The Silent Navy
The silent Navy did the best (and most silent) bit of work in its long history of the sea when tho Duke of Windsor was “spirited” out of Portsmouth to undertake his journey to Austria. There are nearly half a million civilian and service men in Portsmouth, yet only one of them knew that the Duke was in their midst during the night. The most surprised and annoyed man in tho world was the master of the tug Seaman (says John Macadam in tho Sunday Despatch. The Seaman was moored alongside H.M.S. Fury on the Friday night. In the morning the Fury was gone. When the master of the Seaman heard she had gone, carrying the Duke, he scratched his head and groaned, “Dang me, if I wouldn’t have stayed up all night if I’d guessed, but I didn’t even hear her go.” Nobody heard her go. The Fury had been at the dockside for three weeks for repairs. The harbour master was not told to bo ready to cast her off. No workmen were about. A working party of six from another ship was told off casually to cast Fury loose. They did so, but they did not know they were saying good-bye to their former King. The Silent Navy has lived up to its name.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT19370305.2.77
Bibliographic details
Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 54, 5 March 1937, Page 7
Word Count
220The Silent Navy Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 54, 5 March 1937, Page 7
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