George Menzies was an officer in the 4th Submarine Flotilla serving on the China station in 1928-1929 commanding one of the L Class submarines. He had already served in the 1st World War 1916-1919 and in the 2nd World War commanded the Submarine Depot ship HMS Forth. He married Constance Grice-Hutchinson in April 1936. <Read more ...>
Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos):
1929
1920s Hong Kong submariners continued:
Just labelled "Menzies" in WR Fell's 1928-29 album, I assume this is George Cunningham Paton Menzies, future commander of the Submarine Depot Ship, HMS Forth in 1941, but here the walking companion of WR Fell. Is this above Aberdeen? By the look of his shirt tails, Menzies has probably just put his shirt back on for the photo. <Read more ...>
Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos):
1929
This seems to be a group of the officers of HM Submarine L3 with a group of female companions, unfortunately unnamed. I think Lt R.G. Liveing is on the left. It looks rather chilly and must be a formal occasion. I don't want to swamp the site with submariners and submarines. Let me know if everyone has seen enough. There are a few more Hong Kong photos of named officers who went on to serve in WW2. Much of the rest of WR Fell's album is of the coast around Weihaiwei and Bia's Bay and various excursions to small bays. <Read more ...>
Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos):
1929
This photo, again from the 1928-1929 album of WR Fell, shows five of the crew of HM Submarine L3 relaxing at Repulse Bay. Unfortunately only four are named. I've found a Sub Lt Thyne on HMS Titania's sick list in 1921. Lt Lloyd is commemorated on p. 3 of the journal Light Airs where at Chefoo “It is understood that the local police requested to be informed whenever Lt. Lloyd went ashore.” Perhaps he is here recovering from a night out. Phillips is mentioned in Light Airs as Dr Phillips. <Read more ...>
Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos):
1929
Another photo from the 1928-1929 album of WR Fell - the best I could do, I'm afraid. There are several photos of excursions around the coast in this cutter which sometimes took as many as seven on board. <Read more ...>
Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos):
1929
Would "Waterfall Cove" be the same as Plover Cove? Plover Cove seems to have been a popular destination for the officers of HM Submarine L3 in their time off, when they had use of this cutter. Here they are back view in the swimwear of the time. <Read more ...>
Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos):
1929
This photo from the 1928-1929 album of WR Fell puts faces to some of the names of the crew of HM Submarine L3. Lt. Robert George Liveing was the editor of the Flotilla's journal "Light Airs" and was the youngest officer of L3. Gaisford is probably Richard Lindsay Stephen Gaisford and would become Lt-Cdr Richard Gaisford OBE. I can't find Bryans for certain. Liveing would marry Manon Bickmore, young widow of a fellow submariner, who drowned in an accidental collision between HM Submarines L12 and H47 in 1929. Liveing and Bickmore may well have been at Dartmouth College together. <Read more ...>
Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos):
1929
I can only speculate what is happening here, but maybe a submarine expert can offer an opinion. Are the three officers standing on the keel of L3? It looks as if some sort of inspection for damage is going on. <Read more ...>
