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- HMS Leopard 1st Commission
HMS Leopard 1st Commission
- By Robby G
- Published 05/6/2008
- HMS Leopard
-
Rating:
Part 6
January at the Cape
TIP-To-TOP
Inspired by the Daily Mail “Arch to Arc” race, Cape Argus had announced in December that it was offering £1000 in prizes for a race from Cape Point (the tip) to Maclears Beacon, on Table Mountain (the top), a direct distance of 26 miles. The competition was to consist of two classes, speed and ingenuity. There were a number of other rules, among them an overall speed limit of 35mph and a ban on the use of four-wheeled powered vehicles up a mountain jeep track.
Fresh from our Indian Ocean cruise, the first we heard of all this was when the Mayor of Capetown, in the course of the Captains official call on her, cordially invited us to enter a team from LEOPARD.
An attempt to achieve the fastest time was not considered worthwhile. Few varieties in method were possible, and there seemed no simple way to employ effectively a large team. It was therefore decided to concentrate on the ingenuity section.
The plan was that the ships entrant would be a shallow- water diver-fully dressed in his frogman outfit. He would be lowered to the water at Cape Point and swim to a boat that would take him to a convenient harbour, from there a lorry would take him up the mountain as far as possible, after which he would walk- or be carried – to the top. The plan in its outline was approved, as was the use of Service equipment, and a call was made for volunteers.
It was essential that the attempt be conducted as a naval operation, and so the Gunnery Officer was put in charge. More likely detailed off! The Diving Officer and the Gunner were to assist. Four Petty Officers volunteered at once, or was it you, you, you and you! Anyway all were fit shallow- water divers, anxious to be selected. 16 other ratings also came forward immediately, including myself. All volunteers were gathered and told of the plan, being warned that the whole enterprise would be extremely exacting physical labour, and were given the chance to withdraw, none did.
The Gunnery Officer then began canvassing mountaineers’ options of the best away to reach the top. It soon appeared that a jeep track from Constantia Nek to the reservoir and an easy path from there to Maclear’s Beacon was one of the most practicable. Most of the jeep track lay in the Water Board Conservation area and, with the Boards permission and the help of one of their Rangers in a jeep, the Gunnery Officer made the first reccee. The six mile track is difficult by any standards, with many hairpin bends and steep gradients, but it was decided that with care a three ton lorry could get up. The path to the top was straight forward and, although hard going, offered a feasible route for a stretcher party.
Cape Point was then visited and two alternative routes down to a sheltered bay on the eastern side was investigated. It was considered quite practicable to take a diver to the waters edge. As no RN boats were available to us except our small ships boats, negotiations were opened with a number of private individuals for the loan or hire.
The remainder of the route was driven over and timings noted. It was decided that Kalk Bay, with it’s fine harbour and convenient main road, was the best landing point. This brings back memories of Lulworth Cove, the G.O was in charge of that landing? At this stage it was intended to take the team right to the reservoir by lorry, and it was not until a week later that we received the rules forbidding the use of four-wheeled vehicles. At this time it was suggested that it might be possible to rig jackstay gear between two points on the mountain path, and hoist the diver part of the way. Further reconnaissance was made with a small party of Officers and ratings, and it was finally decided to rig sheerlegs on top of the small plateau on which the beacon stands and hoist the diver 30 feet to the finish.
So, we are now going to transport a diver, fully booted and spurred from Cape Point to the top of Table Mountain without him touching the ground, with temperatures well into the eighties! Why is it, nobody heeds that firm old warning “never volunteer”.
The team was now formed into groups; the stretcher party, the jackstay party and the diving party. Drills were worked out and practised at Cape Point, tip, and at the Table, top.
But there was still a gap in the execution of the plan-the all important stage from Constantia to the reservoir. It was at this point that Sub-lieutenant Francis-Jones (later to become Admiral Francis- Jones) recalled that in 1929 his father had driven the first car ever-an Austin Seven-from Constantia Nek to the Reservoir over rough hillsides. The chance was too good to miss, and after many enquiries an Austin Seven was unearthed in a scrapyard. After removing the engine, cutting the roof off and repainting, it looked something like the original. The plan now was for the diver to be hauled up the road sitting in the Austin Seven car driven (steered) by the Sub-Lieutenant.
At the request of the Cape Argus our team made their attempt on 27th January. At 0640 hrs the diving party were driven to Kalk Bay and embarked in a fishing boat for Cape Point. At 0800 the stretcher party and diver with the Gunner in charge, left for Cape Point by lorry. They were followed shortly by the Gunnery Officer and two signalmen in a car.
At Cape Point all hands made for the lighthouse where the diver was dressed in his cumbersome frogmans outfit.
