HMS EXMOUTH: Launched Laird 1901; Completed 1903; 20 Knots; Battleship with a displacement of 14,000 tons
Armament: 4 x 12 inch; 12 x 6 inch; 12 x 12 pdr; 6 x 3 pdr; 2 Maxims; 4 torpedo tubes (submerged)

In 1914 HMS EXMOUTH was based at Devonport and was performing the task of Gunnery Training Ship: her Commanding Officer at this time was Captain Henry R Veale

It was Admiral Arthur Wilson who is reputed to have said that any submariner captured should be �hanged as a pirate�, as well as submarines being � underhand, underwater and damned un-English�, and �no occupation for a gentleman�.

By 1911 Admiral Wilson was First Sea Lord, was involved with the Naval planning during the Agadir crisis, but by 1912, as war with Germany was thought to be imminent and Admiral Wilson was not thought to be a leading thinker when it came to naval strategy Winston Churchill replaced him with Sir Francis Bergman. But, Churchill's relationship with Bergman was similarly short lived and he, Berman, was forced to retire on the grounds of ill health before the year was out!

Post Card: with kind permission of Jo Roberts

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