Andrew Wareham - The Death of Hope

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.”