.. "And a security for such as pass on the seas upon
their lawful occasions."--_Navy Prayer_.
Disregarding the inventions of the Marine Captain, whose other name is
Gubbins, let a plain statement suffice.
H.M.S. _Caryatid_ went to Portland to join Blue Fleet for manoeuvres. I
travelled overland from London by way of Portsmouth, where I fell among
friends. When I reached Portland, H.M.S. _Caryatid_, whose guest I was to
have been, had, with Blue Fleet, already sailed for some secret rendezvous
off the west coast of Ireland, and Portland breakwater was filled with Red
Fleet, my official enemies and joyous acquaintances, who received me with
unstinted hospitality. For example, Lieutenant-Commander A.L. Hignett, in
charge of three destroyers, _Wraith, Stiletto_, and _Kobbold_, due to
depart at 6 P.M. that evening, offered me a berth on his thirty-knot
flagship, but I preferred my comforts, and so accepted sleeping-room in
H.M.S. _Pedantic_ (15,000 tons), leader of the second line. After dining
aboard her I took boat to Weymouth to get my kit aboard, as the
battleships would go to war at midnight. In transferring my allegiance
from Blue to Red Fleet, whatever the Marine Captain may say, I did no
wrong. I truly intended to return to the _Pedantic_ and help to fight Blue
Fleet. All I needed was a new toothbrush, which I bought from a chemist in
a side street at 9:15 P. M. As I turned to go, one entered seeking
alleviation of a gum-boil.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112