Running a Big Ship: The Classic Guide to Commanding A Second World War Battleship

By Rory O'Conor and Brian Lavery

The ultimate officers’ guide from the commander of the HMS Hood. “A fascinating historical record . . . a first-class textbook for modern managers” (Baird Maritime).
 
Published in 1937 and now recognized as one of the most influential, yet highly accessible, volumes on naval command and organization, Running a Big Ship provides truly unique insight into life at sea during the Second World War.
 
O’Conor famously commenced the book with his “ten commandments,” a concise code of orders that comprise “a little that everyone must know.” The main body of the book sets out each of the duties required of a Royal Navy Officer in detailed, clear terms with O’Conor’s insightful advice. Such knowledge ranges from tips on the issuing and execution of orders to attendance requirements, the treatment of defaulters and shipboard theft, midshipmen training, ceremonies, uniforms, cleanliness aboard ship, and the management of the Fleet Air Arm and the high-speed service boats. There are fascinating observations and explanations of the finer points of bugle calls, the treatment of guests, and complete instructions for many forms of recreation from cinema to regattas.
 
Credited with making a significant contribution to the wartime navy’s esprit de corps, the book had a lasting impact on shipboard understanding and relations for vessels large and small as young, diverse crews withstood the considerable strain of actual war. Running a Big Ship truly sets us below decks and at sea during World War II and includes an extensive introduction by one of the foremost historians of the Royal Navy, Brian Lavery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Casemate Publishers
• Release date: Jul 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781612005737

Book preview

‘TEN COMMANDMENTS’

When you come to commission a ship your mind turns to the question of getting out the necessary orders.

In the first place, a simple and clearly worded code of laws seems to be required, which shall be applicable to every soul on board and always in his sight. If Moses could control the people of Israel for forty years in the desert with Ten Commandments, it would be surprising if more were needed for the commission of a ship. This code forms the Ship’s Standing Orders, and it is the ‘little’ which everyone must know.

The function of the Standing Orders should be regarded as entirely separate from the Executive Organisation, which forms the second part of this book. In the former, a general standard of conduct is laid down, while the latter provides a guide and reference on the detailed running of the ship, for all those set in authority, and comprises a great deal which relatively few people need to know.

On page 3 are shown the Ship’s Standing Orders which were found effective throughout a commission. A few words are needed to enlarge on these orders when explaining them to the ship’s company.

1. The Service.—‘The Customs of the Service are to be observed at all times.’ It may be argued that this is redundant. That may be so, but every officer and man of every branch, on entering the Service, is carefully schooled in the Customs of the Service. These Customs mean much to us, and the plain statement that our ship is one in which they are observed can do no harm, and may be a helpful reminder.

2. The Ship.—‘The Good Appearance of the Ship is the concern of everyone on board, and all share the responsibility for this.’ It is sometimes lightly assumed that the ship’s appearance is the concern only of a small hierarchy which includes the Commander, the Chief Boatswain’s Mate, the Captains of the Tops and the Side, and perhaps a few others. No ship was ever kept clean except by the co-operation of all hands, and this needs hammering in, with emphasis on the ways in which every individual can help:

(a) No leaning on the paintwork.

(b) No leaning on the guardrails.

(c) No fag-ends, matches or other rubbish on the deck.

(d) No throwing slops out of scuttles.

(e) No one improperly dressed on deck.

Everyone must be jealous of the ship’s appearance and must make his contribution, and above all, he must avoid making unnecessary work for others who are striving to keep the ship as she should look.

If a man is caught leaning on the paintwork, throwing fag-ends or any other rubbish on the deck, emptying slops out of a scuttle, leaning on the guardrails, or in fact doing anything which not only spoils the ship’s appearance but, worse still, spoils some other man’s good work, then put him as a sentry on the upper deck after hours, and leave him there until he catches someone else offending against the ship; that man then goes before the Officer of the Watch and takes over as a sentry. The operation of this system of sentries must be kept under the personal control of the O.O.W., to avoid risk of abuse. Setting a thief to catch a thief is the policy which works well, and has a sporting element about it.

In the early days of a commission you will get as many as forty paintwork sentries in the course of a single make-and-mend afternoon; but when the battle for the ship’s appearance has been fought and won, there will be very few indeed.

