An undated photograph of David Blair
(Click image to enlarge) (49.)
As Blair was in the Devonport area for the Oceanic court martial, he joined Lightoller in volunteering for a job which involved disguising themselves as fishermen and patrolling a section of the coastline:
Davy Blair, my old Oceanic pal, and I volunteered for a job that we had got wind of in the Flag Lieutenant’s office. The main qualification for the men who were to get it, we were told, was that they should be “Hard Cases.” Well, Davy and I had both done the Western Ocean, and knew it in its worst moods these many years. If the Mail Boat Service didn’t qualify us as far as weather was concerned, then nothing ever would.
We were accepted and told to get fixed up with fishermen’s rig, such as is used by the Brixham trawlers. A visit down sailor town soon completed the outfit, blue jersey, smock, rough serge pants, heavy weather cap, and seaboots, making us the imitation of a perfect fisherman. My first disguise! And if I looked as big a fool as I felt, then I’d need to be sorry for the success of our venture.
Davy was given a section of the coast from Newquay round the Lizard including Falmouth to Dodman point. Here my section ended and carried on past Mevagissey, Looe, round by Plymouth, Start Bay, Dartmouth and on past Tor Bay to Teignmouth. A fairly big patrol with a roving commission to find out what I could get, and report back in a week’s time to the C. in C. Devonport. My craft was a pure and simple Brixham smack, with no attempt to disguise the discomforts. (Titanic and Other Ships, Charles Lightoller, 1935
Steam Drifter 'Dreel Castle' (KY71) by artist George Wade (active 1897–1910), Scottish Fisheries Museum. (Click image to enlarge)
During 1915, Lieutenant Blair performed further Navy service, listed in his records as in "charge of Naval Sub Base at Penzance" and then a year aboard the HMS Dreel Castle, an Auxiliary Patrol Base at Falmouth, Cornwall. (26.5.1915 - 19.5.16). Hardly legible notes on his time at Dreel Castle read: "Great zeal energy and attention to his duties… to my entire satisfaction… Blair is a most capable and energetic officer and has carried out his duties in… Penzance with tact and discretion."
It seems he spent most of the war working at the "Dreel Castle" as "S.N.O Penzance" (1.5.17 - 15.3.19) and continued to perform well, with another note on his record later stating: "With utmost zeal, great ability and to my entire satisfaction, Commander Blair has been unsparing of himself in his work, has displayed very high powers of organisation and tact , is a most valuable officer."
Built in 1908, the Dreel Castle was a "hired drifter." Author Pete London, who wrote the book "Cornwall in the First World War" (2013) described the Dreel Castle's role in the war:
From 1916, the Royal Navy posted armed motor launches at Falmouth and Mount's Bay, tasked with hunting German submarines in the waters off Cornwalll's long coastline. To keep them supplied, the Navy co-opted the Dreel Castle, an drifter of 97 tons originally registered at Kirkcaldy.
Converted into a depot vessel and based at Falmouth, Dreel Castle plodded a monotonous route to Penzance and the small naval outpost at St Mary’s, ensuring the launches and naval auxiliary craft were replenished with fuel, arms, equipment and rations. (Source: https://petelondon.blogspot.com)
This photograph has been erroneously identified as showing Lightoller, when it is actually David Blair (centre). He and the other officers are 'armed' with swords, which likely dates it to between 1914 and 1919, during which time maritime officers were made Navy lieutenants. (Click image to enlarge)
Brass Royal Naval shell case, 3lb inscribed "Penzance 1914-19 from Commander Blair to C.M. Mitchell (Click image to enlarge)
His time during the war at Penzance was indeed rewarded. On the 20th of December 1917 he received a confidential letter from the Home Secretary to inform him that "in view of the service you have rendered on work connected with the War, it is proposed to submit your name to the King for appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire."
A letter Blair received on the 20th of December 1917
announcing his appointment to O.B.E.
According to The Times of Thursday 14th February 1918, the day before the "King held an Investiture of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire at 10.30 o'clock this morning. The following were severally introduced into the presence of His Majesty, when The King invested them with the Insignia of the respective Divisions of the Order into which they have been admitted... OFFICERS Lieutenant-Commander David BLAIR, R.N.R."
On the 21st of April 1918, he was officially promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Then on the 29th of August 1918 he was awarded the French Cross of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (Legion d’Honneur). Later, on the 19th of March 1919, he was officially awarded the Royal Naval Reserve Decoration.
Second Officer David Blair's O.B.E. citation to Lt. Commander Blair 1st January 1918. According to auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son it is "signed by Edward Windsor, later Edward VIII." although it states "George the Fifth" on the document.
This framed group consists of Blair's nine medals: Order of the British Empire 1st type civil award, Sea Gallantry Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Royal Naval Reserve Decoration, French Cross of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour , all mounted on a bar. Image: Lot 1454, invaluable.com (Click image to enlarge)
On the 15th of April 1919 Blair's Navy records state "London Gazette 15.4.19 transferred as Officer to the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire.
