Cornwall in the First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.

Here, it's the summer of 1918. A convoy of merchant vessels sailing for Falmouth passes the Lizard. High above, on watch for prowling German U-boats, is a Submarine Scout Zero Class airship from Royal Naval Air Station Mullion.

Ten SSZs flew from Mullion at different times; the first arrived in July 1917. The SSZ was powered by a 75 hp Rolls-Royce Hawk engine and carried either two 110 lb bombs or a single 250-pdr.  Below the gas-bag, three crewmen sat in the small gondola: a wireless/telegraphy operator, who also manned the nose machine-gun; the pilot in the central position; and aft, by his engine, the air mechanic.

My new book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available on line through Waterstones, with free UK post: http://bit.ly/I47c9p

Cornwall in the First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.

HMS Defiance was Cornwall’s naval training base, built at Wearde Quay on the River Lynher near Saltash.  Throughout the First World War, Defiance trained seamen to operate naval weapons including torpedoes and huge sea-mines. 

Here are two of the station’s divers, wearing their bulky underwater suits. The image is by courtesy of Steve Johnson and his fascinating Cyberheritage site. Why not check him out: http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/ 

My new book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available on line through Waterstones, with free UK post: http://bit.ly/I47c9p

Cornwall in the First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.

Here's an image from Fowey. By the riverside, soldiers guard a stack of boxes while an officer supervises. A small crowd of spectators has gathered and the town policeman stands by. 

But what is the photo showing us? Why have the army and constabulary turned out? And what do the boxes contain? Any information on this image would be gratefully received.

Update: Poltair History Department at https://twitter.com/HistoryPoltair and Fowey wooden boatbuilder Marcus Lewis at http://www.woodenboatbuilder.co.uk/ have come forward. They feel the boxes may contain ammunition for use on a rifle range across the water at Polruan. Many thanks for your help.

My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: http://amzn.to/19JbtZm

Cornwall in the First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War.

In February 1918 Royal Naval Air Station Newlyn received its first American pilot when Ensign Benjamin Lee, seconded from the US Naval Reserve, made the overnight journey down from Paddington. He was soon in the worst kind of action.

On the murky late afternoon of 3 March Lee fired up the Renault-Mercedes engine of his Short 184 floatplane. With his British observer, Sub-Lieutenant Bertram Rowley, he took off from Mount's Bay and began a patrol east of the Lizard. Five minutes into the flight his wireless failed.  Constant buffets from a strengthening easterly wind made Lee feel airsick, and it began to grow dark. Compass luminosity was poor; the men became lost.

At last, in the deep gloom they spotted a light and settled on the water, but struck a reef; the Short’s floats were shattered and it began to sink. Lee had landed by the Eddystone lighthouse, in rough seas. Yet he was blessed that night; keeper Mr Williams heard the commotion, flung him a life-buoy and dragged him through the waves to an iron ladder. Up in the lighthouse the men watched helplessly as Rowley’s Aldis signalling lamp chattered from the wrecked aircraft. Finally, it went out. Lee soon returned to duty but his observer was never seen again.
 

During March, Ensign Lee’s new Short broke a con-rod south of Land’s End and he ditched once again, that time rescued by a passing trawler. Seven months later, on 28 October 1918 Benjamin's luck finally ran out. Just before his twenty-fourth birthday he crashed while starting a flight to Dundee, and was killed. Two weeks later the Armistice was announced.

My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: http://amzn.to/19JbtZm

Cornwall in the First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War.

Here's a photo of Royal Naval Air Station Mullion on the Lizard peninsula. It's 1917 and the base is home to giant airships, used to patrol the surrounding seas in search of German U-boats.

The main airship shed to our right has been completed; a second, smaller shed is under construction. Below the airship is the team of men who helped move it across the airfield when taking off and landing, using trail ropes to manoeuvre it to and from the sheds.

My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: http://amzn.to/19JbtZm

Cornwall In The First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War.