3. The Individual.—‘Everyone is constantly required to bring credit to the ship by his individual bearing, dress and general conduct, on board and ashore.’ This embraces a multitude of small points which go to the making of a fine ship’s company, and leads in turn to that which has been described as England’s Best Ambassador— ‘a British Blue-Jacket walking ashore in a foreign port.’

Being on deck in an improper rig is another offence against the ship’s good appearance, for which the ‘sentry’ system is a suitable deterrent.

4. Courtesy to Officers.—‘The courtesy of making a gangway and standing to one side to attention when an Officer passes is to be shown by every man.

‘If an Officer passing through men during stand-easy, meal hours, etc., carries his cap under his arm, it will indicate that no attention, other than clearing a gangway, is required.’ This needs careful explanation to the ship’s company. No one wants to delay work—all that is required by the first part of this order is that the gangway shall be cleared by standing to one side to attention. Men working clear of the gangway should never be required to stop work and stand to attention because an officer is passing.

The second part of this order has proved most useful, and it might well be headed ‘Consideration for the Men.’ There are many occasions when an officer has to pass through men during stand-easy, or after working hours, and when going on the messdeck during meal hours; the cap carried under the arm gives a clear and unmistakable indication that no attention other than clearing a gangway is required. It makes a definite contribution to the ideal state of every man knowing what is required of him, and facilitates officers in moving freely about the ship, after hours, without disturbing the men.

5. Execution of Orders.—‘All orders, including those passed by Bugle and Pipe, are to be obeyed at the Run.’ Naturally there are occasions, such as when carrying heavy weights and fragile stores, or in rough weather and in crowded gangways, when this is not possible, but it should be laid down as a guiding principle and insisted on from the start of the commission.

6. Punctual Attendance at Place of Duty.—‘Every man is personally responsible on all occasions for his own punctual attendance at his place of duty.’ This is a simple issue and gives the answer in advance to the old excuse, ‘Didn’t hear the pipe.’ A straightforward and regular routine, ordered by bugle and pipe, and amended as necessary by the Commander’s Daily Orders, leaves no excuse for any man not being at the right place and at the right time.

7. Permission to Leave Work.—‘Before leaving his work, a man is always to ask permission.’

8. Reporting on Completion of Work.—‘Any man on finishing the work for which he has been told off, is to report to his immediate superior. Parties of men are to be fallen in and reported.’ Both (7) and (8) are intended for the skulker—the man who is prepared to slip away and leave the rest of his topmates to do the work. All the world hates a skulker—it must hate him—why should a man slide away and leave his mates to finish off a job, perhaps an unpleasant one and in bad weather? The worst of skulking is that it can easily become infectious—stop it at once. There is only one treatment for deliberate skulking, and that is ‘14 days No. 11.’ Allow no cutting of corners on the routine—when you sound ‘Cooks,’ that means Cooks only to the galley. This needs much care and determination in the early days of a commission, and it must be impressed on everyone that you intend to have ‘NO SKULKING.’

9. Card-playing and Gambling.—‘While card-playing is allowed at mess tables and on the upper deck, any form of gambling is strictly prohibited. Gambling includes all games of chance played for money stakes’ A King’s Regulation which should be kept well to the fore.

10. Requests.—‘Any man wishing to see the Commander is to put in a request to his Officer of Division. In urgent cases his request is to pass through the M.A.A. and O.O.W.’ This is the last of the ‘Commandments,’ and it is of the first importance. In a great ship’s company, there must inevitably arise every variety of problem for the individuals composing it—problems of life, love, leave, illness, death, and hardship of all kinds arising from work, pay, food, sleep, to mention only a few. No request must be ignored—all must be considered and given a sympathetic hearing, and the men encouraged to come forward.

Making the Standing Orders known.—Steps taken to do this include:

1. On first commissioning, the entire ship’s company to be shown the orders on lantern slides, one order at a time, on a screen under the Quarterdeck awning, the company sitting on the deck, and each order being explained as above.

2. A framed copy of the Standing Orders on each Messdeck. A large copy to be framed and mounted in some recreation space or smoking place.

3. Every officer and rating joining after the commission has started, to have the orders fully explained to him by the