Perim Island

A close examination of the back of the photograph reveals the partially erased words ‘for dear Edward’ – presumably Edward Morris who in 1908 was a seventeen or eighteen year old apprentice engineer working for the Perim Coal Company on the island. One can also see that the photograph had a previous description – most if it cut off the top, with only the word ‘harbour’ readable. This all raises the possibility that the second description was written some years after the photograph was taken. From the wording ‘Run ashore Perim Island Dec 1908 ss Farrington Court’ one can assume that the photographer was on the Barrington Court and at some later date gave the photograph to Edward, knowing that he had been on Perim at the time.

 

Having done some preliminary research three assumptions have been made: the cruisers are British; the date is between late 1907 and early 1911, with a likelihood that it is in either 1908 or 1909; and that the cruisers are sister ships. These warships are certainly bigger than the various light cruisers based in the area during that period. Note also that they are not painted in the light colours one associates with ships of that era operating between Suez and Bombay. Nearly all cruisers of that size of that generation had three or four funnels and this is the principal, but not sole, reason for concluding that these two-funnelled vessels are protected cruisers of the ‘Edgar’ class.

 

There were originally nine ships in the Edgar Class; in their heyday they were classed as ‘1st Class Cruisers’, all built between 1890 and 1892. Six were of 7,350 tons and the other three, having been sheathed in wood and coppered for service in the tropics, were of 7,700 tons. It is not quite true to say that they were exact sister ships as two, the Royal Arthur and the Crescent had only one 9.2 inch gun and that was aft. The others had one fore as well, but had two less six-inch guns than the other two – these extra 6-inch being one either side and just forward of the bridge. Their top speed was just under 20 knots and they had a reputation of ‘steaming well’, which made them ideal ships to be used for ‘cruising’ to help protect the all-important trade routes between the United Kingdom and the British Empire. 

 

Their bunkers could carry 1,250 tons of coal, which was used at a rate of about 50 tons an hour when cruising at around 12 knots. About a quarter of a crew of nearly 550 men were stokers. It was the paltry maximum speed, common to all warships of that era that had quickly brought on obsolescence, which would soon lead to them being obsolete by 1914.

 

In fact by 1906 three of the nine were already in the reserve fleet, two were acting as tenders and three of the remainder were in the Boys’ Training Squadron. By 1907 warship building programmes in Germany made the Admiralty realise that country might one day be a formidable naval opponent. British naval activity increased and the 4th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet was formed at Portsmouth, based on six of the ‘Edgars’. 

 

Being part of the Home Fleet these ships were painted ‘battleship grey’. Apart from Edgar the others were the Royal Arthur, Hawke, Endymion, Crescent and Gibraltar. Over the next four years or so these ships went ‘cruising’, making on average one or two long round voyages each year, mainly to the Far East. Cruisers with Muscat, Bombay, Colombo, Hong Kong, Shanghai or Sydney as their final destination would normally call in at either Aden or Perim on each of the outward and homeward legs, usually a visit that had coaling as the reason for calling.

​

A perusal of the logs of all the ships concerned show that although there were quite a few single ship visits to Perim, there was only one occasion when two ‘Edgars’ were at Perim at the same time. The reason for this is that these cruisers invariably sailed individually. This is an appropriate moment to dispel the red herring of the funnel markings. In the early years of their service all nine ships of the class were given different funnel markings. The two in the photograph each have one white ring, one on the aft and the other on the fore funnel. According to an early illustration of markings these denoted, respectively, the Edgar and the Endymion. 

 

Having examined all her logs between 19 July 1906 and 31st January 1910 I am certain that Endymion never left UK waters during those three and a half years. This all points to funnel marking being changed at some stage, possibly when the still operational Edgars joined the 4th Cruiser Squadron.

 

The date the photograph was taken can be pinpointed as being 9th February 1908. Soon after dawn that day HMS Hawke called at Perim on her way home to Portsmouth from Hong Kong, whilst an hour or so later HMS Royal Arthur also put into Perim on her way out to Shanghai. 

 

Both ships were coaled before going their separate ways before nightfall. In fact the photographer missed the opportunity of recording the presence of a third ship of the class when HMS Crescent called in just long enough to transfer a Petty officer to the Hawke, just as the Royal Arthur was about to get under way. Had the photographer been ready when the Royal Arthur was entering the harbour that morning he would have been able to record HMS Amphitrite leaving Perim. This ship was also a protected cruiser but at 11,000 tons a lot larger than an ‘Edgar’ and quite possibly the largest warship ever to enter Perim harbour. On 8th February she had taken on a remarkable quantity of coal, some 1,220 tons (but her bunkers held about 1750 tons and at her normal cruising speed she used 90 tons a day). 

 

Four cruisers in one day, all sailing independently, was never to be repeated. Prior to 1907 perhaps only two or three warships a year, other than the Station Ship at Aden, would call at Perim. Even in the period of activity 1908-1910 the number was only about eight to ten ships a year, about twice that number being ordered to coal at Aden rather than at Perim. 

 

Looking at an enlargement of the photograph, with some degree of confidence I can state that the left-hand cruiser is the Hawke. Apart from the fact that she arrived first, and therefore claimed the most convenient berth for coaling, a big gun turret is clearly visible fore as well as aft. Looking at the other ship one can just make out a gun turret forward of the bridge on the right-hand ship, but not the size to take a 9.2 inch  gun; presumably it is the starboard fore 6-inch gun of the Royal Arthur.

 

A summary of visits to Perim by ‘Edgars’ between mid 1907 and the end of 1910 is given below:

 

HMS Edgar called only once, to coal on 14 February 1910 on her way out to Colombo.

 

HMS Hawke called three times; to coal 12-15 December 1907 on her way to Hong Kong and again to coal on 9 February 1908 on her return voyage. She also called on 1 April 1910 on her way out to Colombo.

 

HMS Crescent called five times, three of which were to coal. She coaled 31 July 1907 on her way to Singapore; then 16 December 1907 outward to Hong Kong and finally on 26 August 1908 on her way to Shanghai. Her two other calls were on 9 Feb 1908, returning UK from Hong Kong and 4-6 November 1908 returning from Shanghai. Her 48 hour call that November was to fill in time as she was not due at Jeddah until early on the 9th (King Edward VIIth’s birthday, when the ship was dressed overall and a royal salute fired – ‘showing the flag’ par excellence!)

 

HMS Royal Arthur called to coal on three occasions: 9 February 1908 on her way to Shanghai and again on her return voyage, on 15 April 1908; and finally on 9 April 1909 returning to the UK from Bombay.

 

HMS Gibraltar called at Perim only once, for two hours on 15 November 1908 to take on 4 cwt of ice.