478:
finally received a reply at 20:00, instructing him to inform sailors that the existing pay rates would remain in force until the end of the month and that the
Admiralty expected the men to uphold the traditions of service and carry out their duties. The Admiralty stated that the cut in pay was only 10%, but this ignored the situation for those on the old pay rate. In a second telegram, Tomkinson was instructed to resume exercises as soon as he had completed his investigations into the complaints. Tomkinson believed that this response showed he had failed to communicate the gravity of the situation and replied that it would be impossible to resume exercises in the circumstances. Incitement to stop work was spreading from deck to deck: crews on
465:
25:
523:), he reported his belief that the mutiny would worsen unless an immediate concession was made. He suggested junior ratings on the old rate should remain on that rate with a cut of 10%, and marriage allowances should be extended to ratings under the age of 25. He also asked that members of the Admiralty board visit Invergordon to discuss matters in person. Shortly afterwards, he was informed by the Admiralty that the matter was being considered by the
138:
598:
220:
360:
he had finished. The sailors returned to their ships, but many gathered on deck after their return and continued their protests. Tomkinson informed the
Admiralty of the protests, stating that the cause seemed to be the disproportionate pay cut of 25% for some ratings. He ordered commanders to return to their ships and report on the situation.
84:
544:
The
Cabinet accepted Tomkinson's recommendation that ratings on the old rate of pay remain on that rate, with a 10% cut in line with the rest of the service. It was made clear that further acts of insurrection would be severely punished. A number of the organisers of the strike were jailed, while 200
359:
to deal with further disturbances at the canteen and in the open air ashore. These disturbances were characterised as disorderly, and civilians were reportedly spotted amongst the sailors. The
Officer of the Patrol was able to address the assembly, but speeches, cheering and singing recommenced after
540:
In summarising the mutiny for the
Admiralty, Tomkinson reported that the crews had remained respectful to their officers throughout, and that officers had done their best to explain the government's reasons for the cut in pay and that complaints would be taken seriously. He concluded that the mutiny
210:
dated 10 September giving the reasons for the reduction in pay and the principles on which it had been based. The following morning, Tomkinson ordered the commanders of all ships present to read sections of the letter to their officers and crew. However, several ships had not received copies of the
190:
in the afternoon of Friday 11 September, learned about the cuts from newspaper reports; some reports implied that a 25% cut would be imposed on all ratings. The shock of this news had a palpable effect. On 12 September, orders were received from the
Admiralty confirming the pay cuts. On the evening
531:
had ceased all but essential duties. Some sailors were threatening to damage machinery and leave ships without permission. In the afternoon, the
Admiralty ordered the ships of the Fleet to return to their home ports immediately. Tomkinson directed the ships to proceed in their squadrons as soon as
383:
intended to prevent their ships from sailing in practice manoeuvres the next day; the protests were confined to ratings below leading rate, and did not show any animosity towards officers. In the early hours of 15 September, Tomkinson considered cancelling the exercises. However, after discussions
477:
In the afternoon, Tomkinson again informed the
Admiralty of the situation and its chief cause, asking for an early decision to be communicated and stating he did not believe it would be possible to restore order, or prevent further deterioration of the situation, until a decision was received. He
396:
would follow orders and this would quell any resistance on other ships. He ordered commanders to investigate complaints in due course and report typical cases that he could use to represent the protests to the
Admiralty, and informed the Admiralty that he expected problems sailing in the morning.
545:
sailors were discharged from the service. A further 200-odd sailors were purged from elsewhere in the Navy, accused of attempting to incite similar incidents. The
Admiralty held Tomkinson accountable for the mutiny, blaming him for failing to punish dissidents after the first protests.
541:
had been caused primarily by the 25% cut for junior ratings who had joined the service before 1925, that there were no grievances besides the pay cut, and his belief that the complaint was well founded. He also believed that any use of force would have made the situation much worse.
506:
In the early hours of 16 September, Tomkinson informed the Fleet that Admiral Colvin had been dispatched to the Admiralty to present sailors' complaints in person, but no decision could reasonably be expected for a day or two; he expected all crews to return to duty.
