My enquiries into Cormorant’s brief episode as a prison ship
have not got very far. I am exploring three avenues – the Ministry of Defence because
they probably ordered the dirty work;
the Royal Navy because they did the dirty work; and the Irish organisation who celebrate the
memory of the rebels, who were the dirty work!
Nothing heard yet from Ireland, but I have had a reply from the National
Maritime Museum. However we had crossed wires somehow and I received
information about HMS Cormorant and how to find out about her RN crew, so I
have gone back with clarification. The other avenue I could try is the National Archives at Kew. Annoyingly, last year at a car rally lunch I
sat next to a young chap who works there and I did not make a note of his
contact details. Long term readers may remember that I obtained from Kew copies
of the blueprints which were sent down from Belfast to Dublin in 1942,
specifying what was to be done to Cormorant in her transformation from
lightship to Pilot Station. So I am quite hopeful that they may have records
about this Royal Navy activity in 1916.
One question has
been answered (thank you Jim) – how to get the cutter/lifeboat from inboard the
davits to outboard. The sequence is quite straightforward, although the
dimensions of the davits and the boat need to be well thought out. I have even tried out the sequence, albeit on
paper (Photos 1031 - 1034).
Meanwhile, back on
the Medway, that second vessel hanging onto Simon’s starboard side was not
moved when promised (surprise, surprise!). Excuses included too much wind on
Friday and not enough water on Saturday. However, there was movement in that
the ‘tug’ was moored alongside ready for action. Now that I see the size of the
‘tug’, I can sympathise with the Marina’s desire for absolutely perfect
conditions! (Photo 1035).
The latest
news is that an attempt was actually made to move her but the hold was full of
water and so she did not come far enough out of her mud bed with the tide. The bilge pump has been working overtime and
a bigger ‘tug’ engaged. Watch this space!
David
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