Foggy problems and 'Standing into Danger'
Our duties were varied, being a general dogsbody on further exercises. On one exercise we dropped a right clanger. We were approaching a beach in columns line ahead¹ practising reading a signal lantern with a 1” diameter blue-lens aperture. It was extremely dark with misty banks of wispy fog playing havoc with visibility. Both signals and officer experienced great difficulty in seeing the blue light on the ship in front – a LST. Either they had a duff lantern or duff operator and with us being low on the water, the mists were playing havoc and little was received or sent to the ship behind (us). Instructions stated no larger lamps to be used unless in an emergency. Similar for WT, so we eventually went alongside the LST, as we were not getting anywhere, but that was not welcomed very much.
On another similar exercise, I was on watch myself (Ernie was probably making some kye) when some comic flashed on a 1” lantern a series of Us one after the other which caused a flap as this meant, “You are standing into danger”. As we were in line ahead we did not understand how that was so. So the Skipper said, “Find out what kind of danger”. Now I had to find the bloody ship in the dark by trial and error because of the fog. When I eventually thought I had nailed him he reported wrong ship, did not know what the hell I was on about.
Got the culprit on the quarter eventually after about 25 minutes asked who he was and it turned out to be a Tribal Class destroyer. Asked about the danger and he said “Sandbank”. That had everybody in the dark. Jimmy had the charts out showing the area had no sandbank closer than seven miles. I called up the ship ahead asking to confirm our position to check, the Jimmy’s, said we were OK at the time the first “U” signal came so somebody was playing a game. Rather naughty I thought at that stage in the dark and fog. Working with the lantern trying to contact the unknown ship was the equivalent of working with a candle in a sock…
The layout of ships plan failed to show any destroyers on the inside ranks. Both were on the outer screen that was another mystery as only two destroyers were present on the exercise and no Tribal Class at all.
Was the 1” blue lantern a success or failure? In many respects the exercises tested the efficiency of various pieces of equipment and were reported upon after the exercise. It did not appear to work very well from the LST but was satisfactory from the vessel giving the “U” signal, so it looks like an operator problem. Although conditions had to be taken into account such as level of lanterns between ships and the very misty conditions that were causing problems. Actually, this was the only time I used it on a ship, although it was displayed and used on our course in Chatham under perfect conditions.
On another similar exercise, I was on watch myself (Ernie was probably making some kye) when some comic flashed on a 1” lantern a series of Us one after the other which caused a flap as this meant, “You are standing into danger”. As we were in line ahead we did not understand how that was so. So the Skipper said, “Find out what kind of danger”. Now I had to find the bloody ship in the dark by trial and error because of the fog. When I eventually thought I had nailed him he reported wrong ship, did not know what the hell I was on about.
Got the culprit on the quarter eventually after about 25 minutes asked who he was and it turned out to be a Tribal Class destroyer. Asked about the danger and he said “Sandbank”. That had everybody in the dark. Jimmy had the charts out showing the area had no sandbank closer than seven miles. I called up the ship ahead asking to confirm our position to check, the Jimmy’s, said we were OK at the time the first “U” signal came so somebody was playing a game. Rather naughty I thought at that stage in the dark and fog. Working with the lantern trying to contact the unknown ship was the equivalent of working with a candle in a sock…
The layout of ships plan failed to show any destroyers on the inside ranks. Both were on the outer screen that was another mystery as only two destroyers were present on the exercise and no Tribal Class at all.
Was the 1” blue lantern a success or failure? In many respects the exercises tested the efficiency of various pieces of equipment and were reported upon after the exercise. It did not appear to work very well from the LST but was satisfactory from the vessel giving the “U” signal, so it looks like an operator problem. Although conditions had to be taken into account such as level of lanterns between ships and the very misty conditions that were causing problems. Actually, this was the only time I used it on a ship, although it was displayed and used on our course in Chatham under perfect conditions.
¹ Ships sailing one after another in a line.