H.M.S. Vernon (Torpedo Training School)

For our purposes, H.M.S. Vernon was a shore facility located in Portsmouth and housed in a hulked sailing ship. It was the Royal Navy's home for the research of Torpedoes and, soon thereafter, electricity and wireless telegraphy. It was situated very near the modern day "Spinnaker Tower".

History

In 1871 it was decided that Commander John Fisher would become Chief Torpedo Instructor at H.M.S. Excellent and educate officers in electricity and torpedoes. In 1872 H.M.S. Vernon was selected to become the Royal Navy's torpedo training school as a tender to Excellent. Vernon was a fifty gun frigate designed by William Symonds which had been laid down in October, 1831 at Woolwich Royal Dockyard and launched on 1 May, 1832. She was described by Sir Charles Napier as the "most magnificent frigate ever built by any nation". She was hulked in March, 1863 and moved to Portsmouth for fitting out under the supervision of Fisher and was ready by the Spring of 1873. In 1876 the Admiralty decided to separate Vernon from Excellent, and the former was commissioned in her own right on 26 April, 1876 under Captain William Arthur, with Arthur K. Wilson as Commander (Second-in-Command).

In addition to instruction, research and testing of experimental devices were core activities which were published in a series of annual reports.

Captains

Dates of appointment given:

• Captain William Arthur, 26 April, 1876 – 30 June, 1879
• Captain William E. Gordon, 1 June, 1879 – 15 February, 1883
• Captain Albert H. Markham, 15 February, 1883 – 27 May, 1886
• Captain Samuel Long, 28 May, 1886 – 1 January, 1889
• Captain Arthur K. Wilson, 1 January, 1889 – 9 February, 1892
• Captain William H. Hall, 9 February, 1892 – 1 November, 1893
• Commander Charles L. Ottley, 11 July, 1893 – 22 August, 1893  (temporary, during Hall's absence)
• Captain Baldwin W. Walker, 1 November, 1893
• Captain John Durnford, 12 November, 1895 – 2 October, 1899
• Captain Charles G. Robinson, 2 October, 1899 – 10 February, 1902
• Captain George Le C. Egerton, 10 February, 1902 – 15 September, 1904  (lent in July 1903 for Chief Command of Red Side in torpedo craft in manoeuvres)
• Captain Henry B. Jackson, 15 September, 1904 – 24 December, 1904
• Captain Charles J. Briggs, 24 December, 1904 – 9 May, 1907
• Captain Douglas A. Gamble, 10 May, 1907 – 15 October, 1908
• Captain Robert S. P. Hornby, 18 October, 1908 – 1 November, 1911
• Captain William C. M. Nicholson, 1 November, 1911 – 15 September, 1914
• Captain Frederick L. Field, 15 September, 1914 – 17 September, 1915
• Captain Harry L. d'E. Skipwith, 16 September, 1915 – 25 July, 1918
• Captain (retired) Frederick C. U. V. Wentworth, 10 July, 1918
• Captain Arthur K. Waistell, 13 March, 1919 – 6 April, 1920
• Captain Christopher R. Payne, 6 April, 1920 – 6 April, 1922
• Captain John D. Allen, 6 April, 1922 – 15 July, 1924
• Captain William R. Napier, 15 July, 1924 – 1 November, 1924  (temporary)
• Captain Henry K. Kitson, 1 November, 1924 – 1 November, 1926
• Captain Nicholas E. Archdale, 1 November, 1926 – 31 October, 1928
• Captain Henry D. Bridges, 1 November, 1928 – 1 November, 1930
• Captain Stephen D. Tillard, 1 November, 1930 – 8 August, 1932
• Captain Alfred H. Taylor, 8 August, 1933 – 8 August, 1934
• Captain Roderick B. T. Miles, 8 August, 1934 – 6 September, 1935
• Captain Algernon U. Willis, 6 September, 1935 – 22 April, 1938
• Captain Denis W. Boyd, 21 April, 1938 – 20 November, 1939
• Rear-Admiral (retired) Brian Egerton, November, 1939 – 4 June, 1943
• Captain Harold E. Morse, 4 June, 1943 – 21 September, 1944
• Captain Norman V. Grace, 21 September, 1944 – early 1946
• Captain John Hughes-Hallett, January, 1946 – May, 1948
• Captain Wilfred J. C. Robertson, May, 1948 – August, 1950
• Captain Clarence D. Howard-Johnston, August, 1950 – October, 1952
• Captain Nicholas A. Copeman, October, 1952 – December, 1954
• Captain John Grant, December, 1954 – December, 1956

Numbers Trained

This data is generally contained in Section I of each edition of the Annual Report of the Torpedo School.

There were also a considerable number of men trained in seagoing ships.

Number trained in Seagoing Ships in total
30 June, 1908 to 30 June, 1909	1,966
30 June, 1909 to 30 June, 1910	2,368
30 June, 1910 to 30 June, 1911	2,322
30 June, 1911 to 30 June, 1912	2,801

At some time prior to 1918, a short course in Torpedo Control was instituted. This is often referenced in the Service Records of men during the war as an appoinment to Vernon for a "T.C.C.". It was generally a week in duration.

Men trained in Vernon in Torpedo Control
	1918
Cdrs & Lt-Cdrs, R.N.	4
Lts, R.N.	62
Sub-Lts, R.N., R.A.N. & R.C.N.	287
Mates, R.N.	111
Midshipmen, R.N. & R.C.N.	13
officers, R.N.R. & R.A.N.R.	94
officers, R.N.V.R.	20
officers, R.A.F.	29
officers, R.M.	25
Instructor Lts.	13
Warrant Schoolmasters	50
Total:	708

Radio

In 1901, the school was noted as having or being slated to receive one Jackson, two Marconi and one "1 to 52" W/T set.

At the end of 1909, she was to receive one of eleven Short Distance Radio Sets, to be installed at her next refit behind armour near the fore bridge, intended to supplant flag signaling. In mid-1913, this gear was redesignated as Type 3.

See Also

• List of Royal Navy Torpedo Officers
• Wikipedia

Bibliography

• Blond, A. J. L. (1993). Technology and Tradition: Wireless Telegraphy and the Royal Navy 1895-1920. Unpublished PhD Thesis. Lancaster: University of Lancaster.