The diary of Lt AP Bush of HMS Spitfire

The Background
Ok! To set the scene - the 4th Destroyer Flotilla has been transferred to Scapa 01/03/15. The diary is my grandfather’s Lt AP Bush, his ship HMS Spitfire

28th February 1915
28th February 1915 We got under way at 3.30 pm with the Hecla, Swift & the 3rd division & ourselves for Scapa Flow, lovely weather again but a bit cold.

1st March 1915
Arrived Scapa Flow at 8.30 am & oiled & then anchored it doesn't seem such a bad place, but it appears there will be a lot of patrolling. In the evening took all the men away ashore to play soccer, on a snipe marsh! Whaler was rigged up for sailing, quite amusing. The Sub got promoted.

2nd March 1915
Went out at 8.30 am for the Hota Sound patrol - this seems to be rather hard work, in the Pentland Firth most of the time, where there is always wind and sea. At night the Acasta joined up with us, & patrolled all night in the W. end of Pentlands

3rd March 1915
Still at Pentland Firth patrol - quite rough & a lot of wind. Joined up as one division at night because it came on to blow & very dark -

4th March 1915
1 Hours Notice Returned to harbour at about 10.0 am & oiled & then anchored - then went alongside Hecla for provisions & finished up the day by anchoring again in our billet at 5.0 pm

5th March 1915
4 hours notice At four hours notice, so in the afternoon, in spite of rain, the Capt, Chief, Sub, Dr. & Self took the dingy & went exploring. Took a golf club & knocked about with the Captain while the others pistol shot - Saw two seals, unluckily we had no guns with us - onboard at 4.30 pm for a huge tea & three eggs each!!

6th March 1915
at Sea Got underway at 8.30 am for the Hoxa Sound patrol - it wasnt so bad this time, as our billet was more or less under the lee of Swona Island - at night went as a division & patrolled well out to sea to the Eastward of the Skerries. Some excitement in the middle by losing the division, eventually found them after an hours wander to & fro!!

7th March 1915
at Sea We came in at 9.0am & oiled, & stayed alongside oiler. 3.30pm the whole flotilla went to sea. Very heavy sea running & were knocked about a good bit.

8th March 1915
at Sea As it was impossible to do tactics with the fleets at high speeds, we went in & anchored at Lerwick (Shetland Is) at noon - after lunch Dr, Chief & self went ashore for half hours walk. Got under way at 4.30pm to shift billet. 8.30pm all the flotilla got under way again to meet the fleet.

9th March 1915
at Sea Still a filthy big sea running, but managed to have quite an exciting battle at full speed. In the forenoon it was screening the battle fleet to the last possible moment & then deploying at full speed to get clear, without making any smoke. In the afternoon the Swift & her half flotilla, attacked us & the battle fleet, & we had to keep them off. Finally proceeded for Scapa at 5.0pm. All very wet, as 30 knots through a big sea, moves some!!

10th March 1915


1 hours notice Got in at 6.45am after a series of mess-ups & mishaps oiled & anchored by noon. Dr & self went over to Borodino, the J.A&N floating shop, & bought any amount of gear. Capt of Garland dined & wined! In fact we all did!! Quite a decent sized mail. Molly sent me the painted black cat.

11th March 1915


At Sea We went out at 5.30am to fire a torpedo & then do aiming rifle practice. Went quite close to the dummy ships they are really jolly good - you can't tell the difference until you are quite close. Then went on patrolling afterwards - as usual Hoxa Sound patrol.

12th March 1915


at sea (?): Came in at the usual time and after we had anchored at 11.30am after oiling Capt.D. popped onboard & told us we had to go out on patrol till the Lynx had got steam to relieve which ought to be by 1.0pm!! This should read. at 6.30am got a signal for all of us to return to harbour with the utmost dispatch - getting in at 7.30am. We expected to be off for a stunt but it was cancelled & the Faulkner & six destroyers left at 9.0am to hunt submarines in the Irish Sea. We were not relieved by Lynx till 5.30pm & then had to anchor.

13th March 1915


4 hours notice: Got under way at 6.0am to oil (daylight) then anchored. It blew most fearfully hard all day & so all idea of the shore was all over. No communication with Hecla & so no mail.

14th March 1915


at Sea: Went out on patrol at the usual time. No mail has arrived for us. As usual Hoxa Sound patrol.

15th March 1915
at Sea (half day): Returned to harbour & oiled & anchored by 11.0am. Got orders that we were to go to sea from 3.0pm - 7.0pm & sweep roll Eastward of Pentlands. I presume the fleet are going out. Blowing very hard & periodical snow showers. Returned to harbour & anchored by 7.30pm.

16th March 1915
at Sea (half day): Got under way at 5.30am & oiled. Then anchored again & got orders that we were to do the same as yesterday evening. All getting rather fed up with this. Frewen's relief appointed - Reed from a T.B. Went out at 3.00pm & returned as usual at 7.0pm.

