Diary of Cyril John Percy Hill, 1917 - Part 2

June 1^st to 4^th. Successful patrol with
balloon. No enemy craft seen.
Weather great.

June 9^th Air raid on Brindisi.
Started at 4 AM & finished at 6 AM
Enemy planes made three attacks
during that time. Scored no hits on
ships in harbour although Blenheim &
Lowestoft had narrow shaves. Two
heavy bombs dropped on Italian air
station 14 killed & about 40 wounded.
Three enemy planes brought down.
No women or kiddies hurt.

June 10^th Huge spasm. Enemy ships
out. Destroyers & light cruisers &
all destroyers on patrol ordered to
concentrate on Brindisi. Fleet gave

chase. But Austrians got back to
their base before we sighted them.
Another dummy run.

June 16^th  Ran down to Valona with
despatches and mails for Commodore
Found our way through mine fields
and I nets. Delivered despatches etc
and joined up with usual patrol
Patrol most uneventful.

June 19^th Chased out at 4 AM.
Destroyers in two divisions consisting
of 12 boats each. 1^st Division
scouting ahead and 2^nd division
forming submarine screen for cruisers
Lowestoft & Gloucester. Proceeded at
high speed up the Adriatic towards
Gulf of Drin between Cataro & Durazzo

both Austrian Naval bases. At 10 AM
arrived off Gulf. First Division ran

in towards the land & second

division made stayed outside forming 

protection for cruisers. Big convoy

was expected to be crossing the Gulf

escorted by enemy destroyers. First

Division entered Gulf at full speed

but unfortunately saw no convoy and

escort so consequently did not get

within range of shore batteries (Something

wrong with intelligence department).

First division carried out reconnaissance

along the shores of Gulf keeping out 

of range. Rejoined 2 division &

cruisers after we had had a good

smell round. Got back to Brindisi

about 2 PM. Very interesting stunt

although we never got in touch with 

enemy. Bucked us all up no end.

W After leaving Gulf of Drin one

enemy plane came over us & dropped

a few bombs. French destroyer had

narrow squeak one heavy bomb

missing her stern by about 5 ft.

Otherwise bombs dropped wide.

June 20^th. Sent down to Corfu with

despatches, mails & passengers. Weather

lovely and sea calm. Entered Corfu

by northern entrance. No less than

four rows of nets to get through and

one line of mined nets. (They are

certainly taking no risks there) Found

our way through all right and

anchored in Ypso Bay. Got rid of

mails etc, piped hands to bathe..

Water lovely. 3.30 PM Weighed 
Diagram of anchor - see original document and

joined up with patrol before dark.

June 26^th. Escorted "Weymouth" & "Gloucester"

to Valona and then carried on with

usual patrol. Middle watch. To

Otranto & Valona bombed by enemy

planes. Don't know what damage was

done. Heard planes passing overhead

but couldn't see them.

July 13^th Hunted & bombed submarine

with drifters. Hunting from 8 3.30 PM

till 6.30 with hydrophones. Don't know

whether we sunk her or not.

Things very quiet lately. No stunts since

last air raid. Wonder what Fritz

has got up his sleeve. Someone will

get it in the neck ere long I guess.

July 28^th. Fairly strenuous air raid at

2 AM. No bombs near us. Don't 

know what damage was done as we

left harbour for Patrol at 6.15 AM.

Things very quiet since last air raid.

July 25^th Submarine reported from 

balloon, under the surface about 4

miles distant. Proceeded at full speed.

Saw it myself when we got closer, decided

to ram. Turned out to be a school 

of large fish. Scattered fish in all

directions. Sold a pup again.

"Rifleman" dropped 12 depth charges on

real submarine. Spent all afternoon

& evening sweeping for her. Nothing seen.

Don't know whether she was destroyed.

Very nearly opened fire on Italian Sub

at daylight. No luck to day.

July 31st. On Patrol. Most uninteresting. Nothing

doing. Weather glorious. Monitors bombarding

Austrian lines, saw bombardment in the

distance. Destroyers not required, our pop

guns no good for that stunt.

August 9^th - "Huon" & "Yarra" in 

Collision about midnight. Huon's

bow flattened and through trying

to get into Yarra's ward room.

Both ships flooded forward

compartments. Sent down to refit

in disgrace. Probably take about

two months. During which time

English leave will be granted.

Sooner get no leave & keep ship

whole myself.

 

August 20^th. Patrolling about 10 miles

from Austrian & Italian lines. Big

bombardment going on all night.

Must have been "some" scrap going

on. Quite interesting watching shells 

bursting. All the same, shouldn't have

cared to be much closer.

