During the battle of the Narrows at the Dardanelles (March 18, 1915) I
was in charge of No. 3 stokehold in H.M.S. _Vengeance_. The front line
of ships engaged consisted of _Irresistible_, _Ocean_, _Vengeance_, and
an old French battleship, the _Bouvet_. The stokers off watch were the
ambulance party and fire brigade.
[Illustration: "Give us yer week's 'navy' and I'll let yer aht."]
When the battle was at its height one of the fire brigade, a Cockney,
kept us informed of what was going on, and this is the news we received
down the ash hoist:
"_Ocean_ and _Irresistible_ 'as gorn darn, the Froggy's gone up in
smoke: our blinkin' turn next.
"Pat, give us yer week's 'navy' (rum ration) and I'll lift this
bloomin' 'atch (armoured grating) and let yer aht!"--_"Ajax," 23 King's
Drive, Gravesend, Kent._