R.N.Postings

[Dave Smith]

I Alan. Wei Hai Wei was a RN Garrison HQ, leased from the Chinese, on the NE coast of China- Singapore was another. My Uncle George only ever mentioned Shanghai, so either that was a sub HQ or regularly visited on patrol along the China coast & rivers. He was very proud of a beautiful VERY thin china tea/coffee set that he bought there just before leaving for home. He said the Chinese were very wily & a shop at the port sold all sorts to those wanting a souvenir. He'd heard that this set was often sold but the shopkeeper took it to the back to wrap it well for the journey. And when they got back home, it was similar but far inferior china. So he bought his & demanded that it be wrapped in front of him! HMS Kent had two quadruple torpedo tubes (launchers), so no doubt your Grandfather was a Gunner, maybe with x'd torpedo's instead of guns? Although I don't suppose torpedo's were used a lot, so he'd probably be manning some of the smaller guns most of the time. In my limited experience of the RN, officers would certainly NOT have " mates", but of course the matelots ( other ranks) would.

[Invicta Alec]

Thanks for your post Dave. I know absolutely nothing about our navy or its ships but I too have an interest here.


My maternal grandfather served on HMS Kent. He died while I was still a young boy (around 10 years old) and I was given a photo album he made while serving on board. I was far too young to appreciate what a treasure trove it was and it sadly no longer exists.
I wonder whether your uncle George and he were mates!? He was Edward (Ted) Barker and although the memory is now dim, while I don't know his rank do I remember being told he had something to do with torpedoes on HMS Kent?
Some of the photographs in the album were memorable though. He seemed very keen on photographing anything to do with the local population. So pictures of natives wearing coolie hats in the local markets are clear in my mind. He referred often in the notes under the photos to Wei-Hai-Wei which we handed back in 1930.
He must have popped home at some point since my mum was born in the Hackney Maternity hospital in 1932! I've no idea when he finally left the navy but I do remember how fiercely proud he was to have served.


Alec.

[Dave Smith]

Stuart, As the fount of all things Naval, please would you know what the usual posting time might have been for HMS Kent on the China Station from 1920 to 1937, when she came home for a refit. In the RAF, it usually was 3 years but things had changed considerably by then for personnel would be flown out & back, whereas in those days it would have been on, probably, a destroyer or?, coming home & back.I'm sure it couldn't have been 17 years! My particular interest is because my Uncle George, a Lt. on HMS Kent, came home in 1937 & families-us- were invited aboard while it was anchored in the Medway. We went out by picket boat from Gillingham Pier one sunny Sunday for " cocktails or something" on deck under an awning. I, a 7 years old, remember everyone in their "Sunday Best", it was quite crowded but all very good humoured. My Uncle had made me a bedspread of silk squares of many different colours- to while away the hours of, otherwise, boredom. That was on my bed for very many years.