CHAPTER 4 Part 1 – England Expects that Every Man....
ONE
“Hugh, come in. Sit down while I pour us a drink. I have set aside this time after the dog watches for the two of us to have time to discuss a range of issues brought to the fore by the recent action without being disturbed.”
Rear Admiral Hugh Evan Thomas took the indicated chair and waited while his friend and superior Admiral Sir John Jellicoe poured the whisky. “Thank you, sir. I did read the reports on damage received, and ammunition handling, and they seem to be fairly straightforward. As is the course of action – treat the cordite carefully and store it properly. Therefore I presume it is Moore's and your own notes about signaling that you wish to discuss? To the Navy!”
“The Navy! Well done! Yes, that's correct. You had a major role in bringing W.T. to the RN, and setting up the Signal School. But that seems to be only part of it. What do we do to use those and other tools in their ability to transmit orders into action?”
“Well, sir, if I may pontificate for a moment?”
“Certainly – that's why I asked you here.”
“There are a few things that are more or less obvious, although they cut across the traditional view that your regular Royal Navy officer has of himself. This is the belief that he is a fully rounded professional navy man, and that he can adapt to any situation and carry out any task in the naval realm.”
“He had better be – that's what we expect him to do!” Jellicoe interjected somewhat humorously.
“Yes, and the confidence we build into our regular line officer is that he can also take his abilities from the RN and apply them to any other situation. So at the extreme we saw Scott in the Antarctic and the results of his RN self-assurance being applied to a novel planning and command problem. Incredibly brave and all that, but his naval training was not what was required, in my view, and I think it showed.
“And, sir, that universal competence is no longer the case in all naval situations either. Consider the most obvious: engineering – we now have specialists in that particular field. We didn't in the past, we considered that it was sufficient to have a few artificers and mechanics as warrant officers and petty officers, and put a naval officer in charge. But no more. Now we have a naval officer who is also a specialist engineer and we put him in charge. He may transfer back and forth from being an engineer and a deck officer, and he may be a good seaman, but he is also an engineer. Lately we have begun to have gunnery officers who are similarly specialised. Less so than engineers, but as central fire control takes over I believe that will also change. As it is, they devote a large piece of their career to gunnery, and indeed we recognize them for it. Percy Scott, of course, and Captain Dreyer of Orion, among many others.”
“So you are going to tell me that we need to go beyond having the Signal School, and have specialists in charge of signals?”
“Signals and communications in general, but essentially yes, sir. Certainly a solid move in that direction. Look at the miscues we have had in the actions and pursuits involving the BCF. I have not looked at those in detail – signal by signal – but I am sure your staff have. I would not be surprised to find that a few signals were unclear, or were delayed in sending or receiving, and that those affected the battle. I presume you have called me because of the mild controversy over that one signal in this fracas at Dogger Bank. Moore might very well have read it literally and just finished off the cripple.”
“Yes, Moore gave me another brief note with his thoughts about it – getting more to command issues. I will share it with you later but right now I want your own thoughts, undisturbed by comments from others, including me.”
“Very good, sir. I look forward to seeing Moore's note, and of course discussing his experience with him. And, now, if I go back to my pontificating, I would suggest a clear first step we could be taking.” Evan Thomas went on with barely a pause, as if he had given this prior consideration. “We need to ensure that we have the specialist signals officers in charge of communications. It is not enough for each ship to have a few signalmen who have taken the course and can read the book. Every ship should have an officer who has similarly passed the Signal School. He can work with the signalmen, and the W.T. department, to ensure that communications with other vessels and commands are well managed. A part of that means clear and intelligible, and fully comprehensible as to meaning.”
“That's a lot of officers to put through Signal School – and quickly if we were to initiate such a policy. What about the 'short course' that some officers take?”
“Yes, sir, it is a lot to train, but we need to do it, in my view. The short course is nice because it can be done by many, and the way we are going should be something for most deck officers, but it is short and includes a lot of general knowledge, without developing much personal proficiency. Meanwhile we are adding more sophisticated W.T. capability all the time, and are operating in a moving battlefield that we don't fully understand yet.
“Sir, at 25 knots, a five minute delay in an order being turned into a signal, and that signal reaching its intended destination and being acted upon, can put a ship two miles out of position. With fast moving ships and squadrons we need to be able to use our communications facilities effectively. I understand that Beatty, Moore, and company had issues with flag signals – and clearly that old reliable method is something we have to learn to use differently.”
“Hugh, I am pleased that you have been thinking about this already. That's the kind of specific measure I was hoping you might come up with. Those and others will help liven our discussions with the senior officers in the Grand Fleet, discussions in which you will have a major role. You know that higher command has had a favourable view of your ability to see things analytically: both the big picture and the fine strokes of how we get there.”
“Sir?” queried Even Thomas, sensing there was more. “I hear the word 'but' coming along soon.”
“We'd like you to take that further. I have spoken with Fisher and this is what we want to do. You are to turn over as RA1BS forthwith, and are hereby appointed Inspector General of Signals and Communications - IGSC. You will have a wide-ranging remit, and Fisher and I will back you up as required. You will of course have to keep us advised of what you are doing, and warned in advance where possible, and so on, but you are the man we want.”
Evan Thomas was too surprised to say anything except a reflexive, “aye, aye, sir.”
“Your first task is to outline the needs, realistic goals, and a plan for reaching those goals. It may of course be staged, but we need to improve our fighting capability as rapidly as possible. So a brief plan draughted quickly, and updated as experience is gained, is more important than a comprehensive plan.”
“Yes, sir. I believe I have an idea of what you are looking for and can provide the first outline fairly quickly. I'll need a small staff and a place for us to hang our hats.”
“Good. I like enthusiasm,” Jellicoe stood and held out his hand. “Congratulations, Hugh. It's a big job but you are our man. You start work tomorrow morning. Your Flag Lieutenant goes with you if you like, or you can get whomever you want. We'll see what staff you need. One officer is already assigned, a good man with recent and relevant experience: Commander Wiliam J. Tomkins, who was Staff Commander with Moore on New Zealand.”
). He was your man for a Zeebrugge or a St. Nazaire, or for Renown to chase S&G, but perhaps less so for running a Grand Fleet or a convoy system, or for a Dunkirk or a Normandy.
