The next belated chapter, published here for the first time charts the accommodation, armouries and patrol boat procedures of 'Jack's Navy' ~ the forgotten military command unit of Broadland, based during World War Two at Mr Jack Powles main boat yard, just down river of Wroxham Bridge.
At first Jack, Danes and Green were billeted near the railway station with a Mrs Stevens who received 28 shillings a week allowance. They then moved onto motor cruisers moored in the dyke by the granary (Granary Staithe) which they shared with the soldiers but as this did not work out they went into a shoemaker’s house on the Norwich Road called Collins.
The varnished launches used during the daylight patrols were manned by a navy coxswain, two army machine gunners and a naval petty officer was in charge. They were in wireless contact with each other as well the base, from where orders could be given. Sealed orders were however given to the patrol officer before the launches left the yard and were only opened once the launch was out on the river.
Trials were carried out to manoeuvre the flotillas in formation ~ though with such small narrow rivers this proved impossible.
Large amounts of standard .303 inch ammunition was kept in the boatshed and the Lewis pans (ammunition drums mounted on top of the guns holding 47 rounds) were regularly filled and stowed in the special tin boxes that dated from the First Great War which were then loaded aboard the launches.
The launches had large capacity petrol tanks holding between twenty to thirty gallons under the fore deck so they had no need to carry extra fuel being filled up via the petrol pump that stood on the quay. Jack thinks that the photograph in the NORFOLK AT WAR book was taken specially as no petty officer is present, Eric Danes is steering the nearest boat.
Photos: Mr N Royall, IWM ©
Nigel and Sara Royall
No comments:
Post a Comment