44 NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2008
The fi rst and the last
(MI)6 of
ELDERLY cruiser HMS Crescent home would have put her broadside got an awful ‘pash’ for me now – not Officer or rating, the life of a WW1
took a horrendous pounding as to the tempest, almost certainly permanent, I expect” though her hair aviator was often brief, certainly
she fl oundered in the North Sea in risking a capsize. could do with being longer, in Toby’s hazardous, always cold.
November 1914, and many feared Boats, davits, railing, wire stays, forthright opinion). “You’d smear Vaseline on your
she would not survive the night. aerials and cowls were ripped away Entries such as those for face – if that wasn’t available then
But it was not the guns or torpedoes – one of her two funnels barely November 26 1914 (“Woke up late it was whale oil or engine grease.
of the damned Hun that worried the survived – and with galley fi res and had rather a rumpus with daddy, You wore gloves to protect you from
the best
offi cers and men of Crescent – it was and generators out of action sailors and consequently stayed at home all frostbite. You were flying in an open
their oldest enemy, Mother Nature. slept in sodden hammocks, ate cold day, wasting a precious day like an cockpit with only a small windshield
Mention World War 1 and the food and watched by candlelight ass”) remind us that this warrior was for protection,” Henry recalls. THE most notable action of the naval
mind conjures up an Armageddon as crockery smashed and loose still just 17, and could still act like a And yet, aviation was “a great side of the British intervention against
of trenches, barbed wire, blasted ammunition careered around. teenager. adventure for a bloke like me”. As the Bolsheviks in 1919 was the
The Grove
trees and mangled, shell-shredded Crescent cent fi nally reached harbour on The sharp contrast between the soon as his flimsy aircraft touched attack on the key Soviet naval base at
corpses. the third morning of her ‘patrol’, the third m proud, jingoistic sailor and smooth- down, the mechanic was “just itching Kronstadt,
Reviewwrites Prof Eric Grove of
The woes of Tommy have been y have bbeen to be greeted by a snowstorm to be greeteg tongued socialite fades during 1915 to take off again”. the University of Salford.
well-documented and depicted – d ddepidepictect d – – though Scrimgeour – thou as the realisation dawns that the Henry is trumpeted in naval circles In the early hours of August
but not so Jack. always appreciated a alw war will drag on, and even a move as the last survivor of the Royal Naval 18, Royal Navy coastal motor
is the author’s unfamiliarity with the
Indeed, apart from Jutland rom JJutland fi ne view of snow- to the glamorous state-of-the-art Air Service (precursor to the Fleet Air boats (CMBs) crippled two Soviet
warships of the time. Petropavlovsk
and Gallipoli – neither of neitheer of capped mountains c battle-cruiser HMS Invincible fails to Arm) and the last survivor of Jutland. battleships and a submarine depot
and Andrei Pervozvanni were not
them the glorious Naval Naaval or a “goro geous” rekindle the devil-may-care attitude His ship, Kingfisher, spent the battle ship and effectively neutralised the
‘battle-cruisers’ but battleships and
victory expected by by sunset.sunsu of the previous year. “on the periphery” – all he saw were Bolshevik fl eet.
the latter, not the former, was the ‘pre-
the British public lic YYooung Toby joined Toby’s journal ends in December the muzzle flashes of guns in the This is often confused with the
dreadnought.’ Oleg was a protected
– the blue aspect the Navy as a cadet at the NaNa 1915, (the 1916 version presumably distance. Like most British sailors sinking two months earlier of the
cruiser, not an armoured cruiser; she
of the Great War the age of 13 in 1910, and the age oo lies 200ft deep in the North Sea) and on May 31 1916, Henry Allingham cruiser Oleg by Lt Augustus (‘Gus’)
had recently had her original armament
has tended to be the outbreak of war elicited the outbreae his fi nal letters home give a sketchier found it “impossible to tell what was Agar, commanding CMB 4. The Soviet
12 6in guns (as quoted by the author)
overshadowed by a familiar bravado; on July 30 a familiar bravr coverage of Toby’s dwindling life. going on”. ship had just completed bombarding
replaced with 16 of the latest 5.1in
the khaki. he was “pleased at the thought he was “ppleasleaseds They are still, however, alive with His sea-going career ended in the into submission the Krasnaya Gorka
weapons, giving her the fi repower
So the detailed taiilled of the excitement of war”, and of f thethe excite em a familiar blend of military tittle-tattle autumn of 1917 when he transferred fortress, that had declared for the
of one of the modern Russian light
observations, thoughts, hopes s, hopes on September 5, after a fruitless on September 5 and the minutiae of family life. to the Western Front with No.12 Whites in the Civil War that followed
cruisers whose completion had been
and fears of Midshipman ipmman an AleAleAlex x x chase by Crescent and “spoiling chase by Cresce His fi nal letter, on May 28, Squadron RNAS. Battle over land the October Revolution.
delayed by the Revolution.