In the presence of the Captain, who accompanied the team throughout, and the competition officials, the attempt started at 0900. The “still” was
piped and at the explosion of a thunderflash the stretcher party leapt into action and strapped the diver into a “Neil Robinson” stretcher. He was carried in this down forty steps to a concrete road then along to where a precarious slope led to the waters edge.
The fishing boat was lying off shore by now, and as the party arrived a “Coston Gun Line” was fired ashore. The outer end of the divers safety line was attached and hauled out to the boat. The diver jumped in to the not to calm waters, his safety-line preventing him being dashed back on the rocks. Throughout this phase communications were maintained between the boat and shore by means of portable W/T sets.
As soon as the diver was aboard the fishing boat set out for Kalk Bay. The stretcher party climbed back up the hill and set out in the lorry (with the Austin Seven aboard)
for Constantia Nek. The G.O and one signalman, left by car to Kalk Bay where they were met, by the jackstay party with a Landrover.
When the fishing boat arrived at 1105hrs it entered the harbour entrance and the stopped. The diver jumped into the water and swam about 70 feet underwater to a vertical ladder on the jetty. He was helped up the ladder and placed in a waiting armchair. This was then carried shoulder-high on a pair of oars through a considerable crowd to the Landrover. Once the diver was aboard we set out for Constantia Nek, arriving shortly after midday.
Here the Cape Point stretcher party had unloaded the Austin Seven and laid out the drag ropes, no time was lost transferring the diver to the car.
The drag ropes were manned by twelve of the party, including myself, and, with four more pushing, Sub Lt Francis- Jones at the wheel, the Austin started on its 6 mile haul up the mountain. Bag meals were provided for lunch, the normal fodder, stale cheese sandwiches and an apple, together with the mandatory “limers” to replace the sweat!
As is normal with all “airy arsed sailors” the bag meals had been scoffed before arrival at Constantia Nek. Thankfully the “limers” was spared, this was to be most welcome, later on during the tow and push, even though the chef had forgot to put any sugar in it!
The haul to the reservoir took 2 ¾ hours of very hard effort. Only four five minute stops were made en route. The chef’s bag meals weren’t helping! The greatest need was water or limers, as the thick dust caused considerable irritation. Although the going was hard, the rhythm of the pull was scarcely broken throughout. On arrival at the reservoir we had a 15minute halt while everyone recovered and plenty of liquid was guzzled thankfully.
The jackstay gear had been brought up in the back of the Austin Seven and was now made up into carrying bundles. The diver was also transferred to his “Neil Robinson” stretcher again.
Refreshed, the party set out at 1505 on the final stretch. The jackstay party, led the way, followed by the much slower, diver carrying, stretcher party. Even with seven men carrying it, the stretcher proved cumbersome, and awkward in places. Parts of the pathwere very steep and it took two hours ten minutes of sustained effort to reach the plateau of Table Mountain. Under the hot South African sun the diver was feeling the worst. At frequent halts oxygen was squirted down the divers suit in an attempt to keep him cool. In comparison, the remaining mile along the top of the mountain to Maclears Beacon was easy going.
The jackstay party set off again in advance and reached the final approach to the Beacon at 1735hrs. The “sheers” were erected on top of the 30-foot “cliff” and the jackstay rigged, using a convenient boulder for its lower anchor and steel bars driven into a crack in the rock for the topping-lift. The gear was rigged just as the diver reached the lower end. He was swiftly hoisted into a Boatswain’s chair and hauled up the jackstay to the top. Once there he was carried by four, now pretty exhausted, lads, the last fifty feet to the Beacon, and the finishing point. The operation finished as it had begun, to the pipe of the “still” and the crack of a thunderflash.
The journey from Tip to Top took 8 hours 47 minutes. The cheerful and willing effort throughout by everyone was most commendable. The diver, although practically roasted in his rubber suit, never once complained and survived the exploit remarkably well.
The Cape Argus awarded special prizes to our team and to the only other Service entry, the Cape Field Artillery. The speed section was won by a schoolboy in 1 hour 34minutes 35 seconds.
Our First Lieutenant (Lt Crosbie) was at the summit to greet us, having exhausted himself with the confines of the cable car. The one consolation was that he had with him a crate of beer for the “lads”. One tinny per person perhaps! The burden of carrying so much, “on ones own” must have been exhausting? Well done Number One!
Our Prize Money was £4. 8. 4p ( Four pounds Eight Shillings & Fourpence) (£4. 42 pence) each. This was after stoppages that included paying for the beer that the "jimmy" carried to the top of Table Mountain.
