Two Trees growing from one.

Its not rare to see one tree growing from the stump of a fallen tree, but here we have two.  One is a Silver Birch and the other is I think a Norway Spruce.

Morse Code by Light.

Morse code sent by flashing  light was once widely used at sea by both the merchant navy and naval warships. It was sometimes used by coastal stations/coast guards to communicate with ships at sea.   It is little used now and has largely been replaced by VHF.  

In the merchant marine it was  a requirement that deck officers were able to operate signal lamps (normally a hand held light), at a speed of around 10wpm. Warships normally had dedicated radio operators, 'signalmen,  capable of using morse by signal lights  at at anything between 12wpm - 15 wpm - about the maximum possible speed by which can be read by light.     

Like all radio operators in the Royal Navy we were however required to be able to operate light signalling equipment and I did so occasionally. This normally happened when we were short staffed or I'd gone on the bridge for a break when there happened to be no dedicated signalman present.

Larger warships were fitted with  powerful carbon arc lights (20" diameter lens) and  with these you could signal to the horizon even in strong tropical sunlight. It was also possible to signal well beyond the horizon by flashing the lamp onto a cloud base if it was overcast, or when it was dark.  Other signalling lamps were 10”, and  like the large  20” lamp, these were mounted on a swivel base fixed to the deck.  Other lamps included  hand held Aldis lights.  Also fitted were mast head signalling lights operated from a morse key from within the bridge or bridge wings. With the exception of mast head signal lights, the 20", 10" and hand held Aldis lights were not  switched on & off to send morse code. Once switched on the light remained 'on'.  The flashes were produced by  the operator using some kind of lever or trigger to send morse  and this action triggered various types of shutters which prevented or allowed light to escape from the lens or bulb.    

There were  other visual method of using Morse code apart from lights. Using a flag held in the hand and waved 180 degrees to signify a 'dash' and 90 degrees to signify the 'dit'. The ships bell could also be used and in this case two rapid rings were a dash, and one ring was a dit. Both these methods needed good spacing between letters and timing. Neither of  these two methods of signalling were  in use when I was at sea in the 1960’s and 70’s.  (Semaphore is not the same as cw as it is the position of the arms which directly indicate the individual letters.)

It was quite common to signal merchant ships carrying the flag of British merchant ships and ask them; "Where bound and from?", especially  if you were in some big lonely ocean. (A report of the ship and it's signalling standards  were sometimes sent to Lloyds of London) Rarely would a merchant ship initiate communications. Light signalling was also used in the Royal Navy for communicating manoeuvres such as turns/directions and so on. It was also used when ships were at anchor, approaching or within harbours, or  to signal to shore parties etc.  It was a quick, reliable and a  simple method of communications directly between ship's bridges and also had the advantage of being more secure if needed, in that it was difficult to intercept.  However most flashing lights can be read by anyone  as long as they are roughly in line between sender and receiver,  but the Royal Navy certainly had one or two smaller signalling lamps which had the flashing light directed down a narrow tube  over the lens and this could only be read by someone directly in front.  It required concentration to use and a steady hand, especially if the sea was not calm.

Like the different procedures used by the military, commercial and amateur users of radio communications there were also some procedural differences between merchant ships and naval ships in terms of calling up other ships. 

Many ham/amateur radio operators claim that morse is an entirely aural/sound method  of communicating.  However, I'm not aware that there were any discernible differences between operator ability to slip between using visual or sound methods to read what was being sent other than those  limitations imposed by the maximum speed achievable by light over morse sent by radio.   I never met a wireless/radio operator or who couldn’t read CW sent by light and all the dedicated signalmen could read CW sent at  14wpm or less by sound!!  As a test, I discovered the  few members of my radio club who can read and use CW, could also read my CW sent by torch - the first time most of them had ever done so. The few merchant ship deck officers I knew could also read CW sent by sound, provided it was sent slow enough. 

Practical differences in use? You can't blink much or look away using lights so either a good memory or someone to write for you was a good requirement, or you would  read out aloud what was being sent so the Officer Of the Watch could hear what you were reading.  Wet, cold  weather also made light signalling difficult for obvious reasons.  In terms of sending morse by light it was important to space out the characters of the letters much more than you might if you were sending morse by sound because it is harder by light to read quickly sent characters.  It was the normal procedure in both warships and merchant ships that each word  sent was acknowledged individually by the receiving operator sending a simple flash or 'T' to the sending operator.  If he failed to do so, the word was sent again until it was acknowledged.  At the end of the message a simple 'R' was send to acknowledge receipt of the whole message.

