My great-grand father on my father's side was in the Royal Navy for over 12 years and only recentley I have got hold of his service record for his service in the Navy, Arthur Whelan was 29 when he set foot on HMS Hood 13th August 1922 at Devonport, what follows is the timeline for 1922 and his time on board.
On the left is Arthur on HMS Hood, the full picture is below, also shown is his service record showing the dates for HMS Hood.
August 1922
14–17 August: En-route to Gibraltar.
14th - 0930 slipped, H.M.S. took station 3.5 cables astern,Position at noon: 50° 3.5'N, 4° 195'W.
Distance steamed to noon: 234 miles
15th - Read warrant 288, Position at noon: 44° 25'N, 8° 36'W. Distance steamed to noon: 368 miles
16th - Position at noon: 38° 31'N, 9° 31'W. Distance steamed to noon: 376 miles
17–20 August: At Gibraltar.
17th - 0930 Secured, Position at noon: 53° 225'N, 2° 42'W. Distance steamed to noon: 289.5 miles
18th - H.M.S. Centruion and H.M.S. Vindictive arrived, Landed shooting and athletic parties
19th - Provisioned ship (8623lbs meat, 10,300lbs vegetables)
20 August–02 November: Brazilian and West Indies Cruise.
20–24 August: En-route with H.M.S. Repulse to São Vicente (St Vincent).
20th - Position at noon: 35° 56'N, 5° 55'W. Distance steamed to noon: 37 miles
21st - Position at noon: 31° 135'N, 12° 03'W. Distance steamed to noon: 4142 miles
22nd - 1000 inclination exercise, Position at noon: 27° 31'N, 16° 37'W.
Distance steamed to noon: 336 miles
2100 Carried out search for boy Field ex sea boat crew, reported missing. Field, Alfred George Male 17 years, 11 months. Boy 1 class, English. Presumed fallen overboard and drowned.
23rd - 0900 opened for 5.5" throw off firing, 1000 Commenced exercise, 1031 ceased fire,
H.M.S. Repulse fired, 1056 Practice complete, Position at noon: 22° 26.5'N, 20° 33'W.
Distance steamed to noon: 360 miles. Conducted 5.5" throw off firing and a WT exercise with Repulse.
1600 carried out WT exercise with H.M.S. Repulse, 1625 Exercise complete,
H.M.S. Repulse too station astern.
24–26 August: At São Vicente.
24th - Position at noon: 17° 04'N, 24° 27'W. Distance steamed to noon: 367.8 miles
1607 came to, Fired 21 gun salute, 1615 fired 15 gun salute, Hoisted out boats
25th - 0930 held Court of Enquiry on boy Field, Distance steamed to noon: 59.4 miles,
1300 to 1600 oiler alongside, held Court of Enquiry on Alfred Field.
26 August–03 September: Travelling from São Vicente to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
While en-route,Hood and Repulse conducted 5.5" throw off firing, High Angle exercises, torpedo
exercises and 15" throw off firing.
26th - 1118 weighed anchor, H.M.S. Repluse too station 3.5 cables astern,
Distance steamed to noon: 7 miles
27th - Position at noon: 11° 24'N, 27° 00'W. Distance steamed to noon: 348 miles
28th - 1000 practice 5.5" throw off firing with H.M.S. Repulse, Captain Mackworth "corrected Lieutenant
Francis Babington Proudfoot RN for not putting under arrest a stoker who was under the influence of drink
on his return from leave on 25 August 1922 during his (Lieutenant Proudfoot's) watch. Read warrant 292
Distance steamed to noon: 349 miles
29th - Captain Mackworth "interviewed Executive Officers and pointed out the necessity for more careful attention to their duties during general exercises etc." 0945 HA exercises, Captain Mackworth "corrected Sub Lieutenant Alan Irvine Harris for not personally mustering his Division on 22 August 1922 and for failing to ensure that his duty Petty Officer, Rupert Gregory ONJ 2249, made him a correct and definite report on this matter" At divisions, Captain Mackworth "pointed out to all Executive Officers and all Petty Officers the necessity for more care in seeing that men who returned from leave drunk or under the influence of drink
were put under the sentry's charge" He also "cautioned the Ship's company generally on the dangers of drinking to excess in hot weather"
Position at noon: 0° 45'N, 30° 05'W. Distance steamed to noon: 347.4 miles
2100 stopped briefly at the Equator for "crossing the line" ceremony.