510:
On the morning of 16 September, Tomkinson received the last of the complaints. He dispatched the Fleet Accountant Officer with these to the Admiralty, and sent extracts by telegram. Having discussed the situation with Rear-Admirals Astley-Rushton (Second
449:, expected to enforce discipline and break up any mutiny, joined the strike. Tomkinson suspended the exercises until further notice, cancelled all leave and called for the investigations of complaints to proceed as quickly as possible.
425:, crews carried out only essential duties, including the provision of safety patrols and fire guards, and did so without any recourse to their officers. Throughout the day, cheering crowds massed on the forecastles of all ships except
297:. After arriving, officers and crew had access to newspapers, which contained reports of the pay cuts. On the night of 12 September a group of sailors met at a football field. They voted to organise a strike and left singing "
309:, Captain Wake, and the canteen was closed early. The crews left peacefully, although further speeches were made at the pier. After considering reports about the incident from Wake and the Chief of Staff, Rear-Admiral
502:
set to follow suit. There were also reports that some petty officers, who had continued to follow orders although they had not attempted to get junior ratings to return to work, were starting to join the strike.
828:
351:. That evening, Tomkinson hosted a dinner attended by most of the ships' commanders and various flag officers. Shortly before dinner, Tomkinson was informed that patrols had been dispatched from
574:
but in 1946 he was sent to the Gulag after being accused of being a British spy; he was imprisoned for more than a decade. After his release in the 1950s, he became a friend of
532:
possible, and gave officers and crew with family at Invergordon leave to visit the shore and say their goodbyes. That night, all ships sailed from Invergordon as ordered.
818:
211:
letter and some were unable to pass the information on to their companies until the next day. By that time, the mood for a mutiny had taken hold in many crews.
301:". The following evening a number of them made speeches at the canteen ashore criticising the cuts. The Officer of the Patrol reported this disturbance to
808:
152:
163:
workers) for officers and senior ratings, and for junior ratings on the "new rate" of pay, introduced for new entrants in 1925. Ratings below
437:, a piano was dragged on deck and songs were sung. Officers, who issued orders and threats through loudspeakers, were ignored and ridiculed.
156:
46:
823:
787:
Copy of the diary of Lieutenant-Commander C H Drage. Vol. VI. CHD/6 26 January 1929 – 23 February 1931, held at the Imperial War Museum.
616:
313:, Tomkinson decided not to take disciplinary action. He reported the incident and his decision to the Admiralty by telegram. Meanwhile,
203:
782:
717:
700:
650:
68:
705:
441:
unmoored and attempted to put to sea with a limited number of men on duty, but was unable to proceed. On Tomkinson's own ship,
107:
87:
833:
771:
524:
813:
630:
409:
sailed on time at 06:30, but sailors on the other four capital ships due to sail had already begun to refuse orders. On
159:
launched cuts to public spending. In the Navy this amounted to a 10% pay cut (matching 10% cuts across the board for
39:
33:
611:
305:, the ship of the watch that night, and requested reinforcements. Extra patrols were sent, led by the commander of
192:
464:
50:
625:
346:
199:
603:
176:
549:
167:
who had joined before 1925 would have their pay reduced to the same level, amounting to a 25% cut. Many
122:
640:
575:
328:
250:
635:
244:
792:
645:
571:
392:
and the Officers of the Patrol who had witnessed events, he decided against this, expecting that
340:
280:
268:
713:
696:
583:
334:
286:
207:
195:
168:
137:
125:
and a run on the pound, bringing Britain's economic troubles to a head and forcing it off the
552:
and a run on the pound, bringing Britain's economic troubles to a head and forced it off the
512:
262:
172:
327:
left the harbour to perform planned exercises, and during the day four more ships arrived:
363:
The reports indicated that there was no trouble in the cruisers, nor on the battlecruiser
314:
274:
224:
175:'s split with the Labour Party and his formation of the new National Government with the
183:
141:
110:
that took place on 15–16 September 1931. For two days the sailors on the ships of the
802:
553:
446:
310:
292:
164:
160:
126:
745:
579:
567:
445:, crew members prevented officers and senior ratings from unmooring the ship. Even
298:
736:
559:
118:
caused a disturbance and refused to take military orders in a dispute over pay.
115:
593:
256:
111:
417:, crews carried out the ordinary harbour routine, refusing to put to sea; on
776:
171:
supporters also shared the sense of betrayal felt in the labour movement at
468:
240:
234:
187:
145:
597:
695:, ed. Christopher M. Bell and Bruce Elleman. London: Frank Cass, 2003.