On the 24th of June 1919, Blair returned to civilian life with an appointment to Chief Officer aboard the SS Haverford, an American transatlantic liner built in 1901. During World War I, Haverford was used as a transport ship for British troops and had been severely damaged in 1917 and again in 1918 from German torpedo attacks. It returned to passenger service on the Philadelphia-Liverpool route for the American Line, making its first voyage in June,1920. The Haverford was purchased by White Star Line in 1921 and retained the original ship name. This was unusual for White Star, as most purchased vessels' names were changed to a more typical White Star name, usually ending in "-ic". The ship was assigned to the Liverpool-Philadelphia route as well as the Hamburg-New York route.
The SS Haverford, owned by the American Line and White Star Line
and later scrapped in 1925.
Blair's Navy documents state his engagement on the Haverford was from the 15.9.1919, on the Liverpool-Philadelphia route. Blair is listed as being on holiday leave for a month from 13/8/20 - 18/9/20, then returning to the SS Haverford until the 14th of February 1921, the year in which the White Star Line took over ownership of the Haverford. However, Blair had other things on his mind.
On the 14th of February he resigned from the White Star Line, retiring as Commander aged 47. Lightoller had resigned from the White Star Line exactly a year before, on the 14th of February 1920, so it is possible that similar disillusionment was the cause.
Fortunately, Blair's Navy records continue after this resignation from the White Star Line, mentioning that on the 16th of June 1923 he was "employed as commanding officer on a steam yacht St George belonging to the Research Expeditions."
The St George was a "Composite Auxiliary Steamer 3 masted Schooner" built in 1890 by Ramage & Ferguson (Leith). Photograph: The Royal Yacht Squadron - www.rys.org.uk (Click image to enlarge)
The St George was a "Composite Auxiliary Steamer 3 masted Schooner" built in 1890 by Ramage & Ferguson (Leith) from a design by W C Storey. It was 191 feet in length, 32.1 ft in breadth and 17.7 ft deep, departing on the 19th of January 1891 from Southampton for a world voyage (http://www.clydeships.co.uk/). This world cruise was recorded in a book entitled "The Cruise of the St. George R.Y.S. to See the World (1893)" in which George Fyfe MD, the ship’s doctor, wrote a vivid account of the voyage and a description of the ship:
‘The St. George is a three-masted auxiliary-screw steam yacht, and next to the Royal yachts is one of the largest and finest of the Royal Yacht Squadron, of which her owner is a Member. She was built at Leith, by Ramage & Ferguson, from the design and specifications of a first-class yacht architect (Mr. Storey) for her owner’s use … and has cost about £50,000. The predominant idea in her construction has been to combine strength and sailing qualities and special adaptation for navigation in distant seas, with elegance of yacht-like symmetry, and every home-like convenience and indeed luxurious comfort for the sea-farers aboard of her. The St. George is a hundred and ninety-two feet long and thirty-two feet beam, 1,000 tonnage, double-bottomed of teak and steel, first-class engined, and with everything in duplicate in case of break downs where repairs could not be effected; capable of steaming twelve knots an hour and of doing fifteen under canvas, for which she is specially rigged with arrangements for feathering her screw to favour her sailing speed ; electric lighted all over and electric search light if at any time needed. As to our cabins they are like elegantly upholstered bedrooms, ten feet high and nearly twelve feet square, with marble baths and hot and cold water arrangements. The saloon is thirty feet wide, well-lighted and ventilated, with open fireplace and overmantle, richly furnished, decorated and upholstered; has organ, piano, and well-selected library, chiefly travel, science, and fiction; as well as ample lounging and writing conveniences. The reception and smoking room on the deck is in keeping with the saloon, and forms an elegant and luxurious lounge for wet days and evenings… As to what I have jocosely called our ‘live stock’ there are fifty-three all told, consisting of thirty-seven A.B.s and ship’s officers, nine in the steward’s department, and seven gentlemen including the owner and myself. Our table is an exceptionally excellent one in viands, wines, beverages, &c., as well as in the no less important matters of cooking and waiting. (Source: The Royal Yacht Squadron - www.rys.org.uk)
The St George did service during first world war as "Oriflamme" and then the Wallington base ship (J J Colledge "Ships of the Royal Navy" Volume II) but by 1924 was owned by Research Expeditions, by which time she was painted white. The expeditions were scientific in nature and were officially known as the "St. George Expedition to the Pacific" by "members of the Scientific Expeditionary Research Association."
The key members of the team were:
David Blair, Commander/Captain
James Hornell
Ethnologist and scientific director
Cyril Crossland,
Marine biologist
G. H. Johnson,
General biologist
H. J. Keelsall, Lt.-Col.,
Ornithologist
L. C. Cheesman,
Entomologist
C. L, Collenette,
Assistant entomologist
L. J. Chubb,
Geologist.
Captain David Blair,
in a photograph dated 1924.
The 7th November 1924 edition of the "Science" journal ran an article on the 1924 expedition, as did the Nature magazine on the 8th of November 1924 with a short article by James Hornell, Scientific Director, St. George Expedition, from Panama, dated September 24, 1924:
The St. George Expedition to the Pacific.