Here's the Royal Navy's Motor Launch ML319, Newlyn-based, seen at the Isles of Scilly anchored off Tresco. Some of her ten-man crew are on deck and the wireless mast is deployed.  Her cockpit's open to the elements, but later in her life she acquired a simple wheel-house.

Cornwall's MLs were used to hunt German U-boats within Admiralty Patrol Area XIV, a zone jutting south and west from the Duchy, and also watched over the Bristol Channel from Padstow.

The boats were wooden with twin petrol engines, armed with stern-mounted depth-charges and a quick-firing 1- or 3-pounder deck gun; they could manage almost 20 knots. Maintenance was generally carried out in Penzance, either alongside, beached at Newlyn or for bigger jobs, berthed in Holman’s dry dock.

My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: http://amzn.to/19JbtZm

Cornwall In The First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War.

James Henry Finn was born in 1893 at St Clement near Truro; he had ten brothers and sisters.  The family moved to Bodmin and settled in Downing Street, but when James left school he travelled to the South Wales valleys, looking for work.   

He found a job at a colliery but when war began enlisted as a medic with his local regiment, the South Wales Borderers, joining the 4th Battalion.

James served at Gallipoli, but by spring 1916 his battalion was in Mesopotamia (now Iraq), fighting Turkish forces at the First Battle of Kut.   

On 9 April, south-east of Baghdad at Sannaiyat, the enemy mounted a night attack and many British soldiers were injured.   

Under heavy fire James crawled into no-man's land, close to the Turks’ trenches, to rescue wounded comrades. In separate journeys he carried two men back to his lines, and several times returned to bandage and comfort others.  He came under repeated fire and eventually was hit, though he made a recovery. 

For his gallantry that night, James was awarded the Victoria Cross; he also received the Order of Karageorge 1st Class, the equivalent medal of Serbia.

In the following March though, near Baghdad James was wounded again.  He was rescued, but his ambulance was hit by enemy fire and Private Finn died; he was 23 years old.  Today he’s remembered on Iraq’s Basra Memorial, set amidst a former battle-ground from the first Gulf War.

My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: http://amzn.to/19JbtZm 

Cornwall In The First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War.

Here, it's August 1914; war has just broken out. In Redruth a rush of volunteers takes place as men step forward to join the fight. Shepherding the recruits are two regular soldiers. The new men wait on the town's station platform; they're travelling up-country to begin military training. For many, this will be the last memory of where they'd grown up.

My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: http://amzn.to/19JbtZm 

Cornwall In The First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War.

Construction of the air base known as Royal Naval Air Station Newlyn (Land’s End) began late in 1916, using a bulging waterside apron near Newlyn’s southern harbour pier, around two miles from Penzance. Canvas hangars and wooden huts were erected; later a more permanent aircraft shed appeared. Newlyn’s first Short Type 184 floatplanes,arrived for anti-submarine operations during January 1917.

In the image above, Short 184 N1609 ‘4’ has come to grief during mid-May 1918; it's seen nose-down in Mount’s Bay as rescuers arrive.  The aircraft was safely beached, but scrapped after an inspection. 

My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: http://amzn.to/19JbtZm

Cornwall In The First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting an image showing Cornwall's First World War.

This lady wears the uniform of a Volunteer Aid Detachment nurse, and came from the St Agnes area. The photo was taken just post-war; she’s wearing her British War Medal (to our left), and Victory Medal.

During the war, Cornwall's biggest military hospital was created in the old workhouse at Truro. As more and more wounded men arrived home from the fighting, all over Britain auxiliary hospitals were also established. In Cornwall these hospitals were: 

• Camborne Auxiliary Hospital, Tregenna
• Redruth Officers’ Auxiliary Hospital, Scorrier
• Penzance V.A. Hospital, Morrab Road, Penzance
• Auxiliary Hospital, Launceston
• Auxiliary Naval Hospital, Truro
• Auxiliary Hospital for Officers, Fowey
• Trefusis, Falmouth
• Convalescent Hospital for Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, Newquay. 

My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: http://amzn.to/19JbtZm