H.M.S. DEVONSHIRE
Extracted from the Devonshire magazine Autumn Cruise 1949
Many thanks to Jerry Judge ex RM Bandsman

After WWII Devonshire became the Sea Training platform for our future Officers

H.M.S. DEVONSHIRE
Cadet Training Cruiser
1949 Cruise

Built by Devonport Dockyard. Laid down 16th March, 1926.
Launched 22nd October 1927. Completed 18th March, 1929.
Washington tonnage—9,750 tons. Deep load—13,240 tons.
Parsons Turbines. 8 Yarrow small tube boilers, with superheaters.
4 in number 350 kilowatt Turbo-Generators.
Endurance at 15 knots—8,000 miles. Oil Fuel—3,210 tons.
Length overall—630 ft. 3+Xn. Beam—66 ft. Deep load draught Forward 21 ft.
6in. Aft 20 ft. 10 in. /
Complement—48 Officers, 227 Cadets and 560 Ship’s Company.
Armament—1 8in. Turret, Mk. IX; 2 Twin 4 in Mountings Mk. XVI Guns; 1 Four Barrelled Pom Pom Mk. VIII Guns; 1 Twin Oerlikon Mk. V and 1 Single Oerlikon ; 4 Saluting Guns. 3 Pounder: 1 Single Bofor.

Boats —3 in number 35-ft motorboats; 1 in number 25-ft motor boat; 2 in number 32-ft motor cutters; 2 in number 36-ft pinnaces; 4 in number 32-ft cutters; 8 in number 14-ft siling dinghies; 4 in number 27-ft whalers

Our ship is the seventh to bear the name. It is thought that the name was introduced into the Navy in honour of the Cavendish family who first held the Earldoms of Devonshire and Cavendish at the time of the original launch. It was William Earl of Cavendish, who, together with the Earl of Derby, had been responsible for drawing up the plans in the obscure alehouse near Whittington, which led to the deposition of King James II. In 1694 he was created Duke of Devonshire for these and other services rendered to the Revolutionary settlement .

The First “Devonshire
Built by William Wyatt at Burlesdon on Southampton Water.
Launched 6th May 1692.
A Third-rater of 1,220 tons: 80 guns.
Length 127 ft. Breadth 41 ft. : Depth 17 ft.
Complement varied from 410—490 men : and after the 1704 refit was 700.

Cape Barfleur was the scene of the “Devonshire’s” first action. The French had assembled a large army at La Hogue, a small town on the east side of the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy, with which they planned to restore ex-King James II to the throne. Their fleet was being prepared to cover the invasion when on the 18th May 1692. the “Devonshire,” within a fortnight of completion, formed part of the Anglo-Dutch fleet which left Spithead, under Admiral of the Fleet, Edward Russell, to seek it out and destroy it. The following day action was joined at 1000. The “Devonshire” was in the Red Squadron which bore the brunt of the fighting, and it was not until the evening that the battle was brought to a conclusion by a thick fog, under cover of which the French Admiral, Tourville. tried to escape. The Allied Fleet continued to chase for two days but the wind was so light that neither fleet could move faster than the ebb-tide would carry it : every flood tide obliging both to anchor. On the 21st May, however, the French ships became scattered. Three of them, including Tourville’s flag-ship the “ Soleil Royal,” sheltered in Cherbourg Bay, where they were set on fire and destroyed. Twenty escaped by way of the Race of Alderney to St. Malo, while twelve took refuge in the Bay of La Hogue. These latter were completely destroyed by the small boats and fire ships of the fleet, King James witnessing the, to him, sorry sight from the shore. With their destruction perished his own hopes of a restoration while, for the time being, our shores were free from the fear of a French invasion.
Five years later, while on detached duty in the Channel with the “Torbay” and “Restoration,” eighty gun ships also, and two smaller vessels, the “Devonshire” had a brush with ten French men-of-war returning from the West Indies. They were under the command of Rear Admiral de Pointis and although a numerically superior force, after an indecisive engagement of three hours, they set their topgallant sails to a fresh gale of wind and left their pursuers far behind.
In 1704 “Devonshire” was virtually rebuilt by Mr. R. Lee at Woolwich and was commissioned by the Right Honourable James Lord Dursley, afterwards the Earl of Berkeley and First Lord of the Admiralty. But it was John Watkins who was in command on her ill-fated final action. Her last duty was to be part of a force of five ships escorting a convoy of 130 sail bound for Lisbon with merchandise, warlike stores and horses. The French had information of the convoy and their Admirals Duguay-Trouin and Count Forbin, with their united squadrons of fourteen men-of-war, were ordered to sea to look for it. They fell in with the Convoy off the Lizard on the 10th October 1707 and met a stubborn resistance, the “Devonshire” and others throwing themelves into the battle to enable the merchantmen to escape. While nearly all of them reached Lisbon, the “Royal Oak” was the only Royal ship to escape. The “Devonshire,” after putting up a running fight for five hours, during which time the other ships in the force had been captured, suddenly blew up with a blinding flash and all her crew, with the exception of two, perished.

