~ World Cruise of the British Special Service Squadron 1923-24 ~
This is a unique collection of pictures and documents of the British Navy. The collection comprises of pictures taken by official photographer of the squadron for the archives.
In 1923–24, HMS Hood and the Special Service Squadron sailed around the world on The Empire Cruise, making many ports of call in the countries which had fought together during the First World War. The squadron departed Devonport on 27 November 1923 and headed for Sierra Leone. Returning from the Pacific, the battlecruisers passed through the Panama Canal, while the light cruisers rounded Cape Horn.
The Squadron comprised of:
• Battlecruisers under Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Field, KCB, CMG –
o HMS Hood (Captain John K Im Thurn)
o HMS Repulse (Captain Henry Parker)
• Light cruisers under Rear Admiral Sir Hubert Brand, KCMG, KCVO, CB
o HMS Danae (Captain F Austin)
o HMS Dauntless (Captain C. W. Round-Turner)
o HMS Delhi (Captain J Pipon)
o HMS Dragon (Captain B Fairbairn)
o HMS Dunedin (Captain AF Beal)
o HMAS Adelaide Joined in Australia.
This album depicts on its second page the entire voyage of the Squadron and the arrival dates in each port.
At the beginning of the album each commander and its ship are nicely presented, including a picture with Admiral Jellicoe, the commander of the fleet, on board the Hood.
The album continues with pictures from each port where the squadron stopped and from every official meeting or ceremony that took place along the way on or off the ships. There are pictures showing the heavy battle cruisers passing through the Panama Canal and doing high speed sea trials.
One of the last pictures depicts the Hood firing a salute salvo upon its return to the British Isles.
The documents that came along with the album (they were found inside it) are the following:
A letter from HMS Hood at Devonport dated 8th Oct 1920, A picture of an Warrant officer, A WW2 medal record of a RNR Lieutenant Alfred William Whitfield, A poem dated April 11th 1917 and sign “Captains Sentry”, A Christmas card from the Hood send by a “Eric” to his aunt and uncle and two lists with pocket money issued to the officers and NCO’s of the Squadron during the voyage.
~ The Journey ~
~ Africa and the Indian Ocean ~
The fleet sailed from HMNB Devonport on 27 November 1923, and headed for Freetown, Sierra Leone. Whereupon the fleet was greeted by the Governor of Sierra Leone. Food and provisions were taken aboard after the journey of 2805 miles. The ships then sailed to Cape Town and arrived 22 December, adding a further 3,252 miles to the cruise distance. Some of the sailors and marines performed in a ceremonial march, to great fanfare.
The fleet sailed for a short visit to Mossell Bay, East London and Durban, where the fleet left South Africa on 6 January 1924 for Zanzibar. Upon port arrival in Zanzibar on 17 January the fleet was greeted by Sultan Khalifa Bin Harub, which now encompassed the regular ceremonial March Past. The total distance covered was 11,734 miles.
~ Far East ~
The fleet arrived for the far east tour in Port Swettenham, Malaysia, on the 4 February, where the ship fired a 17 gun salute for the Sultan. The fleet also incurred its first fatality when a seaman died of malaria, a local funeral was arranged. 10 February marked the arrival of the fleet at the important British Naval Base at Singapore. In the same year of the cruise Singapore had been approved by the British Government to become the major British base in the far east with massive investment.
The tour continued with visits of Australia and New Zealand, The Fiji and Honolulu in the Pacific, The West coast of Canada and the USA. After this the task force split, the light cruisers sailng towards South America and the heavy cruisers to the East coast of Canada and Newfoundland.
~ Dimensions ~
The album is 12 inches (30.5 cm) by 10 inches (25.5 cm) .
It weighs 1.2 Kg.
~ Condition ~
The covers have aged considerably and some tears appeared on the edges and on the spine.
The contents are though in excellent condition.
#6979
