The Kydd Community

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T H E B O S U N ' S C H R O N I C L E

The official Ezine of the Thomas Kydd Shipmates' network

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VOL. 7, ISSUE 2, March 2007


Avast, Shipmates and anchors aweigh!

This month, we're featuring another of the Georgian diarists, Julian on his latest location research, and answers to your questions about sea lore...

1 DISPATCHES
2 GEORGIAN JOTTINGS
3 FEATURE
4 SALTY SAYINGS
5 CONTESTS
6 THE CAPTAINS OF TRAFALGAR
7 ASK JULIAN
8 NEW ON THE WEB

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1 DISPATCHES

+ US edition of COMMAND
McBooks Press officially launches the US edition of COMMAND this month, featuring Geoff Hunt's superb painting of HMS "Teazer" on the cover. We have two copies to give away, see CONTESTS.
http://www.mcbooks.com/

+ Welcome aboard!
A new face in the Shipmates Album on the website is Rod Redden, an English teacher currently living in Japan. Originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, Rod has been a military re-enactor since the age of 11. His wife is currently learning to play the fife so that when the family settles back in Canada, she can join in his living history activities,too.

Rod can claim two ancestors who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar: "One, William Kent, was a seaman aboard HMS 'Minotaur'; another, John Redden, was a landman on HMS 'Tonnant'. Kent, who was wounded in the battle, emigrated to Nova Scotia where he got a land grant in the Musquodoboit Valley. About 20 years later, his wounds reopened and he was rushed by canoe to the nearest doctor, but died on the way."

+ Apologies
In the last issue we incorrectly stated that "Yogi" Hansen was an Aussie; he is in fact a Kiwi.

+ Media spotlight
The latest issue of the online newsletter "Quarterdeck" features an interview by George Jepson with Julian about the characters in the Kydd series.
http://www.mcbooks.com/newsletter.php

+ Fair winds!
Our best wishes to all the contestants in the 5,500 nautical mile Melbourne/Osaka Double Hand Yacht Race starting March 25. Among the prizes for the winning entrants are several signed copies of COMMAND! More in next month's issue...
http://www.osakacup.com/

+ Greetings from Spain
George Moore emailed saying how much he is enjoying the series, which he discovered quite by accident: "I called in at a book fair in Torrevieja last September and found a stall specialising in English books. The vendor recommended KYDD to me. I was knocked out by the style of writing, the pace, the action, the drama, the accuracy and the telling of a very real period in our history. It did not take me long to search out all subsequent books and become a real fan of Kydd, Renzi et al."

George joined the Royal Navy but was discharged on compassionate grounds when both his parents became ill. Ashore, he took up sailing, first in dinghies but soon graduating to sailing/racing cruisers, including an Admiral's Cup contender. "My great great grandfather was a 'carpenter to the crown' and apart from building and racing yachts he worked on the 'Titanic' in Belfast; this I suppose is where I got my taste for all things
nautical!"

+ First Editions Service
Due to numerous requests, we have just launched a First Editions Service, whereby we undertake to search for a signed First Edition of a particular Kydd title for you, if we do not have it to hand. Please bear in mind, though, that the series is becoming very collectable, with early First Edition hardbacks commanding high prices! Currently, we have a small number of copies of signed First Editions of QUARTERDECK, MUTINY, TENACIOUS (Collector's Edition) and COMMAND (Collector's Edition).
Email Admin@JulianStockwin.com for prices and postage.

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2 GEORGIAN JOTTINGS

The second in our feature on eighteenth-century chroniclers.

The Wynne Diaries.

These diaries cover the period from 1789-1820. They open when the Wynne sisters are children, and go on to describe their lives for over 30 years, providing a vivid impression of life in the Napoleonic era - from the domestic and social scene to details of the ongoing wars with France.

Elizabeth, "Betsey", the eldest and principal diarist, married Captain Fremantle, one of Nelson's Band of Brothers, and sometimes went to sea with him. Various letters from Fremantle are also included in the diaries, including accounts of Tenerife and Trafalgar.

Here's some excerpts from Betsey's entries:-

October 21st 1797
Took a ride in the carriage as far as Porchester Castle where we saw the French prisoners; there are 3000 of them, they are industrious and make all kinds of little works. We bought a Guillotine neatly done in bone.

Portsmouth, 7th August 1803
I dined with Justine, and went to walk on the walls, where we were not a little surprised at seeing a great concourse of people on the beach, the yeomanry out, guns frequently fired, signals made, the telegraphs at work and many sails in sight. On inquiring I was told it was the French effecting a landing as numbers of flat bottom boats were seen making towards the shore... 8th August... I was very happy to hear this morning that a fleet of coasters who had been becalmed at the back of the Isle of Wight had occasioned our alarm, and no appearance of the enemy remained today.

Stowe, 22rd December 1804
We were all very much shocked to hear today the death of poor Lord Proby, of the yellow fever - all the officers of his ship have shared the same fate. [Proby died in Surinam, in command of the frigate "Amelia".]

