|
|
|
|
|
VISIT TO SOUTH
AFRICA
December 1926
8 December 1926 - week's visit to Durban, first ever
to the ship's namesake, returning to
China Station via Cape
12 December -
left Simonstown, near Capetown
15 December - arrived Durban,
east coast
(15 December - Colours
trooped and march-past, Durban)
16 December - was due to leave Durban
for Colombo, but delayed due to stay
in Simonstown having been prolonged
23 December
- now due to leave Durban on this date for Colombo,
Singapore and Hong Kong
24 December -
left Durban
|
| |
|
|
|
Dockyard, Simonstown |
|
in drydock, Simonstown |
|
|
|
|
|
Cheer ship Durban |
|
Trooping colours,
Durban |
| |
|
|
|
March past the Mayor outside Town Hall, Durban, South Africa, 15
December 1926 |
|
Durban, S.A., 15/12/26. These have just arrived from Durban. I’d just
received your cablegram while this one was being taken. The blot is my photo oppo |
| |
|
|
|
Pietermaritzberg, inland of Durban |
|
On road |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
SAILING FOR HONG KONG
29 December 1926-2
January 1927 - Colombo approved
1927
14 January 1927 - arrived Singapore
(3 day stay originally approved)
15
January - Hong Kong approved
BASED AT HONG KONG
January 1927 - April 1928
22
January 1927 - due to arrive at Hong Kong, restoring 5th Cruiser Squadron
(CS) to
five units, including CARADOC, EMERALD and ENTERPRISE
11 February - "Merchant Navy Signalling Practice" - DURBAN
noted for her efficiency on the China Station
18 February -
left Hong Kong with CARADOC for Wusung
CHINESE
WATERS
21 February -
arrived Wusung
(15 March - at Shanghai)
25 May -
left Shanghai for Hankow
(4 June
- foreign warships in Chinese waters, including DURBAN)
(11 June - cricket match in
Hankow)
28 July - left Hankow for Wei-hai-wei
31 July - arrived Wusung and left for Wei-hai-wei
27
August - left Wei-hai-wei for Hong Kong
4
September - arrived Hong Kong
19
November - left Hong Kong for Shanghai
22 November -
arrived Shanghai
24
November - left Shanghai for Nanking
26
November - arrived Nanking, greater
part of winter stationed there
(27 November to 6
March - stayed in Nanking)
(27
December - football match in Nanking)
1928
CHINESE
WATERS - continued
20 January 1928 - arrived Shanghai
3 February -
left Shanghai for Nanking
4
February - arrived Nanking; as of this date,
destroyer KEPPEL has taken the place of
DURBAN at Nanking
16 March - left Shanghai for Nagasaki
|
| |
|
|
|
Hong Kong from the Peak, Kowloon in distance, cruiser alongside
in foreground (believed carrier Hermes on right) |
|
Hong Kong by night |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
VISITS TO
SHANGHAI
1927-28 |
|
|
|
|
|
HMS Emerald at Shanghai with
Vice-Admiral Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt’s
(C-in-C China Station) yacht alongside |
|
Alongside at Shanghai 15/3/27
|
| |
|
|
|
Shanghai side |
|
Across river from ship |
|
|
|
|
|
Customs House and Bund, Shanghai |
|
Queens Road West, Shanghai |
|
|
|
|
One of our daily visitors. When
I took his photo I gave him 10 cents. He said no
good, want 1 dollar. He got it - Shanghai
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Soochow
Creek to interior, Shanghai |
|
Sampan |
| |
|
|
Start of the General Strike
when the Cantonese (the Southern Nationalists) captured Shanghai. Taken from our quarterdeck showing
all riverside coolies tying up their boats during the middle of the
afternoon |
|
Signalmen ready for landing at Shanghai – 1 Yeoman
(George Smith, but in ratings uniform?), 2 L Sig, 2 Sig, 2
boys |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
HANKOW
1927 |
|
|
|
|
A view of the front Hankow I took from the bridge with the stand camera last
Sunday. The tall building is the National City Bank of New York. The
other is the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank which is deserted and used by us as
a beer bar. The small building is alongside the British Consulate. In normal
times the river should be as high as the bottom of the walls that lines the
roadway. |
|
CPO’s Cricket Team, Hankow Race Course, Sunday 11 June 1927 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BACKGROUND TO CHINA,
1927 AND 1928
 The ancient Chinese
Manchu Empire came to end in 1911 when Yuan
Shih-kai took over as an authoritarian Prime
Minister in Peking (Beijing), while at the same
time Sun Yat-sen was proclaimed President of a
new republic in Nanking. Sun was leader of the
Koumintang (a nationalist party dating from
1891, which wanted a democracy based on
parliamentary majority). However to avoid civil
war, Sun stepped down in favour of Yuan.
