Home › The American Army in Europe › The American Army in Europe: Supreme

The American Army in Europe: Supreme

The Allied Naval Council has advisory functions only and has liaison with the Supreme War Council, with a view to coordinating and unifying allied naval effort, both as regards naval work only and as regards unity of action with military or land effort. Proposals made by the several allied navies are considered and definite steps recommended to be taken in the premises. As well the naval aspects of military (land) proposals are examined into and passed upon. Conversely military (land) aspects of naval activities are referred to the Supreme War Council for consideration.

Council at first advisory.

The Allied Naval Council has had, in common with the Supreme War Council, until last spring the handicap of being only advisory in function. The conclusions are recommended to the several Governments for adoption, but there is no common instrumentality for carrying into effect measures which require cooperation or coordination. This state of affairs in the Supreme War Council has been remedied by the appointment of an allied commander in chief in the person of Marshal Foch.

There can be no doubt but that the Supreme War Council has met and that the Allied Naval Council continues to fill a great need as a sort of clearing house for the necessarily varied proposals of the several Governments, most of which require cooperation on the part of some other Government, and certainly it should be continued in being until a more forceful control of allied naval effort can be agreed upon and brought into effect.

Liaison officers with the War Council and the Naval Council. The United States naval staff representative in Paris is the United States naval liaison officer with the Supreme War Council, and a member of the staff of Vice Admiral Sims is the liaison officer with the secretariat of the Allied Naval Council. The United States naval staff representative in Paris is also liaison officer at the French Ministry of Marine and is at present naval attache as well.

Naval attache to Italy.

The naval attache to Italy, Capt. C. R. Train, maintains naval liaison with the Italian Ministry of Marine and keeps in touch with the United States naval activities in Italian waters.

II. ACTIVITIES IN COOPERATION WITH THE BRITISH.

Inasmuch as the British are predominant in naval activity, it is natural to find that a major part of our naval activities are in cooperation with them and controlled by them. In fact, the British have been in position to carry so much of the "naval load" of this war that our first and our principal efforts have been toward taking up a share of that load.

Friendly rivalry between British and Americans.

Cooperation has in many cases been carried to such an extent that the coordination necessary for efficiency has developed into practical consolidation. It is pleasing to note that while consolidation is all but a fact, our own naval forces have in every case preferred to preserve their individuality of organization and administration and, as far as feasible, of operations; and that a healthy and friendly rivalry between them and their British associates has resulted in much good to the personnel of both services.

On the coast of Ireland.

The largest single group of naval activities wherein cooperation is effected with the British is that in Ireland, all of them being under the jurisdiction of the commander in chief, coast of Ireland, who has been and is Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, whose cordial appreciation of the work of our forces has gone far to stimulate the personnel coming under his direction. The chief of staff, destroyer flotillas, and the officer in charge of aviation in Ireland are designated by the British Admiralty as members of the staff of Admiral Bayly. Battleship Division Six.

Battleship Division Six, Rear Admiral T. S. Rodgers, is based on Berehaven, Ireland, in readiness for the protection of convoys in general and of troop convoys in particular. Arrangements are in effect for the supply of their needs as to fuel and stores. While lack of destroyers has operated to restrict their training underway, they are in good material condition and their efficiency is being maintained by utilizing all available facilities. The submarine patrol.

Submarine Detachment, Lieutenant Commanders Friedell and Grady, is based on Berehaven, Ireland, and maintains a submarine patrol off the west and south coasts of Ireland. Their service is hard; they have had a great deal of work at sea and have cheerfully met every demand made on them. Despite their relative isolation, they have maintained themselves in readiness with the aid of the submarine tender Bushnell, whose limited facilities have been utilized to the utmost. Their performances and condition of material and personnel reflect great credit on all concerned.

Destroyers at Queenstown. (a) The destroyers based on Queenstown, Capt. F. R. P. Pringle, are the original United States naval force in European waters--a distinction which is an ever-present spur to cheerful efficiency under any and all circumstances and produces results which must be a satisfaction to their superiors. Changes in destroyer personnel. (b) Despite the fact that the requirements of supplying personnel for new destroyers has resulted in large changes in the original experienced destroyer personnel, this has been accomplished in such a manner as to maintain the operating efficiency of the force at or near its original high standard. Destroyer tenders. (c) Aside from unavoidable casualties, the force is in good operating condition. The systemization of supply and repairs developed and maintained by the destroyer tenders Melville and Dixie effect the readiness of destroyers for sea with commendable promptness and with a view to the comfort of destroyer personnel during their short stays in port. Gunnery and torpedo exercises. (d) Within the last few months means have been found to systematize and supervise the training, particularly with regard to the carrying out of gunnery and torpedo exercises, which, under the press of keeping the sea, had somewhat lapsed in favor of the necessary development of escort work and of depth-charge tactics. (e) All of the activities at Queenstown--the torpedo repair and overhaul station, the training barracks at Passage, the repair force barracks at Ballybricken House, the general supply depot at Deepwater Quay, the hospital and barracks at White Point, as well as the activities afloat--were well underway and gave an impression of purposefulness in "getting on with the war" in that particular corner of the world.

Enlisted Men's Club at Queenstown. (f) On account of the restricted facilities for liberty and recreation, a special and most successful effort has been made to furnish healthful and interesting diversion in Queenstown itself by means of the Enlisted Men's Club, wholly of and for the men, which is second to none in results obtained in promoting contentment.

Subchaser at Queenstown.

Subchaser Detachment Three at Queenstown, Captain A. J. Hepburn, had only recently arrived, but arrangements for their employment were well in hand, and they were expected to begin operations as soon as the means of basing them had been perfected. The need of a suitable tender was apparent, especially for the upkeep of those units whose working ground would be at some distance from the main base. The personnel gave evidence of a strong feeling of eagerness to get to work and of readiness to face the hardships that going to sea in small craft entails.

Seaplane and balloon stations.

United States Naval Air Stations in Ireland, Commander F. R. McCrary, consists of seaplane stations at Whiddy Island, Queenstown (also the main supply and repair base), Wexford, and Lough Foyle, and a kite-balloon station at Berehaven. None of these stations was in operation in mid-September, except that Lough Foyle was partially so, but all were about ready to begin operations and would do so upon the receipt of the necessary planes or pilots or both, all of which were en route. A great deal of the construction has been done by our own personnel, some of the stations having been entirely done by them.