A three volume set of the Wynne Diaries was published in 1935 by Oxford University Press. This is quite difficult to find now but an edited version was brought out in 1952, and copies of this sometimes come up on internet book sites.

[The first GEORGIAN JOTTINGS item was in the Dec/Jan issue.]
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3 FEATURE

On the trail of book nine...

Kathy and Julian recently returned from two weeks' location research in the Channel Islands. As promised in last month's "Chronicle" Julian reports on the trip.

"These islands, just off the coast of Normandy, have strong historical and cultural ties with both France and Britain. Since 1066, when Duke William of Normandy became King William 1 of England, the Channel Islands have remained loyal to the English monarch. But to the islanders, the reigning British monarch is still the Duke of Normandy and so the loyal toast is: The Queen, our Duke.

During the period of the French Wars, the Channel Islands held a special significance for England because of their proximity to the enemy coast.

My ninth book, as yet untitled, will be set in 1803/4, and will see Kydd serving in the Channel Islands. The surrounding waters are among the most treacherous in the world.

Kathy and I based ourselves at The Grange Lodge, St Peter Port, Guernsey. The hotel was built in the eighteenth century on the proceeds of privateering, as in fact were many of the splendid Georgian structures in the bailiwick!

As usual, we spent quite a deal of time researching historical material and talking to various experts. Guernsey has a wonderful local studies centre, the Priaulx, and an excellent library, the Guille Alle. As well, we were given special permission to access historic documents in the Greffe, the official archives.

Dr Gregory Stevens Cox, a world-renowned historian, provided much useful information on the early nineteenth century and I spent a fascinating morning with the harbour master, Captain Peter Gill.

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Government House at the invitation of Sir Fabion Malbon to view a magnificent oil painting of Admiral Saumarez, who was in command of the Channel Island Squadron from 1803-1805. [A photo of Kathy and Julian standing in front of the portrait has just been added to the website.]

He was one of the most illustrious officers to serve in the Royal Navy, but the achievements of his long naval career were somewhat eclipsed by Horatio Nelson. I was pleased to learn of a plan to build a new monument to him in the near future. The previous one, a 99-foot high obelisk of Guernsey granite, built in the nineteenth century, was destroyed by German occupation forces in the Second World War.

Kathy and I also managed to fit in a visit to the neighbouring island of Jersey, to tour over the impressive Mount Orgueil castle, from where covert operations against the French were carried out.

I must say it was with some reluctance that we returned to Devon. With its abundance of fresh produce, and the range of superb French wines, the Channel Islands' reputation as a foodie paradise is well deserved!

But fine dining aside, my abiding memory of this visit was standing braced on the hills above St Peter Port on a cold wet morning looking out into the storm-tossed seas - and transporting myself back to Kydd's time to once again marvel at the skill of seamen in wooden ships who pitted themselves against Nature every day of their lives...

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4 SALTY SAYINGS

Plenty of scope

Today, the phrase means to have room to move, sufficient wherewithal to carry out a task.

The origins of the phrase are definitely salty. The word "scope" is from the Greek skopos, meaning to mark or aim and is the length of cable run out when a vessel rides to its anchor. It is the amount by which a ship swings about its anchor, its freedom of movement.

This month's item was contributed by Shipmate Roger Marsh. We'd be delighted to hear from other Shipmates who have suggestions for future Salty Sayings.

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5 CONTESTS

Emails to Bosun@JulianStockwin.com

+ COMMAND
To mark the publication of the US hardback edition of COMMAND, McBooks Press is awarding a copy of the book to the first two entries out of the hat on March 25 who correctly answer this question:

Where did the frigate "Artemis" strike rocks?
Please include your name and full postal address.
Deadline: March 25.

+ World Book Day, March 1
You still have time to enter the World Book Day contest for a complete set of Kydd paperbacks. There's six chances to win! Just answer the following question:-
If you had command of your own ship, which 6 literary figures would you choose as your crew? (No more than 100 words, please.)

Please include your name and postal address.
Deadline is midnight, GMT World Book Day.

+ Mystery lucky dip
Starting this month, we'll award a special mystery sea prize each issue. It could be a book, a CD, an artefact - you won't know until you win! To enter, email the answer to this question:

What is the name of the French interrogator when Kydd is captured in TENACIOUS? Deadline March 25.

+ Limited edition print winner
Congratulations to the winner of the latest print in the Kydd Collection, "HMS Teazer off Malta", David James.

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6 THE CAPTAINS OF TRAFALGAR
- continuing our pen portraits of six of the men who were so instrumental in securing Britain's great victory

Edward Codrington

"For charity's sake send us Lord Nelson..."

Codrington was the youngest of three brothers born to an aristocratic, landowning family; his ancestor had been standard-bearer to the Black Prince. At age 13, Codrington entered the Royal Navy and served off the Eastern seaboard of the United States, in the Mediterranean and in home waters, being promoted to lieutenant in May 1793.

