Themes

The Navy's People

• Naval Lives

• In Focus: Women in the Navy

• In Focus: Recreation and Time off

• In Focus: Discipline and Punishment

  • Regulating Branch History

  • Lower Deck Reforms 1900-1919

  • The 'On the Knee' Mutiny, 1906

  • Newport Mutiny 1921

  • The Invergordon Mutiny, 1931

Learning

• How To: Understand Naval Medals

Invergordon Mutiny Oral History Transcripts

John Russell describes his role as a Royal Marine at Invergordon

Transcript: "At one period we were sent to the canteen at Invergordon ground to conduct a search for troublemakers. The Officer of the Guard, I think his name was Lieutenant Elkins Royal Navy, was supported by his own patrol. But they ran into a bit of trouble in the canteen and they were pelted with beer mugs. This was the outcome of trying to get the ships to sea at that period. I’m not certain about these facts because it was such a long time ago but I can refer to them if necessary through notes but I haven’t got those notes here. Lieutenant Elkins got hit on the back of the neck with a pint mug, I believe, and that terminated the patrol’s interest in trying to quell the disturbance because they were all there on meetings - ‘Why should we suffer a shilling a day loss’ and that was a terrific amount of money in those days."

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