‘Toby’ Scrimgeour in Scrimgeour’s for a scrap”, he commented: “Those 1916, contains an inconsequential proved no more enlightening than Agar had played a key role in a keya key ro role le iin n
There are a few other niggling There aree a f
Small Scribbling Diary 1914-1916 lucky devils in the army are having observation on Dickens’ Bleak battle over sea – “jungle drums” demonstrating the utility of the uttility of the
mistakes too; the Grifmistakes e to fi n was
( House, and Toby signs off with “No provided the best source of news CMB in Baltic conditions and diitions and
not a Sopwith aircraft not a t
Conway, £20 ISBN 9781844860753) all they want.
provide a welcome and fascinating “The dastardly crimes of the more now.” about the situation at the front.t the sit played an important part in t part in
like the Strutter or like
glimpse of life in the Senior Service Germans will commit them to There was to be no more. The AndAnd although he never served a g the Kronstadt raid, adding adding
the Camel, but th
during the war, and of the mindset of everlasting damnation in the blackest remaining letters in the book are he book k are in in the trenches in France, thhe tre a DSO to the VC he C he
wwas known as
a stratum of British society during depths of the nethermost hell.” from third parties lamenting the meenting the lilife was far from safe or ife wa received for the Oleg leg
the Grain Grifth fi n,
a confl ict more terrifying than most Patrols with the storm-battered loss of yet another young life.er younng life. cocomfortable in the episode. But that at
having been hav
thought possible. Tenth Cruiser Squadron were Toby’s fi rst encounter with counteer with aair stations behind was not the reason
developed at the naval deve el
Scrimgeour ( the enemy, on Trafrafalgar falgar ththe front. for Agar’s initial
aircraft establishment aircrac ft
pictured below) frustrating, with few sightings of the
enjoyed a privileged upbringing – his enemy, and the obsolete 7,800-ton Day in 1914, had elicited eliciited “We slept where deployment to the
on the Isle of Grain. It was on the Isl
father was a successful stockbroker Crescent was a wretched home, more a typically British ritissh we we could, often under e c theatre – to support
a na new aircraft and hardly ew air
– and the eloquent young snotty akin to Nelson’s navy than that of the response as the shells lls a la lorry – it was a case orrry MI6 agents in their
‘obsolete’. ‘obsolete’.
carries with him the mores and 20th century. from a German of of dropping down on the droppp operations to obtain taain
More importantlyMore im , the
attitudes of the Edwardian society She had no fridges, so fresh food armed raider groundground with a blanket,” w information on what was at was
book accurately brings out the book accurata ely
which moulded him, which to some was limited and all too quickly whistled over: “It HenHenry writes.ry wriites actually going on in the chaos the chthe chaos aos
confusions and uncertainties in confusions and n
appears to be a grating superiority replaced by tinned meat, chocolate was very exciting “Th“There were food andere we of revolutionary Russia. sia.
British policy at the time. One is left British policy at the
and class-conscious snobbery. and ship’s biscuit, and the exertions yesterday when we were re e supsupply dumps behind theply duply dum The British intelligence operation
with the distinct feeling that a more withthe distinct fee
But that effortless and intrinsic of sailing a ship of the line had been fi red on. linlines – there was an unwritten es – there in Bolshevik Russia had been started
robust policy might have made all the
superciliousness ultimately makes replaced by frequent and unpopular “None of us have been under eenn un der agreemagreement that they were never ent that by Capt Francis Cromie, CO of one of
difference in tipping the scales against
Toby’s progress and fate all the more coaling, a fi lthy, back-breaking gunfi re before. I was in the gun-room theggun-u roor m bombedbombed. One day the GermansOne d the RN submarines employed in the
the Bolsheviks. As Ferguson clearly
poignant. chore. having tea at the time, and was too broke the code and shelled our dumps. Baltic in the Great War.
shows, their terroristic excesses
The details of the November But Toby casts his eye wider than busy to notice much else when the They suffered a terrible retribution as The Bolsheviks were, however, able
were already setting the scene for the
storm are typical of Toby’s journals just ship-board life. bugle sounded off GQs for action.” we shelled their dumps for a week. It to destroy his network and MI6 sent
most murderous regime in European
– midshipmen were obliged to keep There are waspish pen portraits But he fi nally got his wish to never occurred again.” Paul Dukes (
history. It was a pity that it could not
pictured bottom right) to
such documents as part of their (Admiral de Chair is “a bit of an old engage the enemy more closely on That was during the spring of try to replace it. Dukes was a musician
have been nipped in the bud.