The Second “Devonshire”
Built at Woolwich.
Launched 12th December 1710.
A Third-rater of 1,304 tons 80 guns.
Length 156 ft. Breadth 44 ft. Depth 16 ft.
Complement 550 men.
The life of the second “Devonshire” was uneventful. A year after commissioning she was sent as part of a formidable force under Rear Admiral Sir Hovenden-Walker to attack Quebec and other French possessions in America. The St. Lawrence had not been adequately charted and the “Devonshire “on proving to be too large to navigate its waters, was sent home. She remained inactive until the country became alarmed at Jacobite activities. The discovery that the Swedish Minister in London was involved in a Jacobite plot was enough, after the Fifteen, to make the country break off trade relations with Sweden and to despatch a fleet of twenty ships of the line to the Baltic to see that the prohibition was enforced. From March till November 1717 the “ Devonshire” was part of that fleet, but she saw no action as the Swedes did not venture outside their ports.
In 1740 she was converted into a hulk for duty at Woolwich.
In 1760 she was sold out of the Service for £285.

The Third “Devonshire”:
Built at Woolwich.
Launched 19th July 1745.
A Third-rater of 1,471 tons 80 guns—reduced to 66.
Length 161 ft.; Breadth 44 ft.: Depth 18 ft.
Complement 520 men.

It was this ship which won for us most of what we call our Battle Honours.
Finisterre 1747. When Vice-Admiral George Anson flying his flag in the “Prince George.” with Rear Admiral Peter Warren, his second in command, in the “Devonshire.” put to sea on 9th April 1747, with seventeen ships, they were looking for two French Squadrons intent on the recovery of Cape Breton and other American possessions. The French, under Admiral de Ia Jonquière, with fourteen men-of-war and a convoy of twenty-four merchantmen were sighted on the 3rd May about seventy miles from Cape Finisterre. Both fleets ordered line of battle, but Anson, on Warren’s suggestion, altered his to a general chase. At the end of a three- hour running battle all the French ships which had remained in the line had struck their colours, and most of the merchantmen had been captured. The “Devonshire” distinguished herself by capturing the Sixty gun ship, the “Serieux,” which was flying Jonquière’s flag. £300,000 of booty was taken from the prizes and the captured ships added to the Navy. Anson was given a peerage.
Ushant 1747. The French on this occasion were setting out for the West Indies. There was a convoy of 252 merchantmen escorted by ten men-of-war under Admiral de l’Etenduère, with his flag in the “Tonnant.” They were sighted by Rear Admiral (later Lord) Hawke, who had hoisted his flag in the “Devonshire,” and sailed with fourteen ships from Plymouth on the 9th August The battle was joined off Ushant, de l’Etenduère detaching two of his ships to look after the convoy, and fighting courageously with the rest. They were over-powered but not before they had mauled our ships too roughly for them to be able to pursue the merchant- men. “Devonshire” greatly distinguished herself by compelling two ships to strike their colours, and then bearing down and capturing a third, the “Terrible.” One verse of contemporary doggerel records

“Of their “Trident” our “Devonshire” came alongsidc
And souse! in her guts such a dose did she hide
That the rummaging pills almost work’d her to death
For she soon, like the “Severn,” lay gasping for breath.
Then bounce ! came their “Terrible “—foul as a Tartar
But she too sung small, till she cry’d out for quarter.”