As an aside I was once in  one of a three vehicle group all occupied by experienced with  radio operators.  This was long before mobile/cell phones or small hand held radios were invented and we signalled driving directions between vehicles, using ordinary torches,  whilst the vehicles  were being driven. (it was on quiet country roads in Hampshire England!!!).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_lamp

Here's the general procedure for signalling at sea.  (from the International Code of Signals)

CHAPTER 1

SECTION 6: FLASHING LIGHT SIGNALING

1. A signal made by flashing light is divided into the following parts:
(a) The call.—It consists of the general call or the identity signal of the station to be called. It is answered

by the answering signal.

2. (b)  The identity.—The transmitting station makes “DE” followed by its identity signal or name. This

   will be repeated back by the receiving station which then signals its own identity signal or name. This

   will also be repeated back by the transmitting station.

3. (c)  The text.—This consists of plain language or Code groups. When Code groups are to be used they

   should be preceded by the signal “YU”. Words of plain language may also be in the text, when the

   signal includes names, places, etc. Receipt of each word or group is acknowledged by “T”.

4. (d)  The ending.—It consists of the ending signal “AR” which is answered by “R”.

2. If the entire text is in plain language the same procedure is to be followed. The call and identity may be omitted when two stations have established communications and have already exchanged signals.

3. A list of procedure signals appears in Chapter 1, Section 10, Pages 19 and 20. Although the use of these signals is self-explanatory, the following notes might be found useful:

(a) The General call signal (or call for unknown station) “AA AA AA” etc., is made to attract attention when wishing to signal to all stations within visual signaling distance or to a station whose name or identity signal is not known. The call is continued until the station addressed answers.

2. (b)  The Answering signal “TTTT” etc., is made to answer the call and it is to be continued until the transmitting station ceases to make the call. The transmission starts with the “DE” followed by the name or identity signal of the transmitting station.

3. (c)  The letter “T” is used to indicate the receipt of each word or group.

4. (d)  The Erase signal “EEEEEE” etc., is used to indicate that the last group or word was signaled incor-

   rectly. It is to be answered with the erase signal. When answered, the transmitting station will repeat the last word or group which was correctly signaled and then proceed with the remainder of the trans- mission.

(e) The Repeat signal “RPT” is to be used as follows:
(i) by the transmitting station to indicate that it is going to repeat (“I repeat”). If such a repetition does

not follow immediately after “RPT”, the signal should be interpreted as a request to the receiving

station to repeat the signal received (“Repeat what you have received”);
(ii) by the receiving station to request for a repetition of the signal transmitted (“Repeat what you have

sent”).
(iii)The Special Repetition signals “AA”, “AB”, “WA”, “WB”, and “BN” are made by the receiving

station as appropriate. In each case they are made immediately after the repeat signal “RPT”. Examples:
“RPT AB KL”—“Repeat all before group KL”.
“RPT BN 'boats' 'survivors' ”—“Repeat all between words 'boats' and 'survivors' ”.

If a signal is not understood, or, when decoded, it is not intelligible, the repeat signal is not used. The receiving station must then make the appropriate signal from the Code, e.g., “Your signal has been received but not understood”.

(f) A correctly received repetition is acknowledged by the signal “OK”. The same signal may be used as an affirmative answer to a question (“It is correct”).

     

10

SECTION 6.—FLASHING LIGHT SIGNALING

7. (g)  The Ending signal “AR” is used in all cases to indicate the end of a signal or the end of the trans- mission. The receiving station answers with the signal “R” = “Received” or “I have received your last signal”.

8. (h)  The transmitting station makes the signal “CS” when requesting the name or identity signal of the receiving station.

(i) TheWaitingsignalorPeriodsignal“AS”istobeusedasfollows:
(i) When made independently or after the end of a signal it indicates that the other station must wait

for further communications (waiting signal).
(ii) When it is inserted between groups it serves to separate them (period signal) to avoid confusion.