It was at this time that the six-year old Pu Yi
was forced to abdicate - the subject of the 1987
film, "The Last Emperor".
Although the Koumintang won a majority in
parliament, Kuan wanted to be more than a
figurehead, outlawed Sun and his party and
dismissed parliament. Sun regrouped in the
Canton area where he set up a rival government.
In 1916 Yuan died, a weak government was
established in Peking, the Koumintang managed to
hold onto Canton, but most of China fell into
the hands of rival, lawless war lords. China
gained little profit or prestige from
entering World War 1 as an ally. A few Chinese
turned to the new Soviet Union for help and in
1921 formed the Chinese Communist Party. They
even persuaded Sun Yat-sen to accept Soviet help
and within a year the Koumintang and Communists
were working together. A Nationalist army was
created, the authority of the Koumintang around
Canton consolidated, and a start made on helping
the poor and resisting foreign exploitation.
Sun
Yat-sen died in 1925, Chiang Kai-shek
emerged as his successor in 1926 and lead Koumintang forces north, and in 1927, occupied
Nanking. In their advance, his troops seized
foreign property, especially British and
American, and routed the war lords. Chiang was a
nationalist, Japanese Army-trained, and had
studied the Russian military in Moscow in 1923,
but did not approve of communism nor the Chinese
Communist's treatment of businessmen and
landlords. When the Nationalist Army took
Shanghai in 1927, he turned his forces against
the communists and their supporters in the
Koumintang in a bloody purge which killed many.
The Communists retired south while Chiang headed
north and entered Peking in June 1928. Chiang
set up the Koumintang government in Nanking.
China had a government, but largely in the east,
while the communists reorganised in the south,
the Japanese were in Manchuria, and large parts
of central and western China remained untouched.
By 1930, Chiang had decided to eliminate the
growing communist presence, by which time a
certain Mao Tse-tung had entered the scene. By
1934, Mao was leading The Long March to escape
the Nationalists.
(Paraphrase from
"Success (Studybooks) in Twentieth Century World
Affairs" by Jack Watson, 3rd edition 1985, pp277-8 - an excellent series of books)
The dates of the photographs
in this period and the sequence of
events are not known and require further
research. They include a visit to the ship
by Major-General John Duncan, North China
Command who was succeeded by Major-General A
E Wardrop around 25 January 1928, whether at
Shanghai or not is not known. Also the
landing of a Naval force from HMS Durban at Nanking.
Foreign warships in Chinese waters,
including DURBAN, 4 June 1927
Foreign Warships in the Yangtze (FROM THE TIMES NAVAL
CORRESPONDENT.
With the arrival, announced in The Times
on Thursday, of the destroyer Wishart at Shanghai, the
total number of warships of the Powers at this port was
51 at the end of May, including three lying off Woosung.
This was an increase of eight over the total at the end
of April. The list is as follows:-
GREAT
BRITAIN - Hawkins (flagship), Emerald (cruisers); Keppel
(flotilla leader); Petersfield (minesweeper),
Cockchafer, Cricket, Mantis, Widgeon (gunboats); Wishart (destroyer) ; and at Woosung, Despatch (cruiser)
and Argus (aircraft-carrier); total 11.
