Our main feature was Mark Brady talking about Gunboats on the Great European River. Mark joined Dartmouth in Sep 1968 and retired from the Service at the end of 2002. He joined as a Seaman Officer, Executive Branch and went on to become a Warfare Officer, completing all sorts of stuff within Naval intelligence. After his retirement he went on to study for a MSc focussed on why humans have museums and the heritage of the UK Armed Forces. Gunboats on the Great European River explored the Royal Navy’s role in ensuring the Danube remained open and available to all as a vital trade artery in the chaotic aftermath of the First World War. In a wide-ranging survey covering the river’s geography, the region’s politics, and the forces contending for control of the waterway Mark showed how determined deterrence under Admiral Troubridge in a confused situation prevented conflict with no casualties and (almost) without a shot fired.
The support act was Derek Nudd on The real riddle of the sands. In a conscious echo of Childers’ book, RN lieutenant Vivian Brandon and RM captain Bernard Trench undertook an energetic survey of the German Frisian islands in 1910. All went well until they reached Borkum where Brandon was caught the wrong side of the wire. Their trial and sentencing attracted wide publicity in both countries. This episode has been written about before, but until now there has been limited opportunity to combine British and German perspectives.
The talk covered their itinerary, trial, imprisonment, and the impact of their tour.
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