Susan Dewey is a lady who lives in Gosport, Hampshire, England,
a town profoundly immersed in the history of the Royal Navy, playing host to
many aspects of that Service which are as diverse as The main RN Hospital [Haslar];
The main submarine base [Dolphin]; a major Motor Torpedo Boat base [Hornet]; The
RN Medicine Centre; a major historical Naval cemetery; a major research and
experimental establishment; a famous historical signal station [Gilkicker];
enormous Victualling/Fuelling Yards and Ammunition Supply Yards; The Navy’s
massive Engineering School [Sultan] and the Headquarter Building of all Naval
Personnel Administration [Centurion]. And all this in addition to Forts from the
Victorian times and two historical military barracks [also Victorian], one Army
and one Royal Marines, the latter becoming a naval barrack [St Vincent]. Gosport
individually, was as important as Portsmouth individually, and together, they
formed the home environment for the largest part of the Royal Navy.
Fitting therefore, that Susan is the grand daughter of a navy
man.
Susan and her family are fortunate to have several photographs
showing aspects of naval life for Allen CORNELL taken in 1920’s and 1930’s, and
we are also fortunate in that Susan is willing to open her Family Album to allow
us to see some of them. Some are unique, and some are of importance in that they
show ships, submarines and shore establishments now long forgotten, which,
although possibly available in a museum or records office, are rarely, if ever,
published for all to see on the internet.
So thank you Susan for your kind gesture in allowing us to see
a few glimpses of our navy of getting on for 90 years ago.
We hope that you enjoy seeing them.
Playing to the camera ? This early picture of Allen Cornell shows him
at HMS Ganges at Shotley, near Ipswich Suffolk during his initial boy's
training. It must have been taken in 1918/1919 immediately after WW1
when Allen was 15-16. Within the confines of Ganges proper, his hat
would have been flat, and the letter "G" of Ganges would have been over
his nose. The cap would have sat squarely upon his head and not cocked
to the right as he is wearing it. The rationale {his} ? - you can't attract
pretty girls unless you look like a sailor.....instead of a new recruit
! |
Allen Cornell, a London boy, taken in the early 1920's. His cap
tally reads HMS SPORTIVE which was a destroyer. |
3 pals from the destroyer HMS SPORTIVE with Allen Cornell on the
right of the picture. Note Allen's heavily bent cap, a sure sign of a
'jack mi lad' who, but against the rules, liked to look "tiddly" |
An 'S' Class destroyer built by Swan Hunter - Launched 19.9.18 and
completed 3.12.18 so didn't see action in WW1.
1075 tons. Dimensions 277' x 26' x 9 feet draught.
Guns: 3-4 inch (Mk. IV with 30° elevation), 1-2 pdr. pom-pom. Tubes,
4-21 inch in pairs.
Machinery : Turbines (all-geared type). Parsons (A.G.). Designed S.H.P.
27,000 = 36 kts. 2 screws. Oil burner with Yarrow boilers. Oil: about
300/250 tons.
Complement, 90 men |
Possibly a Christmas card from the crew of HMS SPORTIVE. The writing
on the photograph shows where Allen is standing. |
Crew of HM Submarine L56 taken in Malta in the 1924-26 period when
the Base Submarine Depot Ships was firstly the LUCIA and then the
MAIDSTONE. Allen's position is marked on the photograph. This picture
would have been taken on one of the deck spaces of the Depot ship and
immediately after ceremonial divisions. They are dressed in full tropical
rig which for ratings was called No 6 Dress. |
A lovely picture of HM Submarine L56 serving in the Mediterranean
based on Malta in the period 1924-26. Allen Cornell is the middle man
[dressed in his submarine white sweater]. Notice the colour of the
submarine - white. Note also three periscopes, then the wireless mast
and then the kite wireless aerial wound in and out by hand ratchet. |
HM Submarine L56 Malta Flotilla 1924-26 period. Part of the lads who
crewed this boat with Allen in his blue overalls in the front and the
rest in the tropical best No 6 suits. Note the leading seaman front
right hand side with his WW1 medals. |
This photograph is dated 1925 and in that year, Allen was serving in
HM Submarine L56 on the Mediterranean Station. Allen is marked with the
cross on the seat of his pants. I can't comment further or speculate
on what or whose the vault was, but the ceremony wasn't purely a Submarine Crew
effort. Note the Royal Marine Bugler in the rear of the naval platoon.
