40 NAVY NEWS, OCTOBER 2007
Salvage writes
NEVER judge a book by its cover, so the in the papers of the day, wrapped up as they
adage goes. were with events in Normandy.
Or perhaps by its title. Admiralty Salvage And it is just one act in a varied list of
in Peace and War (Pen & Sword £19.99 salvage operations which began with the
ISBN 978-1844-155651) by Tony Booth loss of the Royal George 225 years ago.
is much more of a little gem than its name The author directs most of his
might suggest. attention to the past century of
Within its pages are fascinating salvage work by the Admiralty,
Not such
stories – invariably untold and most work prompted by the
definitely unsung – of bravery growing fear of global
above and below the surface conflagration – and the
happy days
from a century of salvage distinct possibility of
operations. disabled warships littering
As the battle in the the shores of the UK.
FEW people know more about
bocage raged furiously in And within a decade of the
the U-boat in the English-
late June 1944, German RN seriously looking into salvage
speaking world than Lawrence
long-range coastal guns operations, those tugs, sailors and
Paterson.
turned their attention to any divers were called upon as the Great
After six books on the U-
ships in the Channel bound for War ravaged the oceans.
bootwaffe, you might have thought
the Normandy beachhead. The Admiralty salvage teams saved
he would have exhausted the
Shells plunged down upon the ships – and lives. More than 800 vessels
subject.
Empire Lough, a 3,000-ton cargo and were recovered between 1914 and 1918
Not a bit of it. In fact U-boat
● The mangled wreckage of two Sea Kings from HMS Ark Royal which collided off Iraq
ammunition ship, off Folkestone, setting her (mostly merchantmen, but also 90 RN in the opening days of Operation Telic in 2003
Combat Missions (Chatham,
ablaze from bow to stern. ships, 11 U-boats and two Zeppelins).
£19.99 ISBN 978-1861763204)
So fierce were the flames that when Capt Not all the Admiralty’s salvage work has determined metal fatigue had caused the two helicopters. And when the recovery was
is probably his most accessible
Victor Nichols and his tug Lady Brassey been in time of war, and not all its recovered tragedy. An improved Comet eventually complete, the divers returned to the two
and most attractive book to date,
arrived on the scene, the cargo ship’s name craft belonged to the RN. In early 1954 entered service, but by then Boeing and craters driven into the sandy seabed, leaving
a beautifully-produced work you
plate had been burned off. British pride was at stake when airliner McDonnell Douglas also had jet airliners a plaque from the crew of Ark Royal to the
can dip into – and dip out of – on
Somehow Nichols and his crew attached Yoke Peter plunged into the Mediterranean in service. missing flier.
the human aspects of the war
a bow line. They doused the Empire Lough off Elba, killing, inter alia, the noted BBC Bringing the story of salvage up to date, Throughout this story, Admiralty salvage
beneath the waves.
with foam, but the flames could not be correspondent and author Chester Wilmot. the author deals with work off Iraq in 2003, experts have been as brave in many cases
Paterson has spent years
subdued. Mountbatten offered destroyers of the notably the recovery of the wreckage of as the men in the front line – and at the
interviewing U-boat veterans,
Ammunition soon began ‘cooking off’, Mediterranean fleet to find the Comet’s two Sea Kings from HMS Ark Royal which cutting edge of underwater exploration and
picking over their letters,
raining shrapnel and bullets down upon the wreckage, as well as deep-sea TV cameras. collided, killing all seven crew. recovery.
collecting ephemera to create a
tug. The flames spread to the towline, but In a two-month operation, most of Yoke The recovery operation put man before “Wider recognition of these exceptional
very personal history of German
Nichols managed to run the Empire Lough Peter was recovered. The Admiralty salvaged machine; the salvage teams brought the men is long overdue,” writes Tony Booth.
submarines.
aground, out of harm’s way. the aircraft, but not the Comet’s reputation; bodies of the dead up first (all but one man Thanks to his efforts the public should be
Historians have traditionally
Such bravery probably barely registered using the wreckage, experts at Farnborough was found) then raised the remains of the better informed in future.
cherry-picked a few choice quotes
from Das Boot (a novel by a
Propaganda Kompanie reporter
Time for
America’s Drake
who wasn’t especially liked by U-
bootmänner) or Herbert Werner’s
Iron Coffins.
revision
Peppered as it is with first-
person accounts, Paterson’s
book should provide much
more source material for future
TWO old friends have received
WHEN the fast-growing
as described by Walker) was thoughtful and informative
historians to chew over.
21st-Century makeovers, reissued In particular, the many colour
with additional words and images. US Navy was looking for a
defeated in her close fought action account but the book does have a
images bring the world of the
Gregor Lamb’s Sky Over
hero of its own in the early
with Jones’ converted Indiaman few fl aws.