training – and illustrate the never- woman”, while First Sea Lord Jackie May 31 1916 at the Battle of Jutland, 1918 – when the Germans made their who had studied in St Petersburg and
Much was left to offi cers on the spot
ending danger faced by Allied Fisher is dismissed as “rather a cad”), and he paid with his life as Invincible bid for victory and when the RNAS who had later been employed by the
and Ferguson demonstrates how Agar
sailors. and a sense of the paranoia of the blew up and sank in less than two was swallowed up by the new Royal government in an offi cial organisation
on his own initiative (and against MI6
Crescent had sailed from Busta time as anyone regarded as acting minutes, taking all but six of her Air Force. designed to foster Russian friendship
instructions) decided to try to relieve
Voe into a gale and an “unpleasantly oddly is assumed to be a spy. ship’s company of more than 1,020 Today, Henry is the sole survivor during WW1.
Krasnaya Gorka by attempting an
big sea”, and by the following day Genuine spies found that justice with her. of the first days of the RAF – and This eventually led, in the summer
attack on the two Russian battleships
was hunting German minelayers off was swift and merciless; on October This book helps open a window he is courted by the Crabs. At the of 1918, to recruitment by MI6, or
which had begun the shelling of its
Foula in the Shetlands. 28 1914 a Reserve Paymaster was on the Navy’s contribution to World time, however, he concedes: “I still as it was then, the Foreign Section
hapless defenders.
But the Germans, wisely, had court-martialled as a German spy, War 1, and puts a very human face considered myself a Royal Navy of the British Secret Service Bureau.
Sadly, the attack had to be aborted,
stayed in port, because by the second sentenced to death and executed on a prolonged, often tedious and man.” By May 1919, Dukes was effectively
because of underwater damage to his
morning out the severity of the storm within a couple of hours while his faceless mechanical war at sea. A generation later, and with Britain the only British agent in Russia
companion CMB7. By the time Oleg
prompted the Admiralty fl otilla called in at Olna Voe in
● ● at war again, Henry was working and his survival was a matter of
was sunk the following night it was
◆
to advise all ships tto advise all ships Shetland.Shetland. THERE are many accolades and for Ford at Dagenham... alongside importance in bureaucratic as well as
too late. The fort had just fallen, its
to seek shelterto seeeek shelter. “This is the way we do things “This adjectives used to describe Henry Malcolm and Donald Campbell of raw intelligence terms. His survival
defenders and their families were shot
CrCrescentrescent in the Service,” Scrimgeour in the Allingham (pictured below). Bluebird fame. The latter was “a was key to the survival of the Service
and buried alive by Bolshevik forces
did not have ddidd nnot have concluded. “His crime was conclu Britain’s oldest man... Britain’s driven man” – and an affable one; itself. So it was, that the fi rst ‘C’, Capt
led by an up-and-coming Communist
that option, that option, a blot against the honour of a blo oldest war veteran... Britain’s oldest the mechanic and the record breaker Mansfi eld Cumming, clutched at the
leader, Josef Stalin, who was starting
and spent eight and sppent eight all Naval ofall Na fi cers, but it must aviator. would regularly chat over lunch. straw of Agar’s CMBs to provide an
as he meant to go on.
hours crawling hhouurs crawling be remembered he was only be rem Now add ‘Britain’s oldest author’ It is these vignettes which make escape route.
The RN fl ag offi cer, the fi re-eating
at a relative aat aa relative temporarily entered for the war temporari to the list, for at the tender age of you realise there is so much more to So begins this enthralling new
Walter Cowan, had not specifi cally
speed of one sspeed d of one two months ago and was not a real two month 112 he has recounted his life story Henry Allingham than his wartime book – Operation Kronstadt: The
authorised the attack, but he had told
knot into Force knot iinnto Force NO [naval ofNO [naval fi cer] at all.” to long-time friend and champion of service. Greatest True Tale Of Espionage
Agar on their fi rst meeting to “always
1111 winds and 50ft winds and 50ft In between gruelling patrols, In betw Great War veterans, Dennis Goodwin Indeed, if anyone has lived a full To Come Out of The Early Years
choose the boldest course”. He was
waves, rolling up waves, rolling up glimpses of glimpses of Toby’s other life abound. in Kitchener’s Last Volunteer life, it is Henry (he played golf until of MI6 (
as good as his word and far from
Hutchinson £18.99, ISBN
to 40 degrees to 40 degrees There was a seemingly endless supply There was a s (Mainstream, £17.99 ISBN 978-1- he was 90 and cycled when he was 9780091786211) – by former MI6
reprimanding Agar, recommended
each side. each h side. of grouse from family on Shetland of grouse fr 84596-416-0). 100). And he continues to lead a agent and ‘spy book’ author Harry
him for the VC.