He would have sounded the last post etc. Submarines didn't carry Royal
Marines ! Also submarines did not [and do not] carry enough small arms
[rifles] for each sailor in this group to have his own. Whatever it is,
it is a joint naval affair at some British event somewhere in the
Mediterranean. |
There is no date on this picture, but I think Allen had been in the
navy for a few years although, in the absence of a Good Conduct Badge
[GCB] - a stripe - on his left arm, it is before the 1.7.1924 i.e.
before he achieved the age of 21. Note. In those days GCB were awarded
from aged 18 at the 3, then 5, then 4 year stages. Note that Allen,
right hand side front, has what appears to be a cigarette in his hand,
and that the man opposite has two medals, one of which is his Long
Service and Good Conduct Medal. This type of parlour [or room] was found
wherever the navy travelled the world [you can see the the ornate table
in the rear to the left] and sailors walked off the streets to have
their photographs taken by Gibraltarians, Maltese, Indians, Chinese,
Japanese etc etc studio cameramen. |
The lower deck crew of HM Submarine L22 1927-29 period. Note the
large number of medals earned in WW1. The men are dress in their best
blue suits, their No 1 uniform and the picture is taken in the summer
months because they are wearing white hats and white fronts underneath
their pull-on uniform tops. It was a personal fight to get into it and
one needed help to get out of it ! |
This is a splendid informal picture of the Commanding Officer [the
skipper] and some of the crew of HM Submarine L22 in the 1927-29 period.
Ignore the bottom line of writing. L22 belonged to the HMS Dolphin
Flotilla based on Gosport. It tells of the necessary bonding between
submariners, especially of those days, of all ranks and ratings.
Professionalism was the key in ones approach to duty: toleration and
acceptance of human faults and failings was a prerequisite to surviving
socially. |
Use your scroll-bars to read this newspaper cutting concerning HM
Submarine L22 and its VIP passenger the King of Afghanistan. Allen was
in L22 in the 1927-1929 period but these reports and pictures are not
dated. |
A cutting from the Daily Sketch newspaper. The text is
explicit. |
....and yet another newspaper cutting, also from the Daily Sketch. |
Diving from the stern of HM Submarine L56 in the Mediterranean Sea in
1925, using the after plane-guards as a diving platform. They must have
had fun ! Tarragona is a beautiful and historic large coastal town in
Catalan and is the Capital of this Spanish Province. It is only 51 miles
SW of Barcelona. |
Allen in contemplative mood either awaiting his turn to enter the
water, or resting from an energetic swim ? |
A charming family photograph of Allen with his wife Sarah.
Susan's mother, Maisie is in the middle of the children in front. Notice
the very obvious love affair between the two, and Sarah wanting to get a
piece of the action by dressing up in Allen's tropical uniform jumper.
|
This is an altogether lovely picture, and requires few words.
The pride flows from their faces, and isn't Allen dapper ? An attractive
couple I would say, although Sarah needs to put on a bit more weight
before that suit will fit. Again, the single stripe tells one that
Allen is in his early twenties. |
This is part of a Royal Navy Wireless Telegraphy Station on the very
southern tip of Ceylon, Sri Lanka since 1948. Its name, and that
of the local town was MATARA. Her radio callsign was GZP, which was
later used by Ceylon West [HMS Highflyer]. The next few pictures are of that
Establishment. It was administered by the East Indies C-in-C
through his Flagship, the heavy cruiser HMS EFFINGHAM. Allen was
associated with that Flagship and the W/T station for over two and a
half years from 1930 to 1932. |
Matara Christmas Day 1930 with Allen marked by a cross. Never good
being away from home, but away at Christmas was especially difficult
emotionally. To keep ones mind off home [if that were possible]
sailors create a substitute and bond to make Christmas more tolerable. |
Matara in 1931 - reminds me of other RN W/T stations but also of a
Japanese prisoner of war camp ! Nice and warm [too warm] but otherwise
sparse and soulless. |
Matara. Allen was an enthusiastic insect collector and
preserved his own work. He brought many of his samples back to the
UK. |
Matara. Christmas 1931. What you see is what we in the Navy call a
SOD's OPERA. SOD's means SHIPS OPERATIC DEPARTMENT. For fun
and with no members of the fair sex within a million miles, sailors act
the fool and dress up to stage such things as pantomimes etc. It still
goes on I think, but with WRENS now at sea, there is probably no point in
having such a department. |
From Matara and the picture says with Love Allen. He is holding
a pet monkey. In those days even submarines had pets aboard ! |
DIYATALAWA is a large Garrison town in the central highlands of
Ceylon about 70 miles NNE of Matara. It is where the Ceylonese army
trained and was used as a rest camp to get away from the roasting hot
coastal areas, like Matara for example. This photograph shows a group of
men four of whom are considered 'combatants' {in sailors uniform}, two
are Ceylonese messboys {stewards} and the rest are from non-combatant
branches like clerks, cooks, stewards, sickbay attendants, coders
educational, supply. They wore a peak cap [fore and aft rig] - a
sailors uniform is called square rig] but black buttons on their jackets
instead of gilt buttons as worn by petty officers upwards. These men
would have come from Matara and from ships visiting in the East Indies
Fleet visiting Ceylon for R&R [Rest and Recreation]. Allen is the
right hand man on the middle row. |