1914 The Great War

During all this period Europe was rapidly moving towards war. Serbia was supposed to be the cause the Grand Duke of Austria had been assassinated - Austria was mobilising and declared war against Serbia in consequence Russia mobilised and declared war against Austria in support of Serbia - due to that Germany mobilised her troops and Navy and threatened war against Russia, France on account of Germany threatening Russia mobilised and lined all her frontiers with troops and warned Germany - and Germany immediately started to march against Russia and France and invaded Luxemburg and Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany on August 4th this started the Great War. I was already in a ship and my appointment was confirmed Lieutenant on H.M.S. Hannibal. We proceeded out to sea with other ships of her class, we protected the Transports crossing from the English Coast to France with troops. That lasted for about three days then the ships separated again H.M.S. Hannibal proceeding up North of Scotland guarding the entrance of Loch Ewe where half the British fleet was based. Later on submarines were reported to have gone up the Harbour of Loch Ewe - so the place as a Base for the fleet was abandoned and "Hannibal" sailed up north to the Orkneys and then came south and called in the harbour of Newcastle-upon-Tyne - from there after a spell and rest for the crew we proceeded to the Humber where we remained for a some time moored outside the Boom defence to guard the Harbour. 

At Hull or Grimsby was appointed to the H.M.S Iphigenia (2nd Class Cruiser) to go to Russia (North Russia on the Murmansk coast) where I remained for 14 months. Severe weather in the winter months ice & snow dark almost day and night but in summer hardly any nights with a midnight sun. We found the Russians on this station very helpless to us. We left the Russian coast after 14 months there - arrived at Harwich and paid off given home leave and after a while I was appointed to H.M.S. Armadale Castle - Union Castle Liner but now an armed cruiser on the Northern Patrol - as 1st. lieut., and Gunnery Lieut. She was armed with 8, 6" guns 4 or 5 other smaller guns including anti-aircraft guns.
In 1917 Russia made peace with Germany and a Revolution broke out in Russia "Armadale Castle" was then put on Convoy Escort and I was often made Commodore of Convoys - I was later transferred to the Convoy Office at Quebec Canada a beautiful place with its Chateau Frontinac overlooking the St, Lawrence river. Population in Quebec are mostly all French Canadian. Whilst there the war ended the German army was smashed on the Western front and there was soon wholesale demobilisation going on, I went home with the Alsation and spent a few weeks holiday at home. (By the way while I was stationed in the Humber on the 4th March 1915 our little daughter Ellen was born).