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[Page 2]
a father with a keen eye to the smartness and the welfare of his children. Ever ready with advice to the most junior of us there, he would go over with you detail by detail and explain exactly when and why you were wrong, at the same time he was never reluctant in giving a due word of praise, whenever he considered praise was due. One thing he would not tolerate and that was the slacker, and it was quite hopeless to try and bluff him. If you didn't know a thing, if you were wise you would say so, if not, and you tried to brazen it out you would be met by a stony stare and "umph." A little later a signal would come through, "Captain D. wishes to see Lieutenant so and so, on board "Blenheim"." Lieutenant so and so would return from that interview feeling as though a worm was a super man compared with his so and so's self.
At one of these gunnery stunts we were, - being tow ship - just about to drop the traget into the water when the signal was hoisted by the S.O. "Negative practice, return to Port with the utmost despatch." We did so and on nearing Brindisi could see a vast pall of smoke like a black shroud overshadowing the entire harbour, in which every ship ready to take the sea was raising steam as fast as human hands could accomplish it. On passing the booms we could make out the signal flying on the flagship and the Defisa (old fort used as a Navel depot) "All ships raise steam for full speed and report when ready." This could mean one thing, and one thing only, and to put it lyrically as one of our seamen did, "The Blighters are coming hurah! hurrah!" in other words, the Austrians are out.
We made fast in out allotted berth again, and shortly after received a signal detailing the order in which the various ships would leave harbour. Remember, Brindisi Harbour was shaped something like a tree [three ?] bladed propeller leaving little room for more than one ship to manouvre at a time. It was crammed, first of all with the Italian fleet - four or five Cruisers as many flotilla leaders and about thirty or fourty T.B.D's, in addition to these there was the British 8th Light Cruiser