(j) The signal “C” should be used to indicate an affirmative statement or an affirmative reply to an in- terrogative signal; the signal “RQ” should be used to indicate a question. For a negative reply to an interrogative signal or for a negative statement, the signal “N” should be used in visual or sound sig- naling and the signal “NO” should be used for voice or radio transmission.

(k) When the signals “N” or “NO”, and “RQ” are used to change an affirmative signal into a negative statement or into a question, respectively, they should be transmitted after the main signal. Examples:
“CY N” (or “NO” as appropriate) = “(Boat(s) is(are) not coming to you.” “CW RQ” = “Is boat/raft on board?”

The signals “C”, “N” or “NO”, and “RQ” cannot be used in conjunction with single-letter signals.

The requirement for signalling by light at sea is as follows:-

Please note that the STCW Code, Section A-II/1 states the mandatory minimum requirements for certification of officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships of 500 gross tonnage or more.

 

Every candidate for certification shall be required to demonstrate the competence to undertake, at the operational level, the tasks, duties, and responsibilities listed in column 1 of table A-II/1 of the STCW Code.

 

One of those competence is to Transmit and Receive information by visual signalling.

 

A knowledge, understanding and proficiency requires the ability to transmit and receive, by Morse light, distress signal SOS as specified in Annex IV of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, as amended, and appendix 1 of the International Code of Signals, and visual signalling of single letter signals as also specified in the International Code of Signals.

 

MCA approved training Colleges for the HNC programme have also an MCA approved examiner for the signal’s exams.

 

MCA Signal exam is split into 4 steps as follow:-

 

• Receive Morse by light – 20 letters. A group of letters and numbers is sent as a block.
• Transmit Morse. Students must be able to transmit a block of Morse code – 10 letters.
• Flags. Students to do a test on flags. Know what they are and their single letter meaning.
• General. Code and decode using INTERNATIONAL CODE OF SIGNALS (INTERCO) BOOK.

 

General Knowledge will be oral assessment.

 

I hope that the above information has addressed your query.

 

 

 

Best regards

 

Captain Reza Nosrati  (he/him)        Tel: (Direct) + 44 (0) 203 81 72447

Master Mariner, BA (Hons), Cert Ed             

Examiner of Masters and Mates          Email: reza.nosrati@mcga.gov.uk

UK Seafarer Services

 

	Maritime & Coastguard Agency Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1EG
	Safer Lives, Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas www.gov.uk/mca

 

Wrong way waterfall 2018

Filmed on the 19th March 2018. 

This cold snap was widely known as, "The Beast From The East". 

This tiny little stream which really only flows in wet weather sometimes freezes in winter.  This can only happen when there's been recent rain combined with a strong northerly wind blowing in off the sea and below freezing air temperatures.

The last year this happened was 2010.  Location is below Bottom House Farm, between  Robin Hood's Bay and Hawsker Bottoms.

Ice Climbing on the North Yorkshire Moors 2018

The Beast From The East has brought winds of 50mph or more, stripping the snow off the fields and moors into large drifts.  It also brought the temperatures down to around -4c...

Time to head up to Great Fryup Head.   There are extensive ice falls at the head of the dale on the west, but there are also a small number of routes right at the head of the dale between Yew Grain Scar and the George Gap Causeway.  NZ 715018.  If snow permits it is possible to access these from the Cut Road path at Trough House to the west, or where it joins the Lealhom to Rosedale road at 729028.  Alternately park at opposite the outdoor centre in Great Fryup Dale and walk up.   

Just to the east of the George Gap Causeway are three or four routes.  The one on the left is probably around 15 to 20 ft in height.  Ice axes are on the ice.  Probably grade III.  There's an excellent belay at the top - a large wooden stake securing a game keepers trap.

The largest of the waterfalls is this longish slide which is probably around the 50ft mark, with an easy angled extension continuing out of view below.  There's also a little bit of mixed climbing to the immediate left in the picture..  If you are walking in from the dale this is a pretty obvious feature.

A mixed route probably grade ii/iii 

The Smear.  This feature was the result of a change in stream drainage a few years ago.  The brown stain is the result of it flowing off ironstone strata.  I've often wondered if it would freeze up, but it obviously needs slightly colder temperatures than the -4c we've been having.  However there's still enough for a little sport.

Captain Walter Masterman Carter

Walter Masterman Carter was born in Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire in 1892.
He joined the merchant navy around 1911, and by the following year was serving as a 3rd mate.  By the time the 1st world war started in 1914  he was serving as a 2nd mate.