Quebec 1759. It was not until the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War that the “Devonshire” again saw action. She was one of the expedition of forty-nine ships which on the 17th February 1759 set sail from Spithead carrying the troops of General Wolfe. She might have been destroyed on arrival by the French fire ships, but prompt action by a number of our picket boats averted that fate, and she lived to see the great day when the soldiery scaled the precipitious Heights of Abraham. The surrender of Quebec virtually meant that the conquest of Canada was complete and the “Devonshire” with the “Vanguard” and the “Somerset” were free to be sent home. Quiberon Bay might very easily have been added to the Honours. News was received that the French Brest fleet was at sea and despite the condition of the ship, course was altered for France. Before contact could be made, however, Hawke had won his great victory of the 20th November, and the “Devonshire” had to be content to steer for home.
Havana 1762. The “Devonshire” was in the West Indies in 1762 coming down from the St. Lawrence where she had again been operating since 1760 assisting in the capture of Montreal. Here she was a unit in a fleet of forty ships which, under Rodney, invested the French island of Martinique. Many of her guns were landed and a Naval Brigade manhandled them over six miles of most difficult country to Fort Royal. With the surrender of Martinique came the selection of “ Devonshire’s” Captain, Captain Darby, to take the good news to England. He was succeeded by Captain Marshall, under whom the ship assisted in the capture of the Spanish island of Havana. While a feint was made elsewhere troops were put ashore under cover of the guns of the Fleet and although the Spaniards made a gallant defence Havana fell on the 14th August. “Devonshire” was one of the escort for the Spanish prizes which sailed in November for England. About 600 miles west of Land’s End the squadron was dispersed by a violent gale, the “Devonshire “ only saving herself by throwing overboard many of her guns. She reached Spithead after suffering many privations only on the 13th January. 1763.
She remained in reserve for the rest of her life and was broken up at Portsmouth in 1772.
The Fourth ‘Devonshire”: was a small merchant vessel which was bought by the Admiralty for use as a fireship in 1804. She was set adrift on the night of 23rd October in Boulogne harbour when Napoleon was assembling a large flotilla of barges and small craft for the invasion of England. After passing through the French lines she exploded but only wounded two men.

The Fifth “Devonshire”
Built by Messrs. Barnard & Co. at Diptford.
Launched 23rd September 1812.
A Third-rater of 1,742 tons : 74 guns.
Complement of 590 men.

Completed almost at the end of the Napoleonic war, the fifth “Devonshire”
lived through the long years of peace which lasted till the outbreak of the Crimean
War in 1854, by which time she was too old for active operations.
She remained out of commission at Chatham till 1849, when she temporarily
replaced the “Dreadnought” as a hospital ship for merchant seamen.
On 13th July 1854 she was commissioned for service as a prison ship at Sheerness for Russian prisoners of war. From 1857 till 1868 she acted as a school ship
for the Steam Reserve. In 1869 she was broken up.

The Sixth “Devonshire”:
Built by Chatham Dockyard.
Designed by Sir William White.
First keel plate laid by the Prince of Wales, 25-3-1902.
Launched 30-4-1904.
10,850 tons; Length 450 ft.: Breadth 68 ft.: Depth 25 ft.: Speed 222 knots.
Armament: 4 x 7.5 inch; 6 x 6 inch 2 x 12 pounder; 22 x 3 pounder:
2 x 18 inch submerged torpedo tubes.