UNITED STATES - Pittsburg (flagship), Richmond (flagship)
(cruisers) ; Bulmer, Hart, Noa, Parrott, Paul Jones,
Pillsbury, Pope, Preble, Preston, Pruitt, Truxton
(destroyers); Black Hawk (destroyer tender); Elcano
(gunboat); Chaumont and Henderson (transports); and at
Woosung, Marblehead (cruiser) ; total, 18.
JAPAN - Tone (flagship), Hirado, Tenryu, Yahagi, Yakurno
(cruisers); Kashi, Take (destroyers); Torpedo-boats 10,
16, 18; Seta, Toba (gunboats); Tsurumi (oiler); total,
13.
FRANCE - Jules Michelet (cruiser, flagship), Cassiopee,
Craonne, Marne (dispatch vessels); total, 4.
PORTUGAL - Republica (sloop).
SPAIN - Blas de Lezo (cruiser).
ITALY - Libia (cruiser); E Carlotto (gunboat); Volta
(submarine depot) total, 3.
The
Netherlands cruiser Sumatra has gone from the list since last month.
Ascending the Yangtze, the distribution of the naval
forces of the Powers, according to the latest available
information, is as follows: At Chinkiang, there is the
British destroyer Verity, American destroyer Simpson,
and Japanese gunboat Sumida. At Nanking, there is the
British cruiser Carlisle and destroyer Seraph, the
American destroyer McCormick, and perhaps a Japanese
gunboat. At Wuhu, there are the British cruiser Caradoc
and two Japanese destroyers. At Kiukiang, there are the
British destroyer Wild Swan and gunboat Woodlark, and
the Japanese gunboat Katata and torpedo-boat No. 12.
This gives a total of warships in the river between
Shanghai and Hankow of 14.
The
naval forces at Hankow at the end of May included 31
vessels, a reduction of seven on the total a month ago.
The list was:
GREAT
BRITAIN - Durban, Vindictive (cruisers); Bee (flagship);
Scarab, Teal, and Mantis (gunboats); Veteran, Wanderer
and Witherington (destroyers); total, 9.
UNITED STATES - Cincinnati (cruiser); Isabel (flagship), Monocacy, Palos, Villalobos, and Penguin (gunboats);
Edsall, Peary, Stewart (destroyers); total, 9.
JAPAN - Sendai (cruiser); Ataka, Hira, Hodzu (gunboats):
Amatsukaze, Hinoki. Tokitsukaze, Urakaze, and Yanagi
(destroyers); total, 9.
FRANCE - Algol and Bellatrix (dispatch vessels): La
Grandlere (gunboat); total, 3.
ITALY - Muggia (destroyer).
Certain warships have again advanced above Hankow. and
the French gunboat Doudart de Lagree was reported at
Chunking; another French gunboat. the Alerte, being on
passage up river, as well as the dispatch vessel Algol.
The British gunboat Gnat and armed steamer Kiawo have
gone to Ichang, where the French gunboat Balny is also
reported.
As
will be seen from the foregoing, the grand total of
warships and their attendant vessels actually in the
Yangtze at the end of May was about 102, of which
one-half were at Shanghai.
|
|
|
|
|
|
VISIT OF MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JOHN DUNCAN |
|
|
|
|
|
Onboard ship |
|
Lt Cmdr Agnew (Gunnery Officer,
later commanded Force K in the Med in WW2), Gen Sir John
Duncan KCB, Capt ?Kitton MC. Watching gun loading
competition. Sent to Illustrated London News |
|
|
|
|
Inspecting ship. Sent to Times |
|
Photo sent to the Times |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NANKING, including Naval landing party
27 November 1927-6 March 1928 |
|
|
|
|
|
View of ship alongside International Export
Co Wharf. Taken from top of building. Note the
broken bridges |
|
Naval landing party on forecastle (not known if
Shanghai or Nanking) |
| |
|
|
|
Inspecting Naval landing party.