Captain Walter Masterman Carter

He lived in Brook Cottage, Thorpe.

By 1915 he had volunteered for service and was serving as a temporary Sub Lt. in the Royal Naval Reserve.

On the  9th August 1916, he was appointed to  commence duty as the Navigating Officer on board HMS Moth.

An account of the action he took part in on board HMS Moth can be found here:-
WW1Battle1408Mesopotamia.htm.  Suffice to say that  whilst his ship and some others were proceeding up the river that they were fired on by the Turkish army.  During this action the ship, a small gunboat, was hit 9 times and was badly damaged.  3 crew were killed and he was "shot in the neck and hand", according to Winifred (Née Wedgwood), his wife.

Following this action he lost all his possessions and only had the binoculars he carried around his neck.  I have these.

His binoculars from HMS Moth.  According to my grandmother these were his only possessions from the ship. The rest were destroyed in the action.

I have a letter from the Admiralty dated 8th May 1918 expressing their appreciation , "be conveyed to Lt. Walter M Carter of HMS Mistletoe, who was in charge of Lighter 171 for the good seamanship he displayed in bring his vessel safely into Peterhead".

I have his Continuous Certificate of Discharge (Discharge Book), from the merchant navy, several original admiralty documents and his Master Mariner Certificate, issued  12th May 1919 after he left the RNR where he returned to the merchant navy.

Here's a photograph of him taken with one of his two daughters.  This probably is Freda, the oldest.  (She was the oldest = my Aunty)  

He died in 1929 on board his ship at Hartlepool after swallowing laudanum  to help him sleep.  His wife, my grandmother, Winifred (nee, Wedgwood) was with him at the time.

Read the .press cutting published following his death.

He and one of his brothers, Ernest Carter are buried at new St Stephen's Church Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire.

He had three children.  My mother Jeanne Carter, (Later Perry) and  Freda Carter b. 19.03.1922 & William (Bill) George Carter b 17 April 1919..D at Cleethorpes in 1973.

W E Wedgwood Chief Officer of the SS Copeswood

On the 22 December 1916  my Great Grandfather, W E Wedgwood,  a master mariner, was the Chief Officer on board the SS Copeswood in the North Sea when they sighted a Barque, dismasted and flying distress flags in horrendous seas. Unable to rescue the crew, they stood by during the night and eventually the next morning rescued the crew with exceptional difficulty. Both the captain (Albert Perrin) and WE Wedgwood received silver medals from His Majesty King Haakon of Norway. Bill Wedgwood has the medal and for some reason I have the citation. 

He died at the Hare & Hounds in 1954 and is buried in plot 10246 Whitby  Cemetery, Larpool Lane.

Captain William Edward Wedgwood  b. 1873 sept 23rd- died 1954 Hare and Hounds Inn, Hawsker.  Brother of Captain John Robert Wedgwood

The citation given to Captain W E Wedgwood for his part in the rescue of the barque, Lovspring of Sandefjord

The wording is similar to that given to Captain A H  Perrin.

To read the rest:-http://www.europeana1914-1918.eu/en/contributions/17456

The Captain of the SS Copeswood was Captain Albert Hawkins Perrin and he was awarded this silver cup by King Haakon of Norway.  My grandfather was awarded a medal and certificate which I have.  He died in 1954 and lived at the Hare and; Hounds Inn,  Hawsker, North Yorkshire.

Click on the link below to see more

Here's the Silver Cup presented to the Captain Perrin

Captain John R. Wedgwood & the Prinz Eitel Friedrich

Captain John Robert Wedgwood of Whitby, his wife Eva Née Thompson aboard the SS Aislaby

John Robert Wedgwood, also known as Jack to the family, was born in 1875 lived in a number of different Whitby houses including the Grove on Bagdale.  He also had a house built for himself a at the far end of Mayfield Rd(4 Lane Ends) Whitby - He called it the Willerby after one of his ships.  The house is still there. He was always moving house acording to his niece Winifred (Wedgwood).   He died in 1943 of cancer at "Swainby on Ash Grove Whitby (I have been unable to find the house on Ash Grove). He is buried in Whitby cemetary. (I believe there is no headstone).

