QM Miscellaneous

F1: Coaling ship, and although not of the Queen Mary, this does capture the operation very well indeed. Here the crew of the Collingwood, coal alongside a secure berth at Plymouth around 1912. In this particular evolution, it appears that they where well served by the shore side facilities, as is evident by the mobile cranes. Transferring a fair proportion of the veritable mountain of coal behind, onto the battleships decks, and then into her bunkers. Here the grimy and dirty conditions experienced are graphically portrayed. Various surfaces are protected by canvas screens, from the obvious grim and debris on deck, and with a drizzle falling. Note the stack of filled bags; collected together on deck in the foreground, awaiting the trolleys to take them to the open coal chutes in the deck, and final transfer to the bunkers below.

F2: Coaling ship, the human side, a posed post coaling gathering of ratings, begrimed, black, soiled, randomly attired, a single image which successfully conveys all the descriptions of the arduous and dirty nature of this all important evolution. Given the dishevelled state of the majority, presenting the air of a minstrel band at the ships concert. One wonders what duties befell the lucky individual seated in the foreground, with his wry smile, resplendent in his clean boiler suit, and cap, with its HMS Queen Mary tally.

F3: Striking the upper foremast and yards, to allow passage under the Forth Rail Bridge. With the Collingwood seen here performing the evolution, just prior to her entry into the Rosyth/Queensferry anchorage. In this unique view, this battleships spotting top is shown in considerable detail, as the working party endeavour to accomplish the task of reducing the ships upper works. Note that the 9ft based rangefinder, which can just be seen at the front of the lightly protected and open platform. In the main text, is the interesting tale concerning this evolution on board the Queen Mary, approaching the bridge on the morning of the 5 September 1914. When there was a slight mishap in striking their upper foremast. This accidentally slipped, and was carried away, bringing down some yards with their rigging. After this, upon passing the garrison manned islands in the approaches to Rosyth, they were then cheered in. The men ashore thinking that this display of damage had been enemy inflicted during an encounter.

F4: As an indication of the ‘Second’ Queen Mary’s deception, a good example of how such a conversion was undertaken is illustrated here. This is of the ex-Royal Mail Steam Packet Oruba, converted into a representation of the super-dreadnought Orion. This was vessel No.6 of the 10BS, later known as the ‘Special Service Squadron’, and unofficially as the ‘Dummy battleships’. In this on board view, taken from her rather bland forecastle looking towards her braced wooden dummy 13.5in guns and turrets, can be clearly seen the very basic requirements behind such a deceptive undertaking. The group of figures on the compass platform convey the reduced dimension of such a vessel, in comparison to the original. In August l9l5 this Orion duplicate was by then the only active unit of her unique squadron left in service. Her activities in this period included a rather interesting little operation. Calling upon her taking the part of a damaged battleship, being deliberately listed and suitably screened by destroyers. In this she sail from Scapa Flow, bound for Rosyth, limping slowly down the Scottish east coast. Her purpose was to act as a very tempting target for enemy submarines. Which the supporting destroyer screen would have been called upon to counter, and presumably destroy. However no enemy check to this passage was made, and the Orion survived this interesting, if rather exposed venture. Note that the tripod foremast has been provided with a very good scaled down, wood and canvas, representation of a typical dreadnought director platform and spotting top. The ‘Orion’ was finally expended as a breakwater, cum block-ship, off the port of Kephalo, on the Aegean island of Imbros, off the entrance to the Dardanelles in 1916. (MPL 882)

F5a, b and c: Queensferry, ‘The Lion’s Lair’, a collection of views rendering an impression of this famous anchorage. Dominating the background in every image is the impressive Forth Bridge, with its graceful cantilever latticework, spanning the protected approaches to the impressive new Rosyth Naval Base. Along with a good impression of how the anchorage might have looked on a misty dusk, as the assembled ships raised steam for another departure out into the contested North Sea, with one of the anchorage’s succouring steam trawlers hurries on its duties.

F6: A final atmospheric image of an immaculate and pristine HMS Queen Mary leaving the Tyne after completing all her trials. Sent on her way by admiring crowds to her destiny.