Bonhomme Richard in part by a It is not good on naval detail
U-boats back to life – from the
Scapa (Bellavista £25 from 3
years of the 20th Century it lucky grenade that caused mayhem
innards of the submarines to
Sabiston Crescent, Kirkwall,
or background, particularly the
decided to deify John Paul
on one of her gun decks.
propaganda booklets, standard-
Orkney) first appeared in 1991,
development of American naval
issue shorts, jackets, binoculars,
charting the history of aircraft Jones, who had been the
The less established and
organisation.
bandages, crockery, and caps.
and their squadrons based in and
leading commander in the
restrained Americans seem to have
The author makes no distinction
been more prone to use explosive
And by focusing on the
around the great natural harbour
navy raised by the rebel
between the Continental Navy
and incendiary devices at sea than
individuals, Paterson shows
which was once home to the
and the later United States Navy
‘Continental Congress’ at
the European navies.
that the matrose – the German
Grand Fleet.
(that for a time rather disowned its
equivalent of matelot – really
At the height of activity around the outset of the War of
Jones had fi tted out his ship to
predecessor).
wasn’t very different from his
Scapa, there were 15 squadrons
American Independence.
emphasise the use of fi re from the
Indeed, a reader could be
rigging, a sensible ploy for a less-
British foe.
based in the Orkneys, supporting
This was ironic in a number
forgiven for thinking from
well-trained crew whose main role
He celebrated passing the
upwards of ten aircraft carriers
of ways, not least in that Jones
Walker’s account that Jones’ navy
was commerce raiding.
equator (complete with ‘crossing
– and defending the Fleet from
had never been an offi cer in the
continued. Its paying off certainly
The other factor was the
the line’ certificate signed by
German air attack.
‘United States Navy’ as such,
explains Jones inability to become
existence of another signifi cant
Neptune). He endured cramped
The author has tweaked his
having died before the fl edgling
a fl ag offi cer in a non-existent
American unit engaging Serapis,
conditions. He looked forward to
original work, eradicating any
Republic raised such a force in
fl eet!
Captain Landais’ frigate Alliance.
his meals, even though fresh food
errors, updated details of the
1794, writes Prof Eric Grove of the
The book reads at times as if
I see no reason to disagree with
normally ran out within a week of
tragic losses, and included his
University of Salford. Serapis’ heroic commander,
Jones was continuing in service a patrol beginning, he let his hair
‘aviation diary’ which month
Nevertheless vessels under his Captain Pearson, that
after the war and strangely credits down ashore (although parties
by month lists the Fleet Air
command had forced the raking fi re from
him with playing a part in founding were never quite as wild as those
Squadrons stationed at the four
three British this undamaged vessel
The Grove the US Naval Academy, something depicted in Das Boot apparently),
air stations, of which RNAS
warships made further resistance
that did not take place for another he enjoyed affiliations with cities
Twatt is perhaps the most well-
to strike useless.
Review
60 years. across the Reich (much as British
known. Jones himself, now unemployed, warships are bound to towns and
And if it’s a name which
their colours
Jones had fallen out
went to Russia to work for cities), and he knuckled down to
produces sniggers six decades
– a unique
with Landais and
Catherine the Great, a period the drudgery of life at sea.
later, well FAA chaps thought it
achievement
accused his colleague
covered by the author in a rather
And the ocean was as much
was hilarious (the name comes
in an otherwise
of having fi red
vague and unsatisfactory manner.
their enemy as the might of the
from Old Norse for ‘clearing’
lacklustre
into Bonhomme
obtain a commission in the new
He does, however, make the
Royal Navy.
apparently), presenting VIP
American naval
Richard – probably
Continental Navy which allowed
point that Jones was probably
Obersteuermann
guests with a scroll (and a rather
record in the
true given
him both to fi ght those with
framed in the charges of sexual
(quartermaster) Heinz Theen
rude ditty) celebrating the
‘Revolutionary War’.
contemporary
whom he had legal differences and
misconduct that contributed to
clambered on to the bridge
‘Freedom of Twatt’.
So the body of
gunnery as
indulge a long-standing desire for
his career as a Russian fl ag offi cer
of U653 on Atlantic patrol in
Twatt is no more; it closed Jones was ceremonially
both ships
naval command.
being sadly curtailed.
