Wednesday news

By
Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Admiral Tyron carried the reputation of being an expert Fleet handler, he certainly believed that to be true, but this story may well refute that belief. He discussed with his Flag Captain, the Staff Commander, and his Flag Lieutenant a complicated plan to bring his Fleet to anchor in splendid fashion.

The Fleet in two columns ( or Divisions ) 1,200 yards apart, would steam away from the coast off Lebanon, with ships in column stationed 400 yards apart. The Admiral proposed to reverse course, with both columns turning inwards, the two ships leading the columns Victoria, and Camperdown, turning together, the ships following on behind, each pair turning in succession.

After all ships had turned inwards, the columns 1,200 yards apart, would close up to 400 yards apart, then the Fleet would turn together 90 degrees to port, and when ordered, all ships would let go their anchors at the same time. It should be an evolution to watch and admire. Ten mighty ships all dropping anchor simultaneously.

The Plan.
Victoria would hoist two flag signals to denote " Anchor instantly." and Camperdown would also run up this signal hoist. As soon as Victoria's signalman hauled down this signal, it was the executive order for ten blacksmiths, one on the forecastle of each Battleship, ready with their large hammer, to all knock off the slip holding back the anchor cable, and ten anchors would all splash into the water at the same time. Spectacular!!

Some doubts.
Both the Victoria's Staff Commander, and the Flag Captain suggested to their Admiral that 1,200 yards was too close between the two ship columns, for ships to turn towards each other in safety. The Commander thought that 1,600 yards apart would be a safer distance, but even that may still be insufficient.

The Admiral agreed with them verbally ( it seems to close that discussion ) because he still told his Flag Lieutenant to keep the columns at a distance of only 1,200 yards.

On viewing this order, the Commander queried the distance with the Flag Lieutenant, who in turn, was brave enough to question his Admiral " Should the distance between columns be 1,600 yards or 1,200 yards SIR?"

Vice Admiral Sir George Tyron testily told his Flag Lieutenant to "Leave the distance between columns at 1,200 yards."

The seeds for disaster were now firmly sown!

Normal practice for column distances.
It was normal practice that when ships of the Fleet were formed up in columns like this, the distance between columns is worked out thus: The distance apart of ships in each column, namely 400 yards, is multiplied by the number of ships in the longest column, in this example, the number was 6 ships. So our distance is 400 yards x 6 and =2,400 yards. This would give all ships adequate sea room when turning in pairs toward each other.

The Fleet manoeuvre.
The Fleet was ordered to increase speed to 8.8 knots, and at 1500, ( 3 PM ) the Flag Lieutenant was ordered to hoist two signals: One addressed to the First Division ( ie the right hand column ) which ordered it to turn in succession 180 degrees to port. The second signal addressed to the Second Division ( ie the left hand column ) which ordered it to turn in succession 180 degrees to starboard.

Why one signal which simply ordered both columns to turn inwards 180 degrees was not