Panic In Royal

Navy

A “Smell” of 43 Years Ago

By Neville Chatfield

WHEN I read the article “The Nay Shows the Flag,” in your Augus issue, I wondered whether that war ship had gone into Nekufetau (in th Ellice Islands, 60 miles north-wes of Funafuti). I was reminded of a long ago visit to Nukufetau, and the first tim I saw a warship in Funafuti Lagoon—an what a welcome sight it was.

I also was reminded of the only oc casion'when I ever heard of a panic i the Royal Navy.

One morning in 1906, when I wa supercargo in the SS Titus, under Cap tain Voy, coming up to the island c Nukufetau from Viatupu, we sighted th masts of a much more/ heavily sparre vessel than an ordinary trading ship, ove the tops of the coconut trees.

In those days, at Nukufetau, there wa a dear old native who was always know as “Billy the Pilot,” because the captain of the BP and Lever Bros, trading vessel always allowed Billy to come aboard an allegedly pilot their vessels into th lagoon.

In answer to our question as to wha ship was anchored in the lagoon, Bill told us the vessel was His Majesty’s Shi Torch, and he felt very honoured that h had piloted her into the lagoon.

We spent the day trading with th natives—there never was much copra a that island —and picked up some nativ passengers for Funafuti.

We asked Billy when the Torch wa leaving, and he said 7 ajn. We tol Billy that the Captain of any of Hi Majesty’s ships was the direct represent ative of His Majesty the King and, a such, more respect was always paid t him than to the Captain of a tradin vessel. As we were sailing at 6 a.m Captain Voy told Billy to be aboard a 5 a.m. when he and I would teach hh how to address the Captain of the Tore and what to say to him.

Punctually at 5 a.m., Billy came aboar and I fitted him out in a white patre suit, and Captain Voy gave him one of hi old Captain’s caps, with a Mcllwraitl McEacharn badge in the front. Afte spending some time teaching him how t salute the quarter deck, and why, we sai goodbye to him and told him to see tha he did not get wet in his canoe whil going to the Torch, and thus spoil his nei suit and wet the deck of the man-o’-wai because the Captain might be annoyed.

Everybody who had anything to do wit! natives in those days knows how the loved a strong perfume. Well, as Bill was leaving us, I put iodoform in the cuff of his trousers, and in every pocket h had.

ON the way to Funafuti, the Torch kep about six miles behind the Titu until after noon sights were takei and we found that we had a curren against us, and we realised that it woul( take us all our time to get into Punafut lagoon that evening. One does no usually trv to take a ship into a lagooi when the sun is low down on the horizon Shortly after 2 p.m. the Torch passed u and by 4 p.m. was out of sight. Th( Torch could do a good nine knots wherea the Titus was flat out to do seven knots At 6 p.m. we arrived at the entrance to the Funafuti Lagoon, and we saw th< Torch was anchored off the village.

Captain Voy said to me: “As the Torcl is in, I am going in.” iU Off we went, steering a course for th<

eaeon which used to be in the middle f the lagoon. One always steered for iiis, prior to altering course towards the MS native church.

The Captain of the Torch, with the eye of the Royal Navy, jeing Captain Voy’s intention to bring le Titus in, promptly turned on his jarchlight, flashing it alternately onto ie beacon, then onto the LMS Church i shore; and by these means we came ifely up to our anchorage inside the orch’s anchorage. i S soon as we had safely anchored, E put the two copra-boats in the water and had our evening meal, Captain oy asked me if I would go on board ie Torch and thank the Captain for his loughtfulness and great help with his archlight.

Feeling full of importance, as one does , the full age of 21 years, I gladly ac pted the opportunity of going aboard a an-o’-war. I fitted out a boat’s crew ith new lava-lavas, (made out of a thorn of Horrocks’s 36 in. A 1 calico) ive them a bit of drill in up-ending rs and taking them inboard when >ing alongside a vessel, and started off r the Torch, arriving at one bell (7.45 tn.).

I was met at the top of the gangway by e First Lieutenant and taken to the mtain’s cabin, where I spent a pleasant Llf-hour expressing my thanks on be tlf of Burns, Philp & Co. and the iptain of the Titus. The First eutenant then knocked on the door and Id the Captain that the officers would :e to entertain me in the wardroom.

I thought that this was a most urteous and hospitable gesture, and adly accepted the invitation. It did ►t strike me that the jaw of Number ie was set in a grim and forbidding iy.

In the wardroom I encountered all the

traditional hospitality of the British Navy —but there was an edge to it. And K^Sl, 1 .SSfffiSH*s® SS Bo^ , P** had made inquiries, and they held me personally responsible for having “perfumed" Billy the Pilot. P They h Sm bee vJ an 3 used ’ and happy, to welcome Billy aboard, in his full regalia. ™ ey ?? od

l?k? n m ’

he moved thm-e W as afSntSh ever fte moved ’ tnere was a frantic rush

bv officers and men to set to windward of hirti 8 jward “The'damned stuff was in his feet" comnlained one vouner officer “"Wherever he walked—and all ovei^the Sfare-he left Ws stlnk behind hm "

They bore with him heroically until they got outside the lagoon and then they h ™ y sWpped him aWay ’ the rest of that voyage, from Nukufetau to Funafuti, they had men scrubbing and holystoning the decks, try

,ng to remove the smell of iodoform from “But I think it’s still around,” said dumber One, sniffing suspiciously. Can t tOU smell it?”

They gave me a lively ten minutes; but, is the story proceeded, there were roars ,f laughter. I did not leave until 4 Bells 10 am.), and I have never forgotten that nerry meeting and their delightful hosvitality.