February 1943 to relieve the first
shortly after the end of the war... returned from its
were locked
His positive features of boldness,
Walker suspects problems
watch. He found it empty.
when RNAS Culdrose was just unmarked grave in Paris
together
resolution and resourcefulness
with the regime caused by Jones’
“Despite well-fastened
coming into being. to the crypt of the grand
alongside each
usually made up for his character
freemasonry connections. He is
harnesses, four seamen had
Geoff Wakeham’s RNAS Chapel of the United
other but whether
fl aws and, as we have seen, he had
it was intended is more
some success, albeit at a price in
probably right; these could cut
been snatched to their deaths by
Culdrose (Tempus £12.99, States Naval Academy
controversial. The controversy
controversy.
both ways.
the cruel sea in an instant,” he
ISBN 978-0752-443812) is a at Annapolis where it
between Jones and Landais ran
As Walker rightly argues, Jones
Despite a decade’s research, the
recalled.
comprehensive photographic
resides in Nelsonian splendour
and ran.
was much more than a mere
author, rather surprisingly, does
As for the men in charge, they
history of the Cornish air station
as an inspiration to generations of
Jones (pictured, above right) had
privateer, still less a pirate.
not include in his sources the John
had no illusions about the risks
It’s ten years since Geoff
American naval offi cers.
always been a diffi cult man with a
He had real strategic vision,
Paul Jones papers themselves in the
they ran daily – even if their
celebrated 50 years of Culdrose; a
Frank Walker has provided
hot temper.
wishing to divert attention and
microfi lm edition that my former
masters in Berlin still did.
decade on he marks the airfield’s
us with a new book on Jones,
A merchant seaman who had
infl ict economic damage by
Annapolis colleague Professor Jim
U-boat historians label
diamond jubilee, including a
Maverick Hero (Spellmount £20,
made a fi nancial killing in the
mounting raids on the British
Bradford laboured so long and
certain periods of the war when
selection of colour images.
ISBN 978-186227-375-7) which
coast as well as capturing ships
slave trade (participating in which hard to collect.
the German boats were in the
Culdrose has changed
is unusual as it is written by both a
off it. ascendency – such as the autumn
substantially since 1997; it’s
he clearly had few, if any, of the Walker only cites, as ‘a published
philosopher and a non-American.
He was let down in his attempt of 1940 – as ‘happy times’.
home to the Merlin (and training
scruples later attributed to him) source’, the ‘Guide’ Jim produced
In his introduction the author
to burn Whitehaven by the poor U61’s captain Jurgen Oesten
facilities); hangars have been re-
he probably went on the stage for to help access this important
hopes that by “looking at events
material in Ranger’s crew, one dismisses such glib historical tags.
built and 1970s accommodation
a brief period (he was always a archive. Nevertheless the fi eld
from a different viewpoint’ he has
of whom defected, and others of “The so-called ‘Happy Time’ is
blocks have been hauled down to
showman) before a stroke of luck work the author has carried out,
been able to furnish some fresh
whom preferred to drink than go a myth,” Oesten told the author.
be replaced by modern flats for
– the death of the captain of his notably at Whitehaven, produces
and valid insights into the man.”
about their duties. “There were too many plaques
aircrew.
new ship – saw him take command much useful detail, illustration
He has indeed succeeded in his
His proposed raid on Liverpool on walls remembering fallen
And yet many things remain
himself.
was abandoned after a security leak
and discussion.
comrades right from the war’s
the same. Culdrose is still the
aim. His very readable account
He soon found himself in
– although not before Bonhomme
In all, this is a useful contribution
beginning.”
biggest employer in the area. It
prompted some new thoughts, trouble with the authorities, fi rst
Richard was compromised by
to the literature on an interesting
Research over the past decade
is still home to the ‘bagger’ Sea
albeit not always to Jones’ credit. being accused (probably wrongly)
modifi cations to carry troops.
man, the Americans’ Drake, rather
has suggested that the U-boat
Kings (although today’s variant is
His taking of the sloop HMS of having a sailor fl ogged to
A raid by Jones’ squadron on
than their Nelson. Just as Drake
peril was never as great as
much improved on that of 1997)
Drake in 1778 was clearly a one- death and then (more accurately)
Leith was prevented at the last
was never a member of the Royal
portrayed at the time by friend
and it is still at the forefront of
sided struggle against an at best of killing a mutinous sailor in
minute by adverse weather. Indeed
Navy (and was much more of a
and foe alike.
search and rescue operations.
semi-combatant vessel engaged on Tobago.
luck was never quite with Jones
pirate/privateer), Jones was never
Jurgen Oesten is in no doubt
Proof of that comes courtesy
recruiting duties. Jones may well have been acting
– even Flamborough Head was an an offi cer in the US Navy. how far from victory he and his
of the very last image: the crew
The epic Battle of Flamborough in self-defence but he thought it
equivocal victory, the escort was The accomplishments of both comrades were.
of the container ship Napoli
Head the following year now makes prudent to fl ee to the mainland
taken but the important Baltic were nevertheless seized upon as “I think, looking back, we
crossing the Culdrose tarmac a great deal more sense also.
American colonies with a new
convoy was saved. useful to inculcate standards of managed to cut about one per
having been plucked from their The two-deck 44-gun fi fth
identity Paul Jones.
All this and more can be gleaned bravery and conduct in the later, cent of the supplies to Britain,”
stricken vessel. rate HMS Serapis (not a ‘frigate’
Masonic connections saw him
from Walker’s entertaining, more institutionalised setting. he laments.
040_NN_Oct.indd 1 19/9/07 17:25:42
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