"Crinoline" boat?? - at Gallipoli

[seaJane]

In the diary whose transcription I have been checking, one entry reads:-

 

Friday, August 13th. Lot of heavy firing during night. A "crinoline" boat wakened me about 7 a.m. Some of the men had very little sleep.

 

If anyone can tell me what a "crinoline" boat was I shall be obliged. I'm assuming it had something draped around it as an anti-torpedo measure - would I be right?

 

seaJane

 

 

[travers61]

According to this link it was a boat fitted with anti-torpedo nets, which were used in the Royal Navy from 1876-1916.

 

http://www.gwpda.org/naval/nets.htm

 

 

 

 

 

[seaJane]

 Thank you very much for that! An interesting read.

[michaeldr]

1 hour ago, seaJane said:

In the diary whose transcription I have been checking, one entry reads:-

Friday, August 13th. Lot of heavy firing during night. A "crinoline" boat wakened me about 7 a.m. Some of the men had very little sleep.

 

Jane, would you like to share with us where the writer was on Friday, 13th August

so that we can perhaps have a go at trying to identify the ship

[seaJane]

All I can recall for certain (the original being in the office) is that the diarist was aboard HMHS REWA somewhere in the Dardanelles, possibly across the strait from Achi Baba. He may have been more precise about her location but I won't know until tomorrow.

All I can recall for certain (the original being in the office) is that the diarist was aboard HMHS REWA somewhere in the Dardanelles, possibly across the strait from Achi Baba. He may have been more precise about her location but I won't be able to check until tomorrow.

[seaJane]

20 hours ago, michaeldr said:

 

Jane, would you like to share with us where the writer was on Friday, 13th August

so that we can perhaps have a go at trying to identify the ship

Here you are Michael: he was off Anzac beach.

 

We are anchored well out, so the gun fire is not annoying. There are four Hospital Ships. here, three off Anzac and one off Suvla Bay, much further up coast. Judging by firing, etc. we evidently have a much greater length of beach than when we were last here, but will see in morning, as I expect we will move in much closer then. There is undoubtedly a big show on. Numberless shooting stars.

Interesting talk with P.M.O. last night.

Friday, August 13th. Lot of heavy firing during night. A "crinoline" boat wakened me about 7 a.m. Some of the men had very little sleep.

Position on shore difficult to make out, but it is evident that we have landed large numbers of troops from Anzac up to Suvla Bay

[horatio2]

A puzzling record: he states that "We are anchored well out, so the gun fire is not annoying." and then complains of a "Lot of heavy firing during night." and that "Some of the men had very little sleep."

As to the "'crinoline' boat", I cannot imagine that the sound of another boat (ship?) putting out torpedo nets would disturb sleep. [Anyway, he should have been up with 'call the hands', not still abed at 0700.] This 'crinoline' has the feel of a transcription error. Someone will prove me wrong.

If this is one of sJ's doctors, it is possible that he was called by the arrival of some sort of ambulance boat ferrying casualties from shore but 'crinoline' is a mystery.

[michaeldr]

1 hour ago, horatio2 said:

A puzzling record: he states that "We are anchored well out, so the gun fire is not annoying." and then complains of a "Lot of heavy firing during night." and that "Some of the men had very little sleep."

As to the "'crinoline' boat", I cannot imagine that the sound of another boat (ship?) putting out torpedo nets would disturb sleep. [Anyway, he should have been up with 'call the hands', not still abed at 0700.] This 'crinoline' has the feel of a transcription error. Someone will prove me wrong.

 

Without discounting the suggestion of travers61 re nets,

is it possible that one of the Edgar class, recently fitted with anti-torpedo bulges (giving the ship something of a crinoline like profile) could fit the bill?

The Grafton was in that area on that day

 

Edit to add: In fact the Grafton was hit on the 12th with several dead and no doubt many more injured, the latter no doubt requiring attention on a hospital ship, perhaps the Rewa

Edited 31 July , 2019 by michaeldr

[horatio2]

Possibly the culprit, Michael. GRAFTON did open fire at 0650 off Nibrunesi Point on 13 August. Very inconsiderate when a chap is trying to sleep.

[michaeldr]

1 minute ago, horatio2 said:

Very inconsiderate when a chap is trying to sleep

[michaeldr]

It is possible to gain some idea of the crinoline appearance of these ships from this photograph of one of the Edgars
Note - The anti-torpedo bulges were more often referred to as blisters

see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-torpedo_bulge

compare the above with the original sleek line of the hull as seen below

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar-class_cruiser#/media/File:HMS_Royal_Arthur_in_drydock_Sydney.jpg

 

 

 

Edited 1 August , 2019 by michaeldr