TTuurningrnining (which did Scrimgeour(which did ’s standing Today Henry Allingham is defi ned full life; last year, the 112-year-old Ferguson. Skilfully he weaves the
By the time of the Kronstadt attack,
foror in the wardroom no harm at in the by (a) his age and (b) his Great War attended 47 events. stories of Agar and the CMBs and
warlike action had been specifi cally
all), as well as chances to go all), service... and that’s a little unfair. Most had a Great War connection Dukes and his spying. The book reads
authorised by London. Yet, as
fi shing. sh For Henry lived a remarkable life remarkable life – and the media never fails to– and the m like a spy thriller, but as the copious
Ferguson points out, enhanced British
A two-week refi t for long before he became fêted as e fêted as ask Henry about his wartimeask Henry references prove, it is a substantially-
support could not overcome the
Crescent gave Cr Toby the one of the dwindling band on band on experiences, yet the veteranexperience researched piece of historical writing.
ineffectiveness of the Whites, whose
chance to do the rounds ch WW1 survivors. apparently never tires of passing apparently Given the book’s nature as ‘thriller’,
Russian nationalistic suspicions of
in London and visit his in His job as a car mechanic mechanic on his knowledge and wisdom on his kno one is a little reluctant to tell how it
British support for the independence of
home near Canterburyh , ensured that he owned a car ed a car to today’to today’s generation.s g ends up,but the result is a generally
Finland and the Baltic states led them
dining out with families d long before it became theame the Among those to benefit were Among happy one for both heroes. Dukes
sometimes to sabotage the British
and friends, managing a norm, he loved sailing with with naval aviators earning their naval a eventually got a knighthood and is the
assistance they were receiving.
a little shooting and his family in his boat TThe he Wings at RNAS ing Yeovilton. only MI6 agent ever to be so honoured
It is so pleasant to be able to
“pleasant fl irtations” Teale, and visited thehe Then Second Sea Lord Then for ‘work in the fi eld’. Agar went on
recommend a book as much as I
with Joko (the book’s USA after his daughter er Vice Admiral ic Sir Adrian to command HMS Dorsetshire, act as
do this excellent, entertaining and
love interest – she “has moved there with her er Johns watched as theJoh prosecutor in the HMS Manchester
informative work. It is genuinely hard
American husband post st centenarian pressed the ceen court martial and head the Royal
to put down and the author is to be
war. famous insignia on to fama Naval College, Greenwich. Both also
congratulated.g
The bulk of hiss their sleeves and spoke thh wrote highly-interesting books which
RRead it!ead it!
memoirs are devotedd into their ears.innt Ferguson has used carefully and
to the Great War –– “It was quite clear critically.
and besides leadingg that Henry was passing tha Ferguson is highly critical of MI6,
a varied life, Henryy on something muchonn and one can detect something of an
Allingham led a varied ed more profound than just moo ‘agenda’ on the author’s part. This
military career. a cloth flying badge,” the a clo does not spoil the book, however;
He volunteered forfor admiral recalled.admi indeed it adds an interesting edge to
the RNAS in 1915. He He “Something else was“SS a work which, while professionally
asked for a posting tog to being passed between the being researched, is not meant to be
East Africa. Perhaps thes the generations.”genera ‘academic’ in the narrow sense.
recruiter misheard. He was e was We can learn a lot from e There may well be a case to answer
sent to East Anglia as an air an air Henry Allingham: Henry honour, on serious errors and blunders in MI6’s
mechanic, second class.s. respect, tradition, dutyrespect , fi rst decade. Secret organisations
And here Henry plugs a ugs a braverybravery.. And we’d be wise can all too easily hide behind their
gap, for first-hand accounts ounts to heed the advice he gave to heed essential secrecy. One now knows
of aviation are invariably riably to to AdAdmiral Johns (a merem what questions to ask when more
pilot-centric. Lower--deckdeck whippersnapper at half his whipper offi cial accounts appear.
accounts, especially of the of of thee age): “Don’agea ): ) “ t look back, just The only real defect in the book, and
Great War, are scarce. look forward.”look again it is far from a ‘show stopper’,
044_NN_Nov.indd 1 17/10/08 12:58:53
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