Part of the Acorn Archive

Hearts of Oak

 

 

Charles Lewis

Royal Navy [1891-1905]

 

West Africa Station 1900-1904

Written  1900-1904 on HMS BLANCHE

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HMS Blanche

 

Charles Lewis’ progress ….

6th August 1891 Boy 2nd Class

18th August 1892 Boy 1st Class

3rd December 1893 Ordinary Seaman

1st September 1895 Able Bodied Seaman

 

[What strikes me about Charles Lewis, is that he, an ABS, is fully in touch with events and the course of the ships and so on…. he records the full Tour of Duty with times, dates and distances over the four years; a keen observer, and recorder]

 

West Coast of Africa Station

HMS BLANCHE

Being a rough Diary of accounts which happened during her commission on the West Coast of Africa Station; she commissioned in Keyham Basin on Tuesday November 20th 1900, with a complement of 159 officers and men.

 

[Getting Under way is not a simple task]

22nd November 1900, Engine Room staff lit up for first time. Carried out basic trials on 23rd November. Tuesday Nov 27th Left Keyham Basin and tied up to Nr 5 Buoy. Thursday 29th slipped buoy and proceeded into the Sound and tied up to a buoy there and swung for the adjustment of Compasses, then slipped the buoy and proceeded outside for a steam trial, arrived and anchored in the Sound same night. Monday Dec 3rd Flag Captain Langley (of HMS NILE) inspected the ship. Tuesday Dec 4th coaled ship; Wed 5th had bad weather and parted the Port bower Cable. Thursday 6th recovered the Port Anchor and cable. Fri 7th weighed anchor and proceeded up the Harbour; tied up alongside Nr 5 Jetty. 11th Left Nr 5 jetty and tied up to Nr 5 Buoy same day went out to Barn Point and tied to a buoy. Got ready to proceed to our Station on Dec 12th but was delayed on account of bad weather; tied up to a buoy in Barn Pool on the same day, received orders to proceed on the 14th but was delayed by the bursting of a steam pipeleading to Capstan Engine.

 

December 15th left Plymouth for Las Palmas, encountering bad weather for a few days; In the Bay of Biscay, our steering gear broke down. It’s no joke trying to get it going in a gale, as the ship gets flung off her course, and when she gets broadsides on the seas, it is some job to get a footing to enable one to get on with the work. But after a struggle, we managed to get it working again. We arrived at Las Palmas port, Dec 21st. Just previous to entering the harbour, the Captain of the Forecastle fell overboard; The seaboat was dropped, picked him up, returned to the ship, hoisted the boat, all in the time of 15 minutes.

 

On the 22nd Dec coaled ship, took in 150 tons; Whilst laying at Las Palmas, two men broke out of the ship and went on shore, but returned again and received 42 days imprisonment, and were sent home per SS VICTORIA.

 

I, your “humble”, went on shore and had a look around, but did not think much of the place from a sailor’s point of view, principally to see some gardens and the Roman Catholic Cathedral, which I thought was very good, the former having some decent flowers and plants, the latter some fine paintings, also some quaint instruments of torture, which they had a good collection of, used I suppose at the time of the Inquisition, a devilish lot of contraptions.

 

We left Las Palmas Chistmas Day Dec 25th 1900, so you can tell we spent that Christmas preparing for sea, going to sea, and a few other minor details, so Christmas Number One was not a pleasant one.

 

On our way to St Vincent, we had fine weather; arriving at that port on the 28th Dec 1900, we coaled ship, and left on the 29th for Bathurst; on our way to that place, a landing party was detailed off, and every preparation made for landing; when we arrived, the Officer who was to command the party even went so far as to sharpen his sword in anticipation of a brush with his imaginary enemy.

 

On arriving at Bathurst, we found the THRUSH there, awaiting the arrival of the FORTE and DWARF, which were coming from Sierra Leone, with native troops, to quieten a bit of disturbance which had been caused up the river Gambia.

 

Our services not being required at Bathurst, we proceeded on the Sierra Leone, and there found the FORTE and DWARF embarking native troops, and making preparations to landing up the river Gambia. Our stay at sierra Leone was not long; we took in coal, received our first mails and embarked our first batch of Kroomen, which are a source of annoyance to white men, from start to finish; we left Sierra Leone for St Thomas (which is a small island close the Equator), and took in more coal, and then proceeded to St Pauls De Loanda (which is a Portuguese settlement, sort of Naval Base on the west Coast of Africa). We heard, there, with profound regret the demise of our beloved Queen Victoria. We took in more coal and proceeded to Walfisch Bay, previous to our departure, we and the Portuguese Men of War, in port, fired a Salute of 81 minute guns, respect for our Late Queen Victoria. Arriving at Walfisch Bay we landed a party to fetch the coal on board, finishing coaling and proceeded on to Lamberts Bay, arrived at Lamberts Bay and saw TARTER who ordered us to proceed to Simon’s Town. On our way, we say the SYBILLE which ran on shore outside of Lamberts Bay in rough foggy weather. We arrived at Simon’s Town alright for the first time there and found the DORIS Flagship and MONARCH, the former ordered us to proceed to Lamberts Bay again; on the 8th we did and arrived there alright. The TARTER reported Boers in the vicinity, so we were employed burning searchlights, also landed a detachment of RMLI’s to guard the place, as this place was of no small importance, on account of so much stores, forage, etc., being landed there from Transport, for conveyance to Clanwilliam for the troops taking part in the War.

