very soon in progress, and both vessels
showed good shooting. But by
a combination of fine marksmanship and good luck of the first shells fired
by the Kent struck the Nurnberg square in the stern, disabling the after
guns affecting the enemys speed and power of manoeuvring. The
guns of the Nurnberg fired more rapidly than those of the Kent, however,
and shells fell all round the British cruiser.
Her silk ensign was shot to ribbons, and the foretopmast was
carried away.
A Fire Breaks Out In The Forepart
Of The Nurnberg. The Kent began firing lyddite at a range of 7,500 yards,
when the two ships were running broadside to broadside.
The upper deck of the Nurnberg was already a mass of
twisted and battered iron, while her sides were heavily marked with
shell holes. Before long a
great fire burst out in the forepart of the ship and her guns ceased
firing. But as the Kent which also ceased firing, steamed to within 3,000 yards, the
Nurnbergs flag was seen to be still flying.
The British gunners began to shell the doomed ship again, and in
five minutes her flag was brought down with a run.
The action lasted just two hours, and for his gallant services
Captain J.D. Allen was awarded a C.B.
The
Famous Landing From The River Clyde At V Beach.
At 6.10 a.m. on April 25th 1915, the River Clyde
struck V Beach, and the hopper went ahead and grounded on the port bow,
in the charge of Midshipman Drewry.
In the midst of very dangerous firing from the opposite shore,
Drewry jumped over the bow and waded towards the beach.
Meeting a soldier wounded in the water, he tried to carry him
ashore with the assistance of another soldier, but the man was shot in
the arms of the rescuers. Drewry then ran along the bridge, but seeing Commander Unwin
and Able seaman Williams towing the lighters he waded out and assisted
them in securing the boats under heavy rifle and maxim fire. He was wounded in the head, but continued his work and twice
subsequently attempted to swim from lighter to lighter with a line.
He was awarded the V.C.
Lieutenant-
Commander Boyle In Submarine E14 Evading Turkish Mines Passing Through
The Dardanelles. After
Lieutenant Norman Holbrook, V.C., had crept up the Dardanelles the Turks
greatly improved the anti-submarine defences of the narrow channel.
The submerged minefields were increased, and in certain parts
hulks were sunk to impede the progress of our submarines.
Lieut. –Commander Boyle and those with him therefore performed
a great feat, to which it is impossible to do full justice, in getting
through to the Sea of Marmora and returning safely.
For the great services of the E14, which lasted three weeks,
Lieut. –Commander Boyle was awarded the V.C.; Lieutenant E. G. Stanley
and Acting-Lieutenant R. W. Lawrence the D.S.O., and each member of the
crew the D.S.M.
Lieutenant DOyly-Hughes Brought In To His Ship On His Return From His Exploit.
When he
reached the beach, Lieutenant Doyly-Hughes plunged into the seas in his
clothes and swam out to where he expected his ship to be.
It had moved, however, and he was compelled to return and hide on
the shore. At dawn he left
everything behind and swam along the hopes of finding the ship, blowing
his whistle at intervals to announce his whereabouts.
On rounding a cliff he observed what he thought were Turkish
boats making out from shore towards him.
He immediately made for the beach again, where he discovered that
the cause of his fears was his own ship.
A last short swim, exhausted though he was, brought to safety
among his men.
Keep It Up, Lads.
Were Outclassed And Done For, But Keep It Up!
Lieutenant Richard Turner, the gunnery officer of
H.M.S. Pegasus, was one of the first to be hit, both his legs being
shattered by a shell. But
as he lay bleeding to death his thoughts were for the honour of his ship
and the Service. Keep it up lads, he called to his men.
“Were outclassed and done for, but d--- them, and keep it up! Then,
after asking for brandy and a cigarette, Lieutenant Turner died.
But to the end the men took courage from his words.
A
Marine Holds Aloft The Union Jack Of The Pegasus Which Had Been
Shot From Its
Staff. During the action the flag of the Pegasus was shot away
from its staff. A Marine at
once ran forward, picked it up, and waved it aloft.
He was struck down while standing on the deck exposed to the
enemys fire, but another came forward to take his place.
Until the end the flag was kept flying.
Most of the casualties occurred on deck, and with the utmost
bravery Staff-surgeon Alfred J. Hewitt rendered every assistance to the
wounded.
Lieutenant
J. M. Kacksons Surprise Capture Of The German Gunboat Komet.
The capture of the German gunboat Komet was an
incident worthy of the great days of Nelson.
Lieut. Jackson was informed by natives that the Komet was hiding
off the coast of New Guinea. He
accordingly organised a party to capture her.
So well was the affair arranged that the enemy had no inkling of
the approach of Lieut. Jacksons boat, and before they could recover from
their surprise he and his men had swarmed on board and resistance was
useless.
Midshipman
Malleson Jumping With a Line From A Barge to Link up Another Barge Which
Was Drifting. Lieutenant Morse and Midshipman Drewry were on board the barge,
which lay nearest to the shore when a shot severed the rope by which the
barges were lashed, again setting them adrift.
Midshipman Drewry was hit in the head by a fragment of shell, but
hastily binding his wound he jumped overboard with a fresh line.
For the second time the rope proved too short, whereupon
Midshipman Wilfred Malleson threw himself over the side and made fast
the drifting barges. Once
more the line was broken, and though Malleson made two further gallant
efforts to carry a rope he was unsuccessful.
He was however, rewarded with the V.C. for his great gallantry.
HMS Birmingham Commanded
by Captain Arthur Duff, Hitting the Conning Tower of the German
Submarine U15 