17th March 1915


at Sea: Got under way again at 5.30am & oiled & then went out at 7.00am to relieve Acasta early. As usual every early work the Spitfire to the fore!! Hoxa Sound patrol. Then at noon we went & closed Royal Arthur & they gave us a wire & small target to tow for the shore batteries. After that (5.00pm) returned to our patrol line & then joined up with division for the night patrol to E. of Pentland Firth.

18th March 1915
18th March - at sea: Returned to our patrol area & when the relieving boats came out our mail arrived at last. Got quite a few letters, also my tights from Gamages for our acrobat stunt. Went on to Kirkwall patrol at noon & relieved Acasta. Our job escorting merchant ships in & out of Kirkwall. Kept first dog & doctor came & shot at birds from the fxle. Anchored at 7.0pm, but being in open anchorage keeping watch as usual -

19th March 1915
Friday, 19th March 1915 - at sea (half day) Returned to harbour, oiled & we anchored by 1.0pm - but had to shift billet as we were foul. Sub Lieut Reed joined the ship in place of Frewen. We were all asked to dine in the Hecla, but it blew too hard to have any boats down - Doc & I gave a stunt in our new tights!! On our way in off patrol this morning, while we were quite close to the boom & had got permission to enter, one of the 30 knotters fires two guns at us - Fearful Sickness - the Captain is writing a service letter about it.

20th March 1915


[ ] Frewen left to join the Topaz at Portland at 7.0am. A lovely day & for a wonder the wind had dropped by lunch time. Went over to Hecla in the morning. In the afternoon the Sub took all the men ashore & we (Capt, Doc, Chief & self) went for a walk - having a huge tea in the Shooting Lodge & then helped the Hecla officers build their stone pier. Back onboard by 5.0pm, very tired. Came on to blow at night as usual.

21st March 1915


Sunday 21st March 1915 - at sea Went out on patrol at 8.30am Hoxa Sound & blowing very hard. We were more or less under the Lee of Ronaldsay during the night. We were [south of southwest of weather skerries].

22nd March 1915
Monday 22nd March 1915 - at sea We were relieved very punctually & then got our mails from our relief. Went on up to Kirkwall for the Kirkwall Patrol. A simply glorious day. Chilly, but little wind. During my afternoon watch amused myself by shooting cormorants & duck with the Dr. I killed three of the former & a duck - but it’s a pity we can’t pick them up. Went in as usual (Ingarsole Bay) and anchored, keeping watch all night.

23rd March 1915
Monday 23rd March 1915 - at sea (half day) We weighed at 5.0am & went on patrol - a very heavy sea running. In by Holm Sound - oiled - alongside collier & coaled & anchored finally at 3.0pm - a very tiring day.

24th March 1915
24th March - 4 hours notice Our day in harbour, but as per usual when we are in harbour it blows all day & not worth going ashore. The Gunner went on leave in the early morning, as his wife has been very ill.

25th March 1915
At Sea: [went] weighed & carried out Battle Practice at 7.0am - it was rotten bad shooting as everything was so upside down having no gunner etc!! I had to control both guns. Carried on, on patrol afterwards. The sub and self are in watch & watch now the gunner is away. Forenoon, first dog, & first rather [shoke] me!! Remained in the Pentlands all night, as it was moonlight. The St Vincent came out - we could have got in a lovely shot with our mouldies, about 8000 yds - she never saw us till we challenged her -

26th March 1915
26th March - 1 hours notice: We came in in the forenoon; during my morning watch we had [ ] blizzards - which made things rather rotten. Our relief didn’t arrive till 10.0am, late as usual. Oiled, rather an exciting time, as the port telegraph [gainched] just as we were going alongside & we almost bumped. In the evening after we had anchored a trawler (the [brief] boat) took it into her head to ram us astern, but only a dent made. The monkey arrived in the Borodino - & the Doc fetched her, a mandrail (?mandrill). Tremendous argument where she should sleep - Capt’s cabin eventually.

27th March 1915
27th March - 4 hours notice A lovely day - I stayed onboard & hectographed & made myself in a beastly mess!! Then when the sub came off with the men, I took the dinghy & went ashore for half hours quiet walk. Doctor & self dined with the Hecla’s cheery brigade - a most amusing evening. And had great fun.

28th March 1915
28th March - 4 hours notice A lovely forenoon & so we all went ashore & took about 40 of the men for a walk. Wrote letters & slacked the remainder of the day.

29th March 1915
March 29th - at sea: We went out on patrol, and at noon we all got an ‘urgent’ signal to return to harbour & fill up with oil. Some stunt on apparently. A gunner from the Hecla was lent to us for the trip. We anchored after oiling. At 5.0pm we all went out, all the cruisers & light cruisers. I couldn’t see if the Battle Fleet came out too - they may have come later, in the dark. The course was SE, which is a good course if it’s going to be a real stunt, as it’s more or less in the Heligoland direction...