Commissioned on the 24th October 1905 the “Devonshire” served with the 1st Cruiser Squadron in the Channel Fleet. Almost at once she served as escort to the “ Victoria and Albert “ on the occasion of the visit of the King of Greece, and in August of the following year again, when King Edward paid a visit to the German Emperor. After being transferred to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron in the Atlantic Fleet, she was detached to form, with three other ships. a Special Service Squadron to visit South Africa in connection with the meeting of the Convention for the Federation of the South African Colonies 1908.
“Devonshire” served in the 3rd Division of the Home Fleet at Devonport
until her refit at Gibraltar in 1912, after which she was transferred to the 3rd Cruiser
Squadron in the First Fleet.
On the 18th July 1914 “Devonshire” was at Spithead following a general mobilisation of the Home Fleets, which replaced the usual manouvres that year. Instead of demobilisation on the 26th of July as intended, the ships did not disperse, but, three days later the “ Devonshire “ in the First Fleet, henceforth known as the Grand Fleet, sailed for Scapa.
For the next two years the” Devonshire” served with the 3rd Cruiser Squadron, Grand Fleet ; based on Rosyth. On the 16th December 1914 she took part in the counter actions to the enemy raid on the Yorkshire coast and she was in the Dogger Bank action of the January of the following year.
From the 1st November 1916 until the end of hostilities the “Devonshire” was in the North American and West Indies Squadron when her task, which involved a great deal of sea time with little to show, was to patrol the chief northern trade routes, searching for commerce raiders.
After being paid off on 21st May 1919 for the last time she was sold, two
years later, to Messrs. T. W. Ward Ltd., of Sheffield, by whom she was broken up.
(For a fuller account see : “The King’s Ships,” H, S. Lecky).

The History of the Seventh Devonshire can be found here; HMS Devonshire 1926-1954 

ROYAL MARINE BAND 1949
The Band has had a very full programme this cruise and lived up to its name for versatility. The following details of their performance will show that it ranged from a full orchestral programme in Gibraltar Cathedral to dance music concerts or ‘Sailors Opera’ in the rec. space.
During a normal week the band played in the evenings for the Wardroom, Cadets and Ship’s Company and at any official receptions or “at homes’’ on board. The latter were given at Grenada, Barbados, Montego Bay and Kingston, and as described by the Daily Gleaner’—” The band provided a rich soft and entertaining musical background.’’ At Grenada the band played a military band concert on the esplanade. The weather just held out and quite a large crowd collected. A welcome supply of beer was provided at the end.

Sponsored by the Navy Welfare League a dance for the Ship’s Company was given at the Paradise Beach Club, Barbados. The dance band played amid a fine tropical background of swaying palms and murmuring waves, and despite the effects of rum and ginger and an out of tune piano everything went with a swing.
Montego Bay kept the band very busy. Beating of the Retreat was carried out twice once at the Country Club when a subscription for charity, canteen funds and band fund realised £13 10s. 0d. The Senior Cadet buglers took part in these ceremonies with great success.

The second time was after the ship’s football team had beaten the local team
1—0. The band played during the interval and then “Beat the Retreat.” Musn. Alltimes had to do a swift change from football rig to uniform and during this interval Sgt. Turner with twenty-two Royal Marines gave a short drill display.

Both the drill display and the Retreat went off well in spite of the crowd, who could not be kept under control and insisted on surrounding the band and drill. squad, and nearly succeeded in cutting them off from each other. The band returned on board and, straight away sat down to play for an official party.

At Montego Bay the band also played at the sports meeting, and the dance band at two dances — luckily both ‘‘private engagements’’ thereby increasing their rabbiting capacity on arrival at Kingston.