With reference to recent newspaper notices of the work done by scientific staff of the St. George
Expedition to the Pacific, the members of the Scientific Expeditionary Research Association will be greatly
obliged if you will give the courtesy of your columns to the following brief resume of the results obtained to date.
The expedition reached the Isthmus of Panama on June 9, 1924. After a short stay in the Canal Zone,
devoted by the staff to assiduous collecting, the
St. Georg.e carried out a lengthy cruise to the various
tropical Islands of the Eastern Pacific, including the
Pearl in the Gulf of Panama, Gorgona, off
Colombia, and the Galapagos; Cocos, Coiba, and
Taboga were also visited. Very large zoological
collections were made at these islands, and
it is likely that a considerable number of new species
and varieties have been obtained. Small mammals
have been captured by Mr. P. H. Johnson at all the
Islands; these should prove of notable interest as
few specimens have been obtained there previous to
our visit. They include numerous rats exhibiting a
wide range of variation, particularly in the Galapagos.
Much attention has been given to the birds by
Lieut.-Col. Kelsall; up to the present more than 300
specimens have been obtained, a number smaller than
expected, due to the difficult but unavoidable conditions
that often prevailed.
The entomologists have had conspicuous success,
their collections being most extensive. Miss Cheesman's
attention has been devoted in the main to
those groups not usually collected, and which in
consequence are required to fill gaps in the British
Museum collections. It is probable that some of
the species will prove to be new, but it is impossible
to ascertain this until they have been worked through
by specialists. Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, collected
by Mr. C. L. Collenette with the assistance of Miss
Longfield, are very well represented ; special attention
was devoted to the less conspicuous forms as being
likely to be of greater interest than the large and
showy ones. Early stages have been described and
preserved wherever possible; many ecological facts
have been recorded and should prove of great interest.
Dr. C. Crossland has made large collections of
Polychata, Nudibranchs, and Polyzoa, and Mr. J.
Hornell, extensive series of Mollusca, marine and
terrestrial. It is expected that these will afford
most useful data for the settlement of synonymy
and consequently for better knowledge of geographical
distribution. At least five Atlantic species of polychates have been found in the Panama region,
indicating that an appreciable number will be found
common to the Atlantic and the Pacific when the
collections are systematically examined.
Large numbers of flowering plants were gathered
in the principal islands visited ; those from Gorgona
have been received at home already. We understand
from a cable received a few days ago that the
authorities at Kew place considerable value upon
them; indeed, in consequence of their representations
it has been decided to pay a second visit to this
interesting island, in order to make the botanical
material as complete as possible.
Geology has had adequate attention from Mr.
L. J. Chubb, who has amassed an extensive series of
notes and rock specimens from the various islands.
The outstanding result of the expedition, so far as
can be judged at present, has been the discovery by
the undersigned of several series of figures graven
upon large boulders lying between tide-marks on the
eastern shore of Gorgona. The most numerous were two series of archaic figures among which are distinguished
what seem to be rude representations of
sun-gods and a stepped pyramid. together with
figures of monkeys, birds, and other animals. Besides
these are two comparatively modern sculptured
portraits, one perhaps of Incan age, the other referable
to the buccaneering days· of the eighteenth century.
A number of stone weapons and implements were
also found, associated with potsherds of considerable
interest. Advantage is to be taken of our pending
return visit to search the island thoroughly for further
archaeological remains.
JAMES HORNELL,
Scientific Director, St. George Expedition.
Panama, September 24.
(Source: HORNELL, J. The St. George Expedition to the Pacific. Nature 114, 681 (1924).
https://www.nature.com/articles/114681a0)
Commander David Blair (left) packing scientific instruments for the expedition to the South-Pacific (Image: thecourier.co.uk).
Ultimately The St George Expedition travelled a total of 30,000 miles and was 17 months in duration, returning October 1925. Blair's Navy records list the following:
1.4.1925/18.2.1925 "St George steam yacht "on a cruise to the South Seas. Expects to return to England about June
2.4.1924 - 19.9.1925. Is in command of St George" - Research Expedition S.Pacific Ocean Master
31.10.1925 is still in command of St Geroge which is temporarily laid up, Dartmouth
16.12.25 Is not retaining command of St George
Return of the St George Expedition from the Pacific Islands after a cruise of 30,000 miles of 17 months duration. Mr C.L. Collenette, the entomologist, with some of his specimens. 12 October 1925. Image credit: imago images / United Archives International. (Click image to enlarge)
By the 20th of April 1926, his Navy documents state that he is "not attached to any vessel but expects to proceed to sea shortly" but it is not until 1928 Blair reappears in an entry dated 19.3.28 "At present residing in Panama and has lately been cruising on the coast."
This aligns with the address provided in his document from 1928 through to 1931: "British Consul, Panama City, Republiuc of Panama" and later "c/o Panama Corporation Ltd, Panama."
The next entry is almost a decade later: "29.6.1936 Until end of 1935 was in command of large yacht voyaging to South Seas. Has returned to England."
In one of his final references to work, an entry dated 14.5.1947 curiously mentions "States employed on lecturing at L.C.C.Institute"
See also...