August 22^nd. Just arrived in harbour &

let fires die out. Sudden flap,

raise steam immediately for full

speed. All Destroyer captains

repair on board "Blenheim" for

orders. Stood by all night and 

nothing happened. Austrian fleet

came out to have a look round

and then ran back to Cattaro as

usual without getting in touch with

our destroyers.

Aug 26^th. One of our seaplanes down near

Durazzo after a raid. The whole 

advanced destroyer patrol sent up to search

at full speed. Searched all the afternoon &

evening without success. Am afraid plane 

sunk and pilot & observer drowned. No sign

 of any enemy craft although they must have

seen us in Durazzo.

August 27^th. Several Hun planes passed over

patrol during night. One had to come 

down with engine trouble & was promptly

collared by "Rifleman". Pilot & Observer taken

prisoner. "Rifleman" tried to tow plane into 

Valona but smashed it up & only succeeded

in getting body there. Wings & tail lost.

Sep 10^th. Big advance expected on
Albanian front which would threaten 

Valona. Destroyers on patrol told off

to screen five transports with a 

division of troops bound for "Valona".

All transports arrived safely. No enemy

craft sighted by destroyers.

Sept 24^th. Nothing much doing as far 

as patrol is concerned. Usual air

raids, usual strafing going on

on Albanian front. Usual submarine

hunting and bombing. Submarines

getting a rotten time on barrage.

Spent two hours up in balloon at 

900 ft. Quite pleasant, weather lovely.

Thinking of joining balloon section

(I don't think).

Sept 27^th. Arrived in and told to sail

at 1 PM for Leghorn for docking &

short refit. Couldn't get stores etc.

finished in time so sailing put off till

next day.

Sept 28^th. Left Brindisi at noon.

Rotten weather passing Straits of Otranto

Passed through Straits of Messina

during morning watch on 29^th. Weather

glorious. Messina looked just the

same as ever. Passed quite close to

Stromboli who was very quiet with

only thin streak of smoke hanging 

round water. At 4.40 PM received

wireless message cancelling orders &

telling us to return to Taranto.

Turned round and headed once more

for Messina. Haven't a notion what 

we are being recalled for. Passed

through straits at midnight.

Sep 30^th. Arrived at Taranto 2 PM.

Went ashore & saw Transport Officer.

Was told to sail & 4.20 and escort

"Agamemnon" to Patras. Met Captain

of "Agamemnon" (rather bottled). Left

Taranto at 5 PM. Speed of convoy

11 Ks.

Oct 2^nd. Arrived Pireaus and were told

to refit & dock. "Agamemnon" proceeded

to Salonika. No sign of Fritz on

passage. Greeks very friendly.

From Oct 2^nd to 20^th docking at

Pireaus & having a short refit.

Things very peaceful & no one to 

worry us. Granted as much leave

as possible. Heard that Durrazo

had been taken by the B.A.F. on

Oct 2^nd. Rotten luck just missing it.

Made up for it by having a good

time in Athens.

Oct 20^th. Full speed trial. Several

minor defects discovered. Steering

engine & capstan engine out of

order. Proceeded back to Pireaus

and nearly ran a breakwater through

helm jambing.

Oct 21^st. Defects made good.

Left for Mudros at 8.30 PM

Oct 22^nd. Weather beastly. Strong

Northerly gale. Starts to smash

things up to had to reduce

speed and arrived in Mudros at

3 PM, six hours late.

Completed with oil on arrival,

went alongside Blenheim and took

in ammunition and were chased

out again to the Dardinelles Patrol

and joined up with Yarra & Torrens.

Weather still beastly.

Oct 25^th. Escorted S.S. "Harperley" to

Demotheus Cove on Bulgarian Coast.

No Bulgars in sight. Two six inch

guns and plenty of barbed wire

abandoned. Six 9.30 PM proceeded

towards Dardinelles.

Oct 26^th. Missed floating mine by 

a whisker at dawn. Joined up

with patrol. Employed in covering

the landing of troops at Dedigatch

No opposition as yet.

Oct 30^th. Troops all landed safely.

No opposition. Returned to Mudros.

Oct 29^th. Patrolling under Turkish Batteries

all night. Expecting "Gobern". Night very

dark. Turks evidently didn't know we

were there. (Suvla Bay). General Townsend

and Turkish Delegates aboard Flagship.

Oct 31^st Armistice with Turks. Patrols still

kept in Dardinelles. Place absolutely stiff

with mines. Sank four while returning 

to Mudros.

Nov 1^st to Nov 7^th. At anchor at Mudros,

boiler cleaning and making ship

look pretty, Managed to give ship

a coat of paint which was badly

needed.

Nov 7th. Left Mudros for Salonika

and arrived at 8 AM Nov 8^th. Taking 

dispatches and passengers on duty.