If you equate that a pint of beer was One shilling and Six pence (7 1/2p) at that time, at todays prices a pint is,say, £3.00 then the prize money today would be in excess of £177. each.
In other words we would have got 59 pints for our Four pounds Eight shillings and Fourpence.
January at the Cape
TIP-To-TOP
Inspired by the Daily Mail “Arch to Arc” race, Cape Argus had announced in December that it was offering £1000 in prizes for a race from Cape Point (the tip) to Maclears Beacon, on Table Mountain (the top), a direct distance of 26 miles. The competition was to consist of two classes, speed and ingenuity. There were a number of other rules, among them an overall speed limit of 35mph and a ban on the use of four-wheeled powered vehicles up a mountain jeep track.
Fresh from our Indian Ocean cruise, the first we heard of all this was when the Mayor of Capetown, in the course of the Captains official call on her, cordially invited us to enter a team from LEOPARD.
An attempt to achieve the fastest time was not considered worthwhile. Few varieties in method were possible, and there seemed no simple way to employ effectively a large team. It was therefore decided to concentrate on the ingenuity section.
The plan was that the ships entrant would be a shallow- water diver-fully dressed in his frogman outfit. He would be lowered to the water at Cape Point and swim to a boat that would take him to a convenient harbour, from there a lorry would take him up the mountain as far as possible, after which he would walk- or be carried – to the top. The plan in its outline was approved, as was the use of Service equipment, and a call was made for volunteers.
It was essential that the attempt be conducted as a naval operation, and so the Gunnery Officer was put in charge. More likely detailed off! The Diving Officer and the Gunner were to assist. Four Petty Officers volunteered at once, or was it you, you, you and you! Anyway all were fit shallow- water divers, anxious to be selected. 16 other ratings also came forward immediately, including myself. All volunteers were gathered and told of the plan, being warned that the whole enterprise would be extremely exacting physical labour, and were given the chance to withdraw, none did.
The Gunnery Officer then began canvassing mountaineers’ options of the best away to reach the top. It soon appeared that a jeep track from Constantia Nek to the reservoir and an easy path from there to Maclear’s Beacon was one of the most practicable. Most of the jeep track lay in the Water Board Conservation area and, with the Boards permission and the help of one of their Rangers in a jeep, the Gunnery Officer made the first reccee. The six mile track is difficult by any standards, with many hairpin bends and steep gradients, but it was decided that with care a three ton lorry could get up. The path to the top was straight forward and, although hard going, offered a feasible route for a stretcher party.
Cape Point was then visited and two alternative routes down to a sheltered bay on the eastern side was investigated. It was considered quite practicable to take a diver to the waters edge. As no RN boats were available to us except our small ships boats, negotiations were opened with a number of private individuals for the loan or hire.
The remainder of the route was driven over and timings noted. It was decided that Kalk Bay, with it’s fine harbour and convenient main road, was the best landing point. This brings back memories of Lulworth Cove, the G.O was in charge of that landing? At this stage it was intended to take the team right to the reservoir by lorry, and it was not until a week later that we received the rules forbidding the use of four-wheeled vehicles. At this time it was suggested that it might be possible to rig jackstay gear between two points on the mountain path, and hoist the diver part of the way. Further reconnaissance was made with a small party of Officers and ratings, and it was finally decided to rig sheerlegs on top of the small plateau on which the beacon stands and hoist the diver 30 feet to the finish.
So, we are now going to transport a diver, fully booted and spurred from Cape Point to the top of Table Mountain without him touching the ground, with temperatures well into the eighties! Why is it, nobody heeds that firm old warning “never volunteer”.
The team was now formed into groups; the stretcher party, the jackstay party and the diving party. Drills were worked out and practised at Cape Point, tip, and at the Table, top.
But there was still a gap in the execution of the plan-the all important stage from Constantia to the reservoir. It was at this point that Sub-lieutenant Francis-Jones (later to become Admiral Francis- Jones) recalled that in 1929 his father had driven the first car ever-an Austin Seven-from Constantia Nek to the Reservoir over rough hillsides. The chance was too good to miss, and after many enquiries an Austin Seven was unearthed in a scrapyard. After removing the engine, cutting the roof off and repainting, it looked something like the original. The plan now was for the diver to be hauled up the road sitting in the Austin Seven car driven (steered) by the Sub-Lieutenant.
At the request of the Cape Argus our team made their attempt on 27th January. At 0640 hrs the diving party were driven to Kalk Bay and embarked in a fishing boat for Cape Point. At 0800 the stretcher party and diver with the Gunner in charge, left for Cape Point by lorry. They were followed shortly by the Gunnery Officer and two signalmen in a car.
