Description
Object description
Photocopy of his ms Midshipman's Journal (162pp), which was not kept in the regulation volume, covering his service in HMS RENOWN (1st Battle Cruiser Squadron, Grand Fleet) in Home waters (January – June 1919); in HMS VECTIS (2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet) which was based on Scapa Flow on the day of the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet, when she tried unsuccessfully to take the German battleship MARKGRAF in tow and was afterwards involved in the salving of the German destroyers V73 and V82 (June – July 1919) and then served with her Flotilla in the Baltic, based on Bjorko Sound in Finland, during the Royal Navy's operations against the Bolshevik forces in Kronstadt – 'really a remarkably nice little war' (18 August) – carrying out patrols and occasional bombardments until she was damaged in a collision (August – November 1919); in the patrol boat HMS P31 which was based on Bjorko Sound and Reval in the Baltic before proceeding back to the United Kingdom (November – December 1919); in HMS LION, the flagship of the Battle Cruiser Squadron, Atlantic Fleet, in Home waters (February – March 1920); and in the newly commissioned HMS HOOD, which succeeded LION as the flagship of the Battle Cruiser Squadron, Atlantic Fleet, in Home waters and on a Baltic cruise (May – August 1920). Apart from giving a very immediate and lively account of the scuttling of the High Seas Fleet on 21 June 1919, the Journal includes interesting references to the behaviour of the ratings on board the German warships interned in Scapa Flow (24 March, 1 and 20 April 1919), the sinking of the destroyers HMS VITTORIA and HMS VERULAM in the Baltic and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Sir Walter Cowan's signals following these losses (31 August, 3 September 1919), disciplinary issues in HMS P31 (19-21 December 1919), HOOD's visits to Sweden, Denmark and Norway during her Baltic cruise (June 1920) and the inspection of some interned German destroyers in the Firth of Forth (5 August 1920), while several entries reflect Conder's low opinion of the German Navy and others comment adversely on HMS HOOD (4 March 1920) and the standard of gunnery in HMS TIGER (23 July 1920). The collection also includes a ts transcript (2pp) of notes written by Conder on his career; ts biography (3pp) compiled by his daughter; and ts extracts (6pp, with photographs) from his wife's memoir, relating to his service 1944 - 1945.
Content description
Photocopy of his ms Midshipman's Journal (162pp), which was not kept in the regulation volume, covering his service in HMS RENOWN (1st Battle Cruiser Squadron, Grand Fleet) in Home waters (January – June 1919); in HMS VECTIS (2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet) which was based on Scapa Flow on the day of the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet, when she tried unsuccessfully to take the German battleship MARKGRAF in tow and was afterwards involved in the salving of the German destroyers V73 and V82 (June – July 1919) and then served with her Flotilla in the Baltic, based on Bjorko Sound in Finland, during the Royal Navy's operations against the Bolshevik forces in Kronstadt – 'really a remarkably nice little war' (18 August) – carrying out patrols and occasional bombardments until she was damaged in a collision (August – November 1919); in the patrol boat HMS P31 which was based on Bjorko Sound and Reval in the Baltic before proceeding back to the United Kingdom (November – December 1919); in HMS LION, the flagship of the Battle Cruiser Squadron, Atlantic Fleet, in Home waters (February – March 1920); and in the newly commissioned HMS HOOD, which succeeded LION as the flagship of the Battle Cruiser Squadron, Atlantic Fleet, in Home waters and on a Baltic cruise (May – August 1920). Apart from giving a very immediate and lively account of the scuttling of the High Seas Fleet on 21 June 1919, the Journal includes interesting references to the behaviour of the ratings on board the German warships interned in Scapa Flow (24 March, 1 and 20 April 1919), the sinking of the destroyers HMS VITTORIA and HMS VERULAM in the Baltic and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Sir Walter Cowan's signals following these losses (31 August, 3 September 1919), disciplinary issues in HMS P31 (19-21 December 1919), HOOD's visits to Sweden, Denmark and Norway during her Baltic cruise (June 1920) and the inspection of some interned German destroyers in the Firth of Forth (5 August 1920), while several entries reflect Conder's low opinion of the German Navy and others comment adversely on HMS HOOD (4 March 1920) and the standard of gunnery in HMS TIGER (23 July 1920). The collection also includes a ts transcript (2pp) of notes written by Conder on his career; ts biography (3pp) compiled by his daughter; and ts extracts (6pp, with photographs) from his wife's memoir, relating to his service 1944 - 1945.
History note
Cataloguer RWAS