Sent to Times (possibly General Duncan) |
|
Landing Party, International Export Co, Nanking |
| |
|
|
The attack |
|
Battle Royal |
| |
|
|
After the scrap |
|
Guard of Beds & Herts Regiment behind first barricade
(the 1st Battalion mounted the guard of honour when
General Duncan's successor arrived in Shanghai on 25 January 1928)
|
| |
|
|
|
View of Managers House showing
damaged windows and verandah, taken last Sunday |
|
International Export Co, Nanking, where “Cooks Farm Eggs” are manufactured. Stayed from 27/11/27 to 6/3/28. HMS Keppel going alongside to relieve us |
|
|
|
|
A number
of photographs are not included -
"One of the Rebels hung by
the Federals behind the Refinery, copied
from one of the officer’s photos" and beheadings.
And in stark
contrast ........
|
|
Officers v CPO’s fancy dress
walking football match, International Export Co’s
compound, Nanking, China, Xmas day (1927) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
JAPAN and CHINA
March - May 1928
17 March 1928 - was due at Kobe after visiting Inland Sea and Kure
18 March - arrived Nagasaki and left for Miyajima
22 March - was due to leave Kobe
22 March
- should be at Miyajima
23 & 24
March - should be at Takamutsu
24 March
to 4 April - should be at Yokohama
24 March
- arrived Kobe
29 March
- left Kobe for Foochow
CHINESE
WATER - continued
2-6
April 1928 - should be at Foochow
6 April - left Foochow
7 April
- arrived Swatow
7-11
April - should be at Swatow in course of last cruise
with 5th CS
14 April
- arrived Hong Kong to await arrival of heavy cruiser BERWICK
21 April
- should be relieved in 5th CS by BERWICK, proceed to
Bermuda and join 8th CS, America & West Indies Station
24 April -
due to leave Hong Kong
29 Apr -
6 May due to call at Yokohama, Japan
30 April
- left Hong Kong
DEPARTED
CHINA STATION
1 May 1928 (confirmed) - left Hong Kong (Capt G L Coleridge,
being relieved on China Station by BERWICK, to replace
CAIRO on America & Indies Station)
5 May - arrived Yokohama (spent week there)
13 May -
due to leave Yokohama
|
| |
|
|
Miyajima, sacred island |
|
Where East meets West taken in
Museum grounds, Kyoto |
| |
|
|
Outside the largest shrine in Japan at Kyoto. I’m just winding up my camera consequently no can see face |
|
Entrance to the park, Yokohoma |
| |
|
|
With my chop sticks & sushi, Kirin beer (brewed from 1907
and still around. Note the US sailors) |
|
Group taken at shrine on the mountain side |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
17 May 1928 -
due to reach Honolulu, Hawaii (after reportedly due to leave Yokohama on the 13
May)
22 May -
arrived Honolulu
29 May -
left Honolulu for Esquimalt, British Columbia
(BC), Canada
6 June - arrived Esquimalt from Honolulu. Now reached America & West Indies Station which includes Pacific waters, travel via
Panama Canal from main base at Bermuda. To visit British
Columbia ports over next two months.
12 June - left Victoria BC for Kodiak
ALASKAN WATERS
June/July 1928
18 June 1928 - arrived Kodiak
19 June - left Kodiak
21 June - arrived at Valdez
24 June
- left Valdez
26 June
- arrived Juneau
30 June
- left Juneau for Sitka
5 July -
left Sitka
10 July
- left Wrangell
|
| |
|
|
|
At anchor in Thumb's Cove, Resurrection Bay, near
Seward. This is
the one I took for an Xmas card |
|
Resurrection Bay |
|
|
|
|
|
Juneau |
|
Sitka (This and other post-cards produced at the
time by the Photoshop Studio are now in the
Alaska State Library collection) |
| |
|
|
Wrangell |
|
Wrangell |
|
|
|
|
Alaska |
|
three sailors on glacier |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