On the 20 Feb 1915,  My great great great uncle, Capt. John Robert Wedgwood  of Whitby, was master of the SS Willerby  off the coast of Brazil when his ship was approached by the Prinz Eitel Friedrich, a German auxillary cruiser which ordered the SS Willerby to stop. Capt Wedgwood ignored the order and tried to escape but eventually stopped when he realised the German ship was in a position to ram him. As the German passed astern of the  SS Willerby, Capt Wedgwood realised he had to chance to ram the German!, Ordering the engines reversed at full speed he shouted to the engineer, "Giver her hell", "Give her hell as hard as we can go it!" 

There is also a large article in the Whitby Gazette, 1st April 1915


To find out what happened next read the report from the New York Times:-

NEWPORT NEWS  MARCH NEARLY RAMMED BY HER OWN PRIZE.

AN INCIDENT IN THE EITEL FRIEDRICH'S CRUISE.*' (New York Times.) NEWPORT NEWS, Va., March 11 1915. 

The Odyssey of the Prinz Eitel Friedrich over two oceans, pursued by three of the largest navies in the world, will not be complete until tlie story is told how in the last few weeks of her voyage she was almost sunk by the last of her many prizes. Not once was a shell hurled at the raver by the pursuers sweeping the-seas for her. But the little tramp steamer Willerby, of only 2500 tons, without a gun on board, came near sending the adventurous German to the bottom, and by the tactics of ramming her, stern foremost. For the first six months of her cruise, lurking though she was on th« of the highways .of commerce and waiting for her prey; in constant danger of discovery and capture, the danger was rujver 'visible. To the officers and crew there was "always the straining sense of peril just out ■of sight,. but never once Hid a hostile funnel break the horizon. And only twice was danger audible. Off the coast of Chile, near where Admiral von Spee's squadron destroyed the ships of Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock, the Prinz Eitel Friedrich's wireless caught the warning of heavy ships, and because of her puny armament she turned away. Again, halving rounded Cape . Horn, the cruiser heard the wireless exchanges announcing the battle off the Falkland Islands.

But the little Willerby brought that danger home to the daring cruiser in the simplest possible way. On February 20, just three weeks ago, the Willerby was steaming, in light ballast, looking for a cargo, when the Prince Eitel Friedrich was seen making for her. "Within good eye-shot, the cruiser broke out the signal for the Willerby to stop, and from this point the Willerby's commander, Captain Wedgewood, a slim, dark Englishman, takes up the story. "The Eitel signalled, us to stop," said Captain Wedgewood. "'but I paid no attention to him. At first I thought she was just a merchantman like us, but even when I saw her guns I kept on my course, trying to get by and pass on her port beam. But when she got to a point where it was evident she could ram us amidships we did stop. By that time the two.; ships were so close together that, the Eitel had to pass right across our stern. FULL SPEED ASTERN. " Then I saw my chance. I didn't know all those women and children and citizen men were on board. I only knew she was a German and was trying to capture us. My ship was gone, I knew, and I thought I might just as well send the German down along with me, so I ordered our engines reversed at full speed, backing us straight toward the Eitel, slowing slipping past us. " ' Give her hell!' I shouted to my engineer. . ' Give her hell as hard as we can go it!' " The engineer did his best. The Willerby began to back in good form, and the commander of the Eitel saw the danger. The imprisoned passengers on the Eitel saw it, too, and a panic seized them. Poor chance they would have had if trouble came to the Eitel Friedrich. They were locked up below.at the approach of every strange ship, and there was no escape in sight for them. Their cries of fear as the panic took them first told me that I was not dealing with an ordinary ship of the navy.

" The Eitel's commander was talking to us with all the English he could command. His guns liad been uncovered and imslung as he approached us in the first place and they swung toward us as we backed toward the Eitel. But at that close range they could hardly have stopped us before we did our work. The commander of the Eitel probably knew that, too, for while he threatened to fire many times, he did not do so.

" ' Stop or we fire !'_ he shouted from his bridge, but my engineer merely nursed his engine. The imprisoned passengers on the Eitel were making a loud noise by this time, and it seemed that the end was near, but somehow we could not get -np headway and the Eitel at last slipped past our sterri, missing us by about 15ft. After that there was nothing we could do, and we surrendered.

" When I came over the side of the Eitel, her commander called out to me furiously : 'Do you want to kill these people?' But I told Tlim I didn't know people were there till it was all over."