Royal Naval College Greenwich Centenary 1873 - 1973
World War Two 1939-1945
On the 1st September 1939 the
Second World War broke out, and most courses ceased. The Medical School moved
to Clevedon, while enemy bomb damage forced the long courses (Electrical
Engineering, Constructor, Instructor) to Bristol for three years (September
1940-43). The Staff College re-opened in November 1943 with 8-weeks courses for
a diverse body of students, mainly RN but including the other Services, the
RNR, RNVR and WRNS and a few foreign officers (American, Polish and Norwegian).
The Tactical School came from Portsmouth in November 1944 with a likewise mixed
student body. About 50 Chinese officers attended two 6-months courses in
English and Technical subjects, and there were courses for a few Norwegian,
Netherlands, Danish and Belgian officers.
Female students, both
Officers and ratings, took up residence for the first time - in Queen Anne
block. A WRNS OTC began in October 1939, a Cypher Course in June 1941 and an
Administrative Course in January 1943. The Cypher Course departed in April
1943, while in July the others moved to Devonport House, Seamen's Hospital as
their numbers had increased to 120. Enemy damage forced them away from
Greenwich between April 1944 and June 1945. A ratings Depot, training in
General Service duties (domestic, clerical, supply) and including Schools for
Teleprinters, Pay Writers, Special Coders and Civilian Shore War Signal
Sections, was housed for a year (June 1940-41).
The major College task
however was crash training of many varieties of 'hostilities only' officers -
Direct Entry Executive, 'King Alfred' Executive and ex-Special Branch, Fleet
Air Arm, Sea Cadet, Midshipmen RNR, with additional courses in Junior Staff
work, Fixed Defences, Cypher, Meteorology, Navigation, Air Intelligence and
Current Affairs. Trafalgar House, Devonport House and even Christ's College,
Blackheath were put to use. Altogether nearly 27,000 officers passed through
Greenwich - including over 14,000 RNR and RNVR and over 8,000 WRNS.
All
the time too important research work went on in the laboratories - for instance
in Material Properties (Fatigue, Hardness, Welded Structures, Higher Yield
Point, Elastic Failure) - the work of Professor B P Haigh being particularly
noteworthy.
All the time too enemy bombs threatened these beautiful
buildings, which lay inconveniently between two power stations among London's
docks. Fortunately their open design and strength, and the tireless efficiency
of a Civil Defence and students on constant watch, saved them for posterity. In
the blitz of 1940 King Charles Block was damaged and the clearance of debris
from fire and bomb was almost a daily occurrence. Incendiaries were difficult
to deal with in the complexity of roofs - especially in .Queen Mary Block - but
the Painted Hall mercifully escaped, being protected by outer scaffolding.
Buildings near the West Gate were not so lucky. Nor was the President's House
at the north-east end of King Charles Block. It suffered a direct hit from an
enemy raider in 1943. One officer was killed and the Commander of the College
is said to have been blown across the Grand Square. In March 1944 a high
explosive bomb hit Devonport House and in July a V1 flying bomb destroyed a
large area outside the East Gate.
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