At Cape Point all hands made for the lighthouse where the diver was dressed in his cumbersome frogmans outfit.
In the presence of the Captain, who accompanied the team throughout, and the competition officials, the attempt started at 0900. The “still” was
The fishing boat was lying off shore by now, and as the party arrived a “Coston Gun Line” was fired ashore. The outer end of the divers safety line was attached and hauled out to the boat. The diver jumped in to the not to calm waters, his safety-line preventing him being dashed back on the rocks. Throughout this phase communications were maintained between the boat and shore by means of portable W/T sets.
As soon as the diver was aboard the fishing boat set out for Kalk Bay. The stretcher party climbed back up the hill and set out in the lorry (with the Austin Seven aboard)
for Constantia Nek. The G.O and one signalman, left by car to Kalk Bay where they were met, by the jackstay party with a Landrover.
When the fishing boat arrived at 1105hrs it entered the harbour entrance and the stopped. The diver jumped into the water and swam about 70 feet underwater to a vertical ladder on the jetty. He was helped up the ladder and placed in a waiting armchair. This was then carried shoulder-high on a pair of oars through a considerable crowd to the Landrover. Once the diver was aboard we set out for Constantia Nek, arriving shortly after midday.
Here the Cape Point stretcher party had unloaded the Austin Seven and laid out the drag ropes, no time was lost transferring the diver to the car.
The drag ropes were manned by twelve of the party, including myself, and, with four more pushing, Sub Lt Francis- Jones at the wheel, the Austin started on its 6 mile haul up the mountain. Bag meals were provided for lunch, the normal fodder, stale cheese sandwiches and an apple, together with the mandatory “limers” to replace the sweat!
As is normal with all “airy arsed sailors” the bag meals had been scoffed before arrival at Constantia Nek. Thankfully the “limers” was spared, this was to be most welcome, later on during the tow and push, even though the chef had forgot to put any sugar in it!
The haul to the reservoir took 2 ¾ hours of very hard effort. Only four five minute stops were made en route. The chef’s bag meals weren’t helping! The greatest need was water or limers, as the thick dust caused considerable irritation. Although the going was hard, the rhythm of the pull was scarcely broken throughout. On arrival at the reservoir we had a 15minute halt while everyone recovered and plenty of liquid was guzzled thankfully. The jackstay gear had been brought up in the back of the Austin Seven and was now made up into carrying bundles. The diver was also transferred to his “Neil Robinson” stretcher again.
Refreshed, the party set out at 1505 on the final stretch. The jackstay party, led the way, followed by the much slower, diver carrying, stretcher party. Even with seven men carrying it, the stretcher proved cumbersome, and awkward in places. Parts of the pathwere very steep and it took two hours ten minutes of sustained effort to reach the plateau of Table Mountain. Under the hot South African sun the diver was feeling the worst. At frequent halts oxygen was squirted down the divers suit in an attempt to keep him cool. In comparison, the remaining mile along the top of the mountain to Maclears Beacon was easy going.
The jackstay party set off again in advance and reached the final approach to the Beacon at 1735hrs. The “sheers” were erected on top of the 30-foot “cliff” and the jackstay rigged, using a convenient boulder for its lower anchor and steel bars driven into a crack in the rock for the topping-lift. The gear was rigged just as the diver reached the lower end. He was swiftly hoisted into a Boatswain’s chair and hauled up the jackstay to the top. Once there he was carried by four, now pretty exhausted, lads, the last fifty feet to the Beacon, and the finishing point. The operation finished as it had begun, to the pipe of the “still” and the crack of a thunderflash. The journey from Tip to Top took 8 hours 47 minutes. The cheerful and willing effort throughout by everyone was most commendable. The diver, although practically roasted in his rubber suit, never once complained and survived the exploit remarkably well.
The Cape Argus awarded special prizes to our team and to the only other Service entry, the Cape Field Artillery. The speed section was won by a schoolboy in 1 hour 34minutes 35 seconds.
Our First Lieutenant (Lt Crosbie) was at the summit to greet us, having exhausted himself with the confines of the cable car. The one consolation was that he had with him a crate of beer for the “lads”. One tinny per person perhaps! The burden of carrying so much, “on ones own” must have been exhausting? Well done Number One!
Our Prize Money was £4. 8. 4p ( Four pounds Eight Shillings & Fourpence) (£4. 42 pence) each. This was after stoppages that included paying for the beer that the "jimmy" carried to the top of Table Mountain.
If you equate that a pint of beer was One shilling and Six pence (7 1/2p) at that time, at todays prices a pint is,say, £3.00 then the prize money today would be in excess of £177. each.
In other words we would have got 59 pints for our Four pounds Eight shillings and Fourpence.