“DRAKE’S DRUM.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2002, 12 July 1919, Page 1

“DRAKE’S DRUM.”

Was the spirit of Drake present at the surrender of the German Navy'? A strange incident of this surrender, anyway, was related during the voyage of the Marathon to Australia by Admiral Grant; and Lieutenant Norman, who was also a passenger by this vessel, repeated the story.at a welcome to soldiers in Singleton last week. In the old days—and, in fact, until comparatively recent years —many orders in the Navy were heralded by a roll of the drum, and in Sir Francis Drake’s time ships always went into action to the drum heat. When Sir Francis was dying on his ship, the Royal Oak, oil Puerto Bello, near Panama, in 1505, his last words, it

is said, were: “We have command of the seas, and should England ever beat a critical time regarding that command, rest assured that my spirit will be with yon.”

Now, at the time of (he surrender of the German Navy, Admiral (Irani's ship, the Marlborough, was undergoing repairs, and his flag was living aboard the Royal Oak, one of (he latest of the British battlecruisers. From the lime the Ger-

man ships were first sighted, .Admiral Grant, with his captain and officers, watched from the bridge, the crew, as on all British ships, being at “haltle stations,” silent, and ready for the slightest sign of German hostility. Almost immediately the Germans hove in sight the roll of a drum was heard on the lower dock of the Royal Oak. This being distinctly out of order, (he captain ordered search to be made for the offender, but no trace of a drum was to be found anywhere in the.ship. Every five minutes the roll was sounded, and was clearly heard by the whole ship’s company, many of whom, of course, were not aware of the legend of Sir Francis Drake. The mystery continued until the last of the German ships were safely moored in Scapa Flow. Lieutenant

Norman says that Admiral Grant vouched for this curious incident, stating he could hardly credit his own ears, but there was the evidence of every officer and man in the ship in support.