One more dance at Kingston completed the dance band’s outside engagements.
The highlight of the cruise for the band was undoubtedly the orchestral programme
in Gibraltar Cathedral. The band played at the evening service on Sunday, 27th
March. In addition to accompanying the hymns the orchestra played the well-loved
Chorale of J. S. Bach, “ Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” and the Adagio movement of Haydn’s Oxford Symphony before the commencement of the service, and three pieces from the Suite in D, by Bach, with the Aria “ Sheep may safely graze ‘‘ (also by J. S. Bach), after the service was over. This programme was much appreciated and is a great achievement for a ship’s orchestra. To provide this programme a lot of hard work and practice was put in while crossing the Atlantic. The Bach Chorale and Aria were both specially orchestrated by Bandmaster W. G. Cotton. The Haydn work, too, had to be specially adapted to suit the orchestra’s limited combination.
The ‘Sailors’ Opera” programmes on Monday evenings were always a great success and both Leading Seaman Grant (the compere) and P.O. Lilley helped to make them go with a swing. The band wish Leading Seaman Grant every success in the future as he is leaving the ship.
An experiment of raising boats to music at sea was tried and certainly brought the boats up, attention to ‘‘high ‘nuff’’ tended to be a little difficult once the band were away with the ‘‘Can Can’’ from “Orpheus in the Underworld’’ but luckily no boats “clewed up’’ on top of the funnels.
A tiger skin was received before leaving England and worn by Cpl. Wain at the beating of the retreat He does not recommend it for tropical wear.

In the field of sport, the band again formed a successful association with the communication division ‘‘teleband” which has proved something of a dark horse in inter-part football this cruise , this team having fought their way astonishingly into the finals by beating the boys 3—0, the Seamen “A’’ 2—0, and the Cadets 3—2. The final, with the Miscellaneous as their adversaries, has yet to be decided and the issue is the cause of much speculation it will certainly be hotly contested

LIST OF OFFICERS 1949 Cruise

Captain St. J. Cronyn, DSO. RN
Commander .1. C. C. Henley
Lieutenant-Commanders (N) .J. L. West. D.S.C.
J. B. Manners, D.S.C.
(G) H. Fl. Dannreuther
(TAS) Hon. T. V. Stopford
F. F, Gueritz, D.S.C.*
(P/W) C. B, Defries
(S/M) J. A. Spender, DS.C.
Lieutenants Hon. M. A. Tennyson. D.S.C.
(C) R. J. Pitt, M.B.E,
I. W.V. Browne
(S/M) J. Blackburn, D.S.C.
(P) A. D. Cassidi
Commander (E) (S/M) D. A. Cotman
Lieutenant-Commander (B) 0. F. Baker, D.S.C.
Lieutenants (E) (S/M) D. P. N. Carroll
A. N. S. Burnett
B. R. Bland
3. R. M. Platt
J. N. Mitchell
T, A. Spencer
Captain. R.M. (C) E. D. Stroud, D.S.C.
Lieutenant-Commander (L) F. Bruen, D.S.C.
Instructor Commander 3. A. Burnett, B.Sc.
Instructor-Lieutenant Commander t 0. M. Hines, B.Sc.
Instructor-Lieutenants R. V. W. Heath, B.Sc.
E. L. Campbell, B.A., L R,A.M.
(P) R. Knowles, BA.
Chaplain Rev. B. A. Watson, M.A.
Surgeon-Commander C. D. Coode.
B M.. B.C H., L.R.C.P., F.R.C.S.
Surgeon-Lieutenant T. C. Barras, MB., CH.B.
Surgeon-Lieutenant (D) R. T. Lowein, L.D.S.
Commander (S) 3. Bllerton, D.S.C.
Lieutenant-Commander (S) A. K. 13. Edmunds, M.B.E.
Lieutenants (S) P. H. Fleck
P. H. R. Glennie
Senior Commissioned Gunner R. T. Smith.
Senior Commissioned Gunner (TAS) G. H. Andrews
Commissioned Gunner N, A. Saunders
Commissioned Boatswain F. N. C. Kendall
Senior Commissioned Electrical Officer G. Parker
Senior Commissioned Shipwright G G. Tate, D.S.C.
Commissioned Engineer M. J. Liddle
Commissioned Mechanician W. F. Lee
Commissioned Catering Officer F. Care

This was taken from the Devonshire Magazine Spring Cruise 1950.