Photo of ceremonial dunking pool used in crossing the line ceremonies. This photo was taken onboard HMS Hood on the 30 August 1922. The "bears" are clearly visible awaiting the next initiate who is perching on the stool at the edge of the tarpaulin.
King Neptune Royal Procession onboard HMS Hood. The crossing of the equator is celebrated by all first time sailors and ships. This crossing took place on 30th August 1922.
Bizarre initiation ceremony officers and men crossing the equator for the first time. Procession on deck of King Neptune & his Consort. King has crown; sceptre w/ Neptune symbol. The Consort is a real woman; weighing c. 250 lbs; a few sailors in drag make up the court. They walk past a line of men in strange ragged furry native costumes & blackface; other weird costumes. Royal Marines in their normal uniforms stand in BG.
Rear Admiral Sir W Cowan; having previously crossed the Line; is invested with Order of the old Sea Dog. Cowan steps up; kneels. King N. & touches him w/ sceptre; Consort places ribbon round his neck. MS Cowan w/ fat lady.
Now for the initiation rituals. Doctor w/ long white beard listens to sailor's chest w/ giant primitive stethoscope; bangs on the guy's chest w/ mallet; sticks something in his mouth; & someone else reaches in & pours a glass of water down his throat. Next a funny barber sequence: same guy sits while 2 men pretend to cut his hair w/ giant scissors; slap stuff on his face & shave him w/ giant razor. At this point he looks a total mess.
Now he's pushed backward down a slide into a part of the deck they have flooded; surrounded by some waterproof fabric. Initiates are passed between lines of savages; dunked several times. then when they climb out they run another gauntlet of guys who whack their behinds.
This is duplicate of G 916 - Crossing the Line.
H.M.S. Hood's Athletic Party, Rio De Janeiro, September 3rd, 1922
They are sitting to port near the end of Hood's Shelter Deck (Boat Deck). Sitting with them ( front row, immediately to the right of the trophy) is RADM Walter Cowan.
07 September: Hood's naval battalion marches through city; illuminates ship.
09 September: Hood triumphs in International Regatta. Ship visited by President of Brazil.
10 September: Hood Wins Midshipmen's cutter race but comes in second in Seamen's cutter race.
11 September: Hood wins eight out of 15 athletic events, including tug-of-war.
13 September: Hood hosts illuminated water pageant in Botofoga Bay.
****FOOTAGE****
14–15 September: En-route to Santos.
15–20 September: At Santos.
20–30 September: En-route to Trinidad. While en-route, Hood and Repulse conducted concentration exercises, searchlight exercise, inclination exercises, night (and day) gunnery practice (15" and 5.5"), High Angle practice and torpedo exercises.
30 September–10 October: At Trinidad. Saluted dignitaries. Cleaned ship and conducted sea boat, fire control and anchor handling exercises.
10–11 October: En-route to Barbados. Conducted torpedo exercise en-route
11–16 October: At Barbados. Conducted general drills. Saluted dignitaries.
16–17 October: En-route to St Lucia.
17–20 October: At St. Lucia. Saluted dignitaries. Carried-out gunnery programme. Departed for Las Palmas 20 October. Conducted night time torpedo exercise en-route
20–30 October: En-route from St Lucia to Las Palmas. Stopped at Dominica on 21 October. Conducted sub calibre, High Angle and 15" firing exercises with Repulse.
On 29 October, stopped briefly to conduct a memorial service for Boy 1st Class Alfred Field.
30 October–02 November: At Las Palmas. Departed for Gibraltar on 02 November.
02–04 November: En-route to Gibraltar. Conducted full power and 20 knot trials. Conducted gunnery and inclination exercises.
04–30 November: At Gibraltar. Saluted and conducted tours for dignitaries (Governor and Vice Admiral of Gibraltar). General cleaning and maintenance (painting of ship's boats). Exercised main derrick. Conducted General Drill.
15 -17 November: Participated in Battle Cruiser Squadron Regatta.
30 November–03 December: En-route from Gibraltar to Devonport.
03–31 December: At Devonport. Exercised fire stations, cleaned/provisioned ship and gave leave to both watches.
HMS Hood Leaving Gibraltar in 1922 (picture was taken from HMS Repulse)
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