582:, commanded the British Battalion of the International Brigades in the
219:
191:
of 13 September, by which time sailors had already started agitating,
693:
Naval Mutinies of the Twentieth Century: An International Perspective
103:
99:
83:
463:
218:
136:
82:
563:
793:
Respectful rebels: the Invergordon Mutiny and Granny's MI5 file
182:
Sailors of the Atlantic Fleet, arriving at Invergordon on the
18:
527:, and communicated this to the Fleet. Meanwhile, the crew of
151:
In September 1931, as part of its attempts to deal with the
691:
Bell, Christopher M., "The Invergordon Mutiny, 1931", in
16:
Revolt by sailors of the British Atlantic Fleet in 1931
829:
20th-century military history of the United Kingdom
384:with several flag officers, the commanders of
233:Ten warships arrived in port on 11 September:
710:A Divided Life. A Biography of Donald MacLean
8:
206:was in hospital, received a letter from the
562:, a leader of the mutiny, defected to the
494:in performing only essential duties, with
198:, in temporary command of the fleet while
519:) and French (Second Battle Squadron, on
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
772:Six vital lessons of the 1931 depression
32:This article includes a list of general
662:
790:MacDonald, Hamish and Yeoman, Louise.
578:in Moscow. Another leader, Navy boxer
819:Labour disputes in the United Kingdom
7:
461:were ordered to return to harbour.
752:, London: Faber & Faber, 1974.
319:arrived at port. On 14 September,
38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
651:Royal Canadian Navy mutinies 1949
548:The mutiny caused a panic on the
367:, but crews on the battlecruiser
121:The mutiny caused a panic on the
596:
405:On the morning of 15 September,
23:
809:1931 labor disputes and strikes
712:London: The Bodley Head, 1988.
783:The Invergordon Mutiny of 1931
1:
473:around the time of the mutiny
90:on exercise in the late 1920s
631:Chilean naval mutiny of 1931
850:
824:1931 in the United Kingdom
759:, London: Weidenfeld, 1974
742:, London: Routledge, 1981.
726:, London: Macdonald, 1970.
612:Spithead and Nore mutinies
731:The Mutiny at Invergordon
626:Royal Indian Navy Mutiny
733:, London: Putnam, 1937.
604:Organized labour portal
53:more precise citations.
740:The Invergordon Mutiny
669:Cecil, pp 20 & 178
556:on 21 September 1931.
474:
230:
148:
129:on 21 September 1931.
108:British Atlantic Fleet
91:
88:British Atlantic Fleet
834:September 1931 events
779:, 2008-12-29 page 22.
724:Mutiny at Invergordon
550:London Stock Exchange
467:
222:
140:
123:London Stock Exchange
86:
769:Rees-Mogg, William.
757:Invergordon Mutineer
641:Wilhelmshaven mutiny
486:had joined those on
371:and the battleships
223:Crew on the deck of
215:Initial disturbances
814:Royal Navy mutinies
636:Kronstadt rebellion
619:De Zeven Provinciën
157:National Government
729:Edwards, Kenneth.
646:Revolt of the Lash
572:Siege of Leningrad
475:
231:
149:
96:Invergordon Mutiny
92:
584:Spanish Civil War
196:Wilfred Tomkinson
79:
78:
71:
841:
750:Crusade in Spain
679:
676:
670:
667:
606:
601:
600:
570:he survived the
566:in 1934. During
513:Cruiser Squadron
173:Ramsay MacDonald
153:Great Depression
102:by around 1,000
74:
67:
63:
60:
54:
49:this article by
40:inline citations
27:
26:
19:
849:
848:
844:
843:
842:
840:
839:
838:
799:
798:
766:
764:Further reading
722:Divine, David,
688:
683:
682:
677:
673:
668:
664:
659:
602:
595:
592:
538:
403:
217:
135:
75:
64:
58:
55:
45:Please help to
44:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
847:
845:
837:
836:
831:
826:
821:
816:
811:
801:
800:
797:
796:
788:
785:
780:
765:
762:
761:
760:
755:Wincott, Len.
753:
743:
734:
727:
720:
703:
687:
684:
681:
680:
671:
661:
660:
658:