HMS Ganges (shore establishment)

Coordinates: 51°57′25″N 1°16′19″E / 51.957°N 1.272°E / 51.957; 1.272
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
New Zealand High Commissioner
, with a group of New Zealand sailors in front of the masthead and figurehead of HMS Ganges.
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Ganges
CommissionedMay 1865
FateClosed in October 1976
General characteristics
Class and typeStone frigate

HMS Ganges was a

Shotley (from 1905). She remained in service at RNTE Shotley until October 1976.[1]

HMS Ganges was also known as Shotley Training Establishment.

Foundation and early history

The increasing professionalism of the Royal Navy and the reform of practices during the mid-nineteenth century led to the need to establish new training centres at which recruits could be inducted into navy life. The

Admiralty decided to set aside five old laid up hulks in different ports around the country, and use them as bases at which volunteers aged between 15 and 17 could spend a year being educated for future service in the navy.[2] The plan called for an annual intake of 3,500 boys. They were to be trained in seamanship and gunnery, as well as traditional aspects of sea life. One of the hulks chosen to be converted into a school was the old 84-gun second-rate ship of the line HMS Ganges. Despite initial objections that her layout made her unsuitable for the task, the decision went ahead.[2]

The second ship to be named HMS Ganges, and the first to be a training ship

She put into

tug Gladiator. She arrived on 20 March 1866 and was anchored in the Carrick Roads.[2]

Allegations of abuse

Memorial in Mylor churchyard commemorates the 53 boys who died whilst training on HMS Ganges between 1866 and 1899.

During Ganges's time in Cornwall allegations of harsh and brutal treatment were reported to the Admiralty. One wardroom steward shot himself over the matter, and the reports aroused indignation in the local community. Captain Tremlett, the senior officer of training ships, was ordered to investigate the situation and reported that Commander Stevens "had given punishments which were not laid down in the Training Regulations and had also prevented his ship's company from taking due leave." Stevens and his first lieutenant were subsequently removed, and were replaced by Commander F. W. Wilson on 24 July 1866. By the end of 1866 there were 478 boys at the establishment.[2]

Ganges was occasionally sailed to Devonport to undergo refits. The establishment had become an important part of local life, as in 1870 a rumour began to circulate that Ganges would not return after one such refit. The mayor was pressured to contact the local Member of Parliament, and also to ask questions of a Government minister. The rumour was then disproved.[2] By 1899 the declining number of boys joining Ganges led the Admiralty to decide to move her to a more populated area. Petitions were organised by the local councils, but were unable to sway the Admiralty. Ganges sailed from Mylor on 27 August 1899. She was refitted in Devonport, which involved her keel being scraped. The boys were quartered at HMS Lion and HMS Impregnable whilst this work was carried out.[2] She then sailed to Sheerness in company with HMS Arrogant. She spent two months here before being towed to Harwich by the tug Alligator. She arrived on 11 November 1899. HMS Caroline had arrived shortly before Ganges and served as a temporary hospital ship.[1]

Ganges at Harwich

Ganges commenced her usual role at Harwich, with Caroline providing medical facilities whilst shore facilities were constructed in the town.

Shotley, in Suffolk. Work had already begun there on new Royal Naval Sick Quarters. Ganges left Harwich in 1903 for Shotley. £20,000 had been set aside to build shore-based accommodation, and a further £80,000 had been earmarked to cover the future expansion of the facility.[3]

Ganges at Shotley

New building works began in February 1904, and the old HMS Minotaur arrived.[1] She had already spent time as a depot ship for various establishments. She had been named HMS Boscawen in March 1904 whilst at Portland and now arrived to provide further facilities for Ganges. The completion of shore works in 1905 led to the establishment of RNTE Shotley on 4 October. The facility included the buildings onshore and the ships offshore, which were HMS Ganges, HMS Caroline and HMS Boscawen II.[1] The focus of the establishment now moved to shore based activities, and the capstan, bitts and figureheads were moved from the ships onto the shore. In November the establishment received the ex HMS Agincourt, which had been renamed HMS Boscawen III.[1]


1906 changes

HMS Minotaur, left; HMS Caroline, centre foreground; HMS Agincourt, right, circa. 1906

1906 was a period of considerable changes for the establishment. On 21 June HMS Ganges was renamed HMS Tenedos III in preparation for her reassignment to become part of the Boy Artificers Establishment at Chatham. She left the establishment on 5 July. Also on 21 June HMS Boscawen (the old HMS Minotaur) was renamed HMS Ganges as her replacement. The establishment was further swelled by the merging of the pupils of the establishments of HMS Boscawen, HMS St Vincent and HMS Caledonia.[1] HMS Boscawen II (the former HMS Agincourt) was renamed HMS Ganges II.[1]

2 Naval Ratings from HMS Ganges 1906 & 1969

Later developments

In 1907

First World War. On 8 October 1913 HMS Ganges II became an independent command and was based at RNTE Shotley.[1]

First World War

From 1914 to 1918, HMS Ganges was commanded by Commodore (later Rear-Admiral)

Post war developments

By October 1919 HMS Blake briefly became the depot ship for the base.[1] Also that year HMS Ganges, the former HMS Minotaur was renamed HMS Ganges II, and so joined RNTE Shotley in sharing the name.[1] On 3 August 1921 the Hunt-class minesweeper HMS Tring became the establishment's tender.[3] By now so many boys were attending the base that they had to be sent to training battleships to finish their training. These included the Portsmouth-based HMS Monarch, HMS Courageous and HMS Conqueror. HMS Ganges II (the old HMS Minotaur) was towed away in 1922 by the Dutch tug Swartezee and was broken up. Since only active ships bore names at this time, the name HMS Ganges temporarily ceased to exist, but the training establishment at RNTE Shotley continued. HMS Tring was paid off into reserve on 20 October 1925 as an economy measure.[3]

It was decided by 1927 that RNTE Shotley would be renamed after the original training ship and she was recommissioned as HMS Ganges that year.

Edward, Prince of Wales visited the establishment.[3] A number of administrative reforms were also carried out this year, including the establishment of eight internal divisions named after famous admirals.[3]

Main entrance to HMS Ganges

Ganges in the Second World War

The outbreak of the

Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent paid a visit to HMS Ganges on 1 October 1941, and on 31 January 1942 operations at Highnam Court were transferred to HMS Cabbala. Another royal visit came on 12 October when Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester inspected the establishment. Eventually by the end of the war 60,968 ratings had passed through Ganges.[3]

Postwar and closure

Ganges reopened as a boys' training establishment in October 1945. The establishment soon regained its former size and importance, continuing to expand its facilities. A number of

white ensign was lowered for the last time on 28 October and the establishment's training duties were transferred to HMS Raleigh.[1]

Following closure of HMS Ganges the married quarter estate was used by Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel from nearby RAF facilities. In 1999 a large section of the former non-commissioned officer quarters were acquired by The Welbeck Estate Group.

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Ward, Shore establishments pp.62–3.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Ganges in Falmouth". Archived from the original on 2008-04-18. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Ganges in Shotley". Archived from the original on 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-05-14.

References

External links

51°57′25″N 1°16′19″E / 51.957°N 1.272°E / 51.957; 1.272