Thick fog on arrival.

Went ashore during afternoon and

had a look round. Not much

of a place. All allied natives seem

to be represented. Never saw so 

many different uniforms.

Weighed at 10 PM after embarking

one General, one R.N. captain and

dispatches for Mudros. Made

a boss shot at the submarine nets

and carried them away, luckily 

without fouling propellers.

Nov 9 Arrived Mudros at 8 AM

Oiled & anchored 9.30 PM. Chased

out again with dispatches for

Salonika again.

Nov 10^th. Arrived Salonika and

anchored. Played football against

H.M.S. St George and got badly

beaten 7 to Nil. 10 PM Embarked

passengers consisting of one Russian

Naval Captain, one staff army officer

five flying officers, 200 bags mail 

30 000 rounds of rifle ammunition.

Ship crowded out.

Nov 11^th. Arrived Mudros 9 AM

after a rotten passage. All

passengers sick including the 

Russian. Jolly glad to get rid

of them. Completed with oil and

anchored.

Nov 12^th. 3.30 AM Weighed & proceeded

out of harbour waiting to join up with

Squadron. 7.0 Squadron formed up.

Consisting of Superb, Lord Nelson, Temeraire

& Agamemnon. five light cruisers and

twelve destroyers. French, Italian & 

Greek fleets forming astern. Proceeded

towards Dardinelles ^8.30 Floating mine

passed close to Superb. Parramatta

sunk it just ahead of French

flagship & received the thanks of

the French Admiral: 12.45

Entered Dardinelles in single line

ahead. Hoisted Australian ensigns

while passing through.

Cruising in Sea of Marmera all night

Weather beastly.

Nov 13^th. 8.30AM Allied Squadron

anchored off Constantinople. Sultan

aboard Superb crawling on his 

tummy to Admiral. Noon. Fleet 

weighed and anchored in Gulf of

Ismid at 4 PM. Very interesting 

stunt.

Nov 13^th to 20. Lying at anchor at

Ismid doing nothing except usual

routine & drills. No leave granted.

Weather beastly. But not much wind.

Very well sheltered.

Nov 21^st. Left Ismid and proceeded

about 40 miles up coast to Tuzla

and then embarked four prisoners of

war. One seaman from E15 and

3 Gurkas, Seaman had been 3½ years

a prisoner and was just recovering

from pneumonia. Took them down 

to hospital ship at Ismid.

Nov 22^nd. Ran up to Constantinople with

an officers leave party from the fleet.

Arrived about 10 AM & left again at

4 PM. and arrived back in Ismid

at about 7. Not very taken with

Constant : Prices terrible, streets

dirty and inhabitants half starved.

Nov 24. Left anchorage at Ismid with

fleet and proceeded to Constantinople.

Anchored at 2 PM. Leave to officers.

Motor boat broke down with officers coming

back & drifted out to sea. "Sikh" sent 

to find her. Motor boat brought back at

2 AM. Officers very fed up.

Nov 25^th. Weighed at 8 AM & proceeded 

up the Bosporus with the fleet.

Passed "Goeben" flying Turkish flag.

Bosporus very interesting. 10 AM Entered

Black sea & formed up screening

battle ships. Two passengers on board

One RNVR Lieut an interpreter and

the president of the Crimean republic

Salri Bey. Weather beastly with 

NE gale & high sea. Salri Bey very

sick.

Nov 26^th 10 AM. Under the lee of Crimean

Peninsular. 10 AM Passed Balaklava.

Noon: Fleet consisting of "Superb", "Temeraire"

"Skirmisher". Two french battleships "Democratic" 

& "Justice". Italian battleship "Roma"

& cruiser Agordat. T.B.D. "Shark"

"Parthian" "Tilbury" "Swan" "Parramatta"

"Rifleman" "De Hartier" "Ierax" & "Panther"

entered Savastople. Huge crowds on

shore cheering like blazes. Harbour

full of boats. No leave granted.

Nov 27^th to Dec 14^th. Based at 

Savastopol, running the mails between

there & Constant :. Carrying provisions,

despatches & passengers. Bolsheviks

making a nuisance of themselves everywhere.

Marines landed at railway station 

and landing parties from ships

standing by all ^each night. Searchlights

sweeping town continually. No

organized attack on our people, but

occasional sniping. All Russian

Black Sea fleet taken over by us & 

French. German crews booted out

and sent to Odessa to walk home

overland. French division arrived

to take charge of town and also

some British troops expected.

Hope that will relieve destroyers

from Black Sea. Many distinguished

passengers carried between Savastopol

& Constant :. Havent seen much of 

my own cabin in consequence.