Especially keen-eyed, he was given constant duty at the masthead, and was first to spot the French fleet in 1794, the start of the battle of the Glorious First of June.

At the blockade of Villeneuve's fleet at Cadiz, Codrington resented Collingwood's stern leadership and wrote home that all were looking forward to Nelson's imminent assumption of the command. "For charity's sake send us Lord Nelson..."

At Trafalgar, Codrington in the 74-gun "Orion" was eighth in the column led by Nelson in "Victory". Codrington captured "Swiftsure" and "Intrepide", taking 580 prisoners on board, including the brave commander of "Intrepide", Captain Infernet and his young son. Infernet was sent to England to await an exchange. Codrington, who had discovered that Infernet's wife and family were at Toulon with no income but his naval pay chivalrously wrote to his own wife to spend up to 100 pounds on Infernet's needs while in captivity.

Codrington went on to see much distinguished service and retired as admiral. During the Greek War of Independence in 1826 his youngest son John, serving in his flagship as a signal midshipman was wounded. Codrington himself had four bullets through his hat and clothing and a fifth through his watch, and was nearly killed by the falling mizzen mast. His eldest son Edward was later drowned when a ship's cutter overturned. John went on to become an admiral of the fleet.

Admiral Codrington died in 1851.

[Previous Trafalgar captains: Harvey, April 06; Fremantle, June 06; Digby, July 06; Tyler, November 06. The last captain to be featured will be Durham, in the June issue.]

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7 ASK JULIAN

A double helping this month...

+ The Ship's Master

From Phil Boutemy, who also attended "Fisgard" where Julian trained as an artificer - What exactly was the role of the master?

Julian replies: In Kydd's day, the ship's master, the senior warrant officer*, was really in a class on his own aboard ship, trained in and responsible for the ship's navigation. A master was at the head of his profession, and supplied his own charts and instruments of navigation. A wise captain accorded him respect, but the ultimate responsibility for the ship, in any matter, always lay with the captain.

In rank the master was "with but after" the lieutenants. He was entitled to mess in the wardroom in a two-decker and usually given one of the best cabins after the captain and the first lieutenant. His pay varied according to the rate of the ship, and often was greater than for a lieutenant.

His status can be confusing - if captured he was often not treated as an officer and in the wardroom the lieutenants sometimes resented him as not being a gentleman.

Responsible for the navigation of the ship in the broadest sense, the master's list of duties was quite lengthy. In addition to setting courses and finding the ship's position, he supervised pilotage and was charged to "represent to the captain every possible danger in or near to the ship's course and the way to avoid it."

He supervised the midshipmen and mates in taking noon sights of the sun and looked after the maintenance of the ship's compasses. He was in charge of the stowing of the hold, the security and issue of the beers and spirits on board, and also the sails and rigging, and the ship's anchors.

The master was charged with keeping the official ship's log book, as distinct to the journals of the midshipmen and officers.

Career paths for masters varied. Some started on the lower deck and picked up the art of navigation as quartermasters or master's mates. Many entered from merchant service. To qualify for the rank, a potential master was examined by Trinity House. There was no further promotion from this position possible until 1805, when captains of the fleet could have a first master, i.e. master of the flagship, and masters could be commissioned as lieutenants, and thus available for further promotion.

[A warrant officer* was appointed by a warrant from the Navy Board, rather than the commission of the Board of Admiralty.
---

+Wind of Ball
Ken Green, in Australia, asks: On a TV show I saw recently the body of a midshipman is brought below; he is dead but from no visible injuries. They stated he had died from "wind of ball"; can you tell me more about this phenomenon.

Julian replies: "Wind of ball" (also known as "wind of the shot", "vent du boulet", "breath of the cannon ball") is a form of blast injury caused by a rapid change in pressure, particularly on air-containing organs such as middle-ear, lung and bowel, and organs surrounded by fluid -filled cavities such as the brain. It could certainly kill a man with no visible signs of injury, as portrayed in the programme you saw. Sometimes, however, there were marks on the body and at other times the effect was just temporary paralysis.

Such effects were only felt when the shot was fired at very short range. At this distance a cannon ball could decapitate a man, whereas at long range an eighteen pound shot is known to have struck a man full in the chest but only knocked him backwards and taken his breath away.

One naval surgeon of Kydd's day described it thus: "a peculiar accident ... common in engagements at sea. If a cannon ball, in its flight, passes close to any part of the body, that part is rendered livid and benumbed for some time. It is most dangerous when it approaches the stomach and has often in such cases proved instantaneously fatal, without the least mark of injury. At other times tumours or marks of violence are conspicuous. What is remarkable is this, that the 'wind of a ball' had never been fatal on the head."

If you would like to submit a question for ASK JULIAN, we would love to hear from you; please put ASK JULIAN in the subject line.

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8 NEW ON THE WEB
http://www.JulianStockwin.com

Click on the NEW button on the home page to view a summary of the latest additions.

Coming next month - some great contests, all about ship's pennants, why sailors went barefoot - and much more besides ...


Yours aye,
THE BOSUN