HMAS Nestor

[Alan D]

This incident does not get a mention in his semi official biography in the 'History of the Royal Australian Naval College' by F.B. Eldridge 1949 page 426. He joined Argus afterwards and his final appointment was C.O. of Penguin 'resigning in Janaury 1947 to take up land in the Otway Forest, in Victoria'.

[kookaburra]

Originally Posted by mash

Hi all. I was browsing the web looking at any thing to do with the HMAS Nestor because my father had been on her from the time they picked her up till she was sunk and he always said it was his favorite ship, and I noticed the thread from Bear. wondering about a mutiny that took place on her, I have been looking for a reference to this incident for a wile. I had been reading a novel by J.E.MacDonald called mutiny years ago and dad said it really happened, he said that due to some trouble on the ship the crew were a bit upset with the captain and didn't want to go to sea with him, dad said that he and two mates were on watch that night and that they hung over the side and painted Bounty on one side of the bow and altmark on the other with redlead, when the commander found out he went nuts and ordered dad to get everyone on deck but he pretended that the clips on the hatches were to tight to open so the ship couldn't go to sea, in the end the commander was taken off and he never saw him again. I never knew if he was pulling my leg or not and would love to know if anyone can verify this story, thanks, Martin.

This sounds like the HMAS PIRIE mutiny : Post #27 here

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forum...ng+Domi nions

[kookaburra]

Originally Posted by kookaburra

Great work on this Bruce, and Bear for uncovering this 'mutiny.' I'd never heard of it, and I'm pretty sure its not in the Tom Frame/Kevin Baker book 'Mutiny ! Naval Insurrections in Australia and NZ' either [although I don't have a copy of that book here].

I have happened, just today, to pick up a copy of the Tom Frame/Kevin Baker book 'Mutiny: Naval Insurrections in Australia and New Zealand' [Allen and Unwin, 2000][ from a secondhand book store. Nice find. It does cover the HMAS NESTOR mutiny, May 14/15, 1941, and here's a precis of what is said:

Describes NESTOR undergoing trials and working up at Scapa Flow in early 1941, when a number of missions were undertaken to the north of the British Isles in very stormy weather, and many crew are ill. Three missions are mentioned Feb 29, March 26, March 30, 1941. "Damn boat is nearly rolling over half the time," writes one sailor.

Book then foottnotes an earlier book titled 'Corvette' saying : "At the same time as the ship was working up, it became evident to the ships company that the captain, first lieutenant and engineer officer were engaging in heavy drinking sessions. One morning when the ship was scheduled to proceed to sea for further trials, the ships company refused to leave their messes and prevailed upon the ship's doctor to go by boat to inform the Admiral that NESTOR'S men would not go to sea under drunken officers. The Admiral sent marines to arrest the three officers before he appointed another officer in command. No charges were laid against the sailors involved..."

Footnoting an AWM record File NO 97/0338, J.W. Evans, the book says the incident was recorded in the personal papers of both a senior sailor and an officer: 14/5/41: Weather very good. Supposed to go to sea 2100 but had a little trouble on boards [sic]. The Captain and the Jimmy were too drunk and totally unfit to take the ship to sea so all hands went for [sic] and refused to sail until a sober and responsible officer came on board. At 0200 in the morning, the Captain of the supply ship TYNE came over and our own Captain and Jimmy were placed under arrest. Still being paralytic. It was bound to happen sooner or later as they were heavy boozers."

Lieutenant Tregurtha's note [footnoted AWM RECORD MSS 1454; 93/0074 F.C. Tregurtha, says this:

"NESTOR did not commission as scheduled. Her Commanding Officer, disgracefully egged on by a junior officer, had become an alcoholic and was undergoing a court martial. He was dismissed, and by exercising self-discipline to overcome his problem, later served on with distinction."

Some general observations follow about drunkeness on ships, particularly among officers, causing great resentment among sailors. 'Officers who lost self control were rarely accorded much respect."

Another AWM record, a diary note, is given from AB Bob Skinner
AWM PR00908, about officers on an N Class destroyers putting up "a disgusting show' by still being drunk from the night before while navigating through a British minefield, which, it is said, caused a lot of bad feeling among the crew.'

That's it. Photo from the Frame/Baker book: