Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 489
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 489]
controlled the helm. Judge of our surprise a little later when we thought we were well on our way to our ship on our Easterly course to find ourselves passing under the northern bay of the bridge, having come due north instead of East. The explanation lay in the fact that the steel work of the bridge affected the compass. Finally we reached the "New Zealand" the next ship to our own and thought we were now out of trouble. The next ship we located which we concluded as the "Australia" proved to be the "Barham" our course having been this time south instead of East. Again we tried to make the "Australia" but found ourselves back again to the "New Zealand". Our next attempt took us at last to the "Australia" at 1 AM having been 2 hours doing 3 to 4 miles.
Monday 18th November
Spent an interesting day in looking over the "Australia". The former Admiral (Admiral Levison) has made his apartments very interesting. He has collected Australian books, early experiences concerning early explorers, and recorded on the walls the doings of early navigators and the various flagships of the Australian Stations. At night dined with Admiral Levison now a Vice Admiral flying his flag on the "Barham". Here I met a retired naval officer Admiral Farquhar who is full of interesting incident and anecdote. We all after dinner visited the "Warsprite" and attended a most excellent Comic Opera performance of "The Time Machine", based on "The Merry Wives of Windsor. I thoroughly enjoyed the show.
Early in the day met Vice Admiral Napier.
Tuesday 19th November
Noted H.M.S. "Courageous" one of the British Ships" flying Vice Admiral NaPiers Flag. His Capt. (Capt. Bromley) showed me all over the ship. I was much interested in her. Her triple gun turrets were new to me, and her engine rooms too were full of interest. On this ship met Admiral Oliver.
Visited Admiral Phillimore on the "Furious", an aeroplane ship also full of interest and saw many new innovations including aeroplanes carrying torpedoes. At night Admiral Halsey