EARLY DAYS ON THE "BRITANNIA"
Jellicoe commenced his education at a small school at Rottingdean.
near Brighton, and though he was considered a bright little lad, he
did not attract any more attention than the other boys. In
holiday-time he loved nothing better than to be left alone in the
company of his father and to hear from him the wonders of the Deep,
and tales of the distant lands of Romance and Mystery which he had
visited.
One can picture the big bronzed sailor and his little son walking
about the lovely Isle of Wight watching the coming and going of the
ships, and sniffing the salt of the breeze that flung the savour and
thrill of unconquerable oceans against the shores of her faithful
lover England; Little Jellicoe eagerly questioning Big Jellicoe; and
Big Jellicoe recounting inexhaustible yarns and seaman's tales that
would have delighted the heart of and inspired Stevenson himself.
It was thus, on the shores of the Isle of Wight, and on the quays and
docks of Southampton, in communion with his father and the sea, that
the seeds of adventure and patriotism were first sown in Jellicoe's
heart--destined to flourish into such a rich harvest for his country.
There is a little story told of Master Jack soon after he learned to
toddle which shows that his character was forming even at that early
age.
"Jacky" had a habit of running ahead of his nurse and suddenly darting
across the road. The spirit of adventure; probably he was ambitious to
be a boy scout. Eventually, finding that warnings were not heeded, the
nurse told him that when she saw a policeman she would ask the
Representative of Law and Order to take him away and put him in
prison.
Presently a policeman appeared on the horizon of the pavement.
"Now, Master Jacky, you'd better behave yourself!" the nurse whispered
warningly.
But young Jellicoe was not the least afraid of the man in blue. He
advanced to meet him and solemnly looked him up and down.
"Nurse says you're to take me in charge," he announced.
The constable, taken aback, smiled and asked the nature of the
"Charge."
"Disobeying orders," was Master Jack's reply. "And I say, policeman,
what ripping buttons you've got on your uniform!"
Jellicoe never knew fear or favour. But evidently as a youngster he
realized the meaning of discipline and order.
In telling this little incident the nurse is reported to have said
that Master Jacky was extremely disgusted when the policeman refused
to take him away and lock him up.
Maybe he thought that the policeman ought to have been reported for
not doing his duty.
At twelve years of age young Jellicoe left the Rottingdean school, and
it was then that Captain Jellicoe decided his boy should have his
chance in the Royal Navy, instead of following in his footsteps and
entering the Mercantile Marine.
So he went up for his preliminary examination and passed into the old
Training Ship _Britannia_ with flying colours. From this moment there
was no stopping young Jellicoe. As an Instructor tersely remarked, "He
was a holy terror"--but not in the sense which that expression is
generally meant to convey.
He was just as quiet and well-disciplined a boy as he has been since
he grew to manhood's estate. But he was "a holy terror" for work.
Any sort of work.
To whatever he put his hand--or his mind--he accomplished. At this
period he is described by one who knew him as being short, thin but
wiry, rather pale, with large determined mouth and nose, and a pair of
extraordinarily bright eyes.
In spite of his aptitude for mental work (the first year or two on the
_Britannia_ is taken up with as much "book learning" as "boat
learning"), there was nothing of the bookworm about young Jellicoe,
and the most fierce youthful opponent of "swotting" could never have
accused him of priggishness.
He was just born with a desire for knowledge and an aptitude for
obtaining it without apparent effort.
At the same time he was as keen as any other boy on games. In spite of
his diminutive inches he was useful with the gloves; he could swim
like a fish; he was a good all-round cricketer, and a very deadly
left-hand bowler. He is still a splendid "oar," a first-class rifle
shot, and on a grouse moor he lets very few birds "get away."
His great game, however, turned out to be racquets, and even to-day it
would be difficult to find a man to equal him on the courts. At tennis
he is almost equally good, and he can give points to the average
amateur. It was during a game of tennis at home one day that Jellicoe
showed his delightful sense of humour and love of fun, peculiar to
sailor-men, proving the truth of the old saying that the greatest men
can also be the greatest children.
Just as a "set" had been finished sounds of a fierce quarrel came from
the other side of the shrubbery. Strange oaths rent the air. Obviously
tramps fighting over their ill-gotten gains! Sir John immediately
disappeared to reconnoitre with one or two friends. They were absent a
long time, and just as Lady Jellicoe was beginning to feel anxious,
her husband appeared, limping, supported by one of his guests, his
head and face swathed in bandages.
The tramps had evidently shown fight, and a terrific encounter had
taken place. Sir John was overwhelmed with sympathy for his wounds and
congratulations for his victory. For quite a long time Jellicoe kept
up the illusion that he had been "in action."
As a matter of fact, the tramps had bolted without giving the Little
Admiral even a sight of their heels.
Not so very long after this Jellicoe himself was fooling the "Blue,"
or defending fleet during Naval manoeuvres by disguising his ships
as (sea-going) "tramps" and succeeded in eluding their vigilance and
raiding an English port!
Probably Sir John learnt a few of his "tricks" during those early days
on the _Britannia_.
The _Britannia_, with her sister ship the _Hindustani_, are no longer
used as Training Ships for the Royal Navy, and though the fine modern
College on the hill overlooking the River Dart is doubtless healthier
and more suitable in many ways, there was a glamour about the famous
old Boat that a College can never possess.
Jellicoe was fortunate, therefore, in receiving his training on the
seasoned oak timbers of a gallant ship in the midst of the waters,
instead of in the modern nicely-arranged and hygienic edifice on
shore, which was built a few years ago, and which took the place of
the ancient Man-o'-War.
Always ready for work or play, he excelled at both, and was popular
with everyone. From the very outset of his career he was "marked" as a
boy who would achieve something great in the future.