Thanks to Jerry Judge RMB of this commission for loan of magazines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
H.M.S. “Devonshire,” At Sea.
22nd March, 1950.

Dear Sir,
May I call attention, through your Magazine, to the present poor Heraldic state of the ship?
As you may have observed, our badge is a lion rampant. Looking round the ship, it is apparent that here uniformity ends.

On the forebridge the lion is golden on a red ground. On whalers and pinnaces he is red on a silver ground. On tompions and bollards he is uncoloured.

His position also varies. On the bollards on the after screen he is often almost on all fours. On the boat’s life-buoys he faces his opposite number across the centre of the buoy.
All this, Sir, is very wrong. A badge is granted by a special Admiralty committee, on which is a representative of the Heralds’ College. It should no more be varied than should the White Ensign.

All H.M. ships, all regiments in the Army, and all R.A.F. squadrons have their own badge, and I submit that ours is a good one, and should be looked after accordingly.

What is our correct badge? The answer is in the Ship’s Book, kept by Captain’s Secretary, where the Admiralty have provided an official coloured drawing of the badge. In Herald’s language (blazoning) it would be described somewhat as follows:—
“Argent, a lion rampant gules, crowned or, and with tongue and claws azure.”

In other words, our lion is red on a silver ground. He is rampant, that is to say, prancing on hind legs with fore legs and tail in the air. And he faces towards our left as we look at him. He wears a gold crown, and—quite a touch—has a blue tongue and blue claws.

Various implications follow. Obviously the forebridge and lifebuoy lions are wrong in colour. Also rampant lions do not look towards each other, but to our left. On a lifebuoy, both must look the same way. On the bows of a boat, the port lion will look for’ard, and the starboard lion aft. On bollards and tompions the lion should definitely ramp, as opposed to slinking along on all fours.
So much is correct heraldry, and could be got right.

Looking into the private life of our lion, I think he is probably quite a distinguished fellow. In olden days lions were not given to every Tom, Dick and Harry for their coats of arms. Still less often did the Heralds award red lions rampant, and—especially——crowned lions.
The earliest lion is found on the seal of Phillip 1, Duke of Flanders, in 1164, and subsequently lions were usually a mark of royalty or of a powerful and noble person.
For instance, there are the lions of the King of England, which appear in two quarters of the Royal Standard. Lions also appear in the arms of the Kings of Scotland, Norway and Denmark; also in certain ancient families such as Bohun and Percy.

At a guess, I would say that our lion may once have belonged to the Earls of Devon; thence to Devonshire, and eventually to H.M.S. “Devonshire.”

Incidentally the carved wooden shield to be seen on the after screen in harbour is not a ship’s badge, but a coat of arms. It has a ship above, our lion below, and beneath that the motto: “ Auxilio Divino,” meaning “By God’s Help.” Again guessing, I should say that this shield probably shows the arms of Torquay, whose citizens have adopted this ship.

In conclusion, Sir, may I ask you to use your great influence, especially with Putty, to get all our lions into the correct rig; all fallen in in the right posture, and all facing the proper way?

I am, etc.,
Yours faithfully,
P.M.O.

Submitted by Robert BENNS 

As a National Serviceman I served on HMS Devonshire 13/04/49 - 13/01/50 as a Stores Assistant.

This included two cruises -
Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Holland. Then to the Med - Gib,
Sardinia, Villefranche and Sorrento.

Two of my school friends (Plymouth College) were on board as Cadets which made life interesting!
Altogether a marvellous experience and one that has influenced my life beyond belief.

John Eggleston was inflential in getting me this seatime which was most unusual for a Nationbal Serviceman. He went on to become a Professor of Education with an outstanding career, dying unfortuately in 2001.Obituary

I still remember with gratitude CPO (S) Young who made life on board a real pleasure.

By Admin: Are ther anymore National  Servicemen out there that can recall those "happy two years"?