 

We disembarked troops arriving from England. O what a job, I can sympathise [in 1944, when he was writing this] with our chaps at the Normandy Beaches, but they had better appliances; we used to [in 1901] hoist the horses up with derrick and lower them into the water, and let them swim ashore, the lads in our boats would get hold of their halters and guide them ashore.

The troops and stores were landed in our ship’s boats.

I remember we landed the Staffordshire Regt in a thick fog, but just as the leading boat got into the little cove between the rocks, the fog lifted, giving the troops their first view of South African Rocks, which were covered with sea birds, mostly Penguins. One of the soldiers called out in broad stafford “Look at the Dooks”, which caused a good laugh amongst the sailors.

 

After a stay of 3 weeks, we left Lamberts Bay for Simons Town, where we arrived alright. Whilst there a fire broke out at the Arsenal, 11pm; we landed a fire party with Engine and got praise from Flagship for smartness, took in more coal also upper deck cargo of 50 tons, and proceeded to Capetown to take Major French, etc., to Angru Pequena, a small German settlement on the SW Coast of Africa, and then on to Walfisch Bay.

 

We left for Port Nolloth but, owing to it being so rough, we had to go on to Lamberts Bay, but had to leave there during the night (Middle Watch) owing to rough weather, for Saldhana Bay, where we arrived alright; whilst there we had the misfortune to lose a Leading Seaman, he died suddenly; so we proceeded with all speed to Simons Town where we buried him with full Naval Honours; afterwards made subscription and raised the sum of £20 for his widow.

 

W Richards. Died 03-07-1901. Ldg. Seaman.

Member of HMS Blanche.

Genealogical Society of SA, Peter Holden 

Seaforth  Cemetery, Simon's Town, Cape. Compiler: CR Taylor,1960

South African National Archives

 

We had an Admiral’s Inspection at this place; afterwards we coaled ship and proceeded in Company of the NAIAD on a cruise up the East Coast of Africa, the NAIAD leaving us at Port Elizabeth, we are going on to East London. But we did not stop long, only anchored for a few hours, we then proceeded to Delagoa Bay, there taking in another cargo of coal and left for Mozambique, where we picked up the TERPSICHORE, the ship we were relieving, as Senior Officer on the Coast took over the Senior Officer’s Stores and left the same night for Zanzibar, where we found a French and an Italian Man of War. We stayed at this place until August 1st when we left for Mombassa, Halife River, Lamu and Kyshmau; Returning to Lamu we heard news of the SS WINNIE being ashore at Milindi, we went to her assistance. Then we proceeded to Mombasa, where we took on board two large hawsers, then went back to the SS WINNIE again; and after struggling, with tears in our eyes, for a week, she came off; we then towed her to Kilindif. After a short stay we are proceeding on to Zanzibar. Whilst there General Matthews took it into his head to part company, or, in other words, died. [Slightly different reaction to the earlier death of fellow sailor W Richards]

Our gallant bark supplying the funeral party, fearing trouble with the Natives as sometimes they arise and try and put a usurper on the throne, we, that is the funeral party, had to take 60 rounds of ball ammunition, in addition to our three rounds of blank, which is the regulation number to fire over a corpse, buried with service honours. After another stay at Zanzibar, we embarked His Highness the Sultan of Zanzibar and took him on to Lamu, which comes under his jurisdiction, for a stop of six weeks, during his stay at Lamu, we went back to Mombasa to stop, returning again to Lamu to take him back to Zanzibar.

 

On arriving at the outer anchorage, we were met by the Sultan’s two yachts, who had on board Guard and Band, etc, after saluting his Highness, they formed up, escorting us inside the harbour, where the Sultan received the most enthusiastic reception; after taking leave of Captain and Officers, he was rowed on shore by 40 Niggers, in his State Barge, where he received a salute of 21 guns; we also saluting. On the 20th we had a concert on board to celebrate our first year in commission. On the 25th we left for Delegoa Bay. Prior to leaving the Sultan of Zanzibar presented Captain M T Parks with a Sword and Photo, and to the Wardroom a Silver looking glass, and to the Officers a gold signet ring each, and to the Ship’s Company Poultry, Fruit etc, to show his appreciation of his trip to Lamu.

 

 

 

Raymond Forward

Thanks to Paul Benyon and John of Mariners_L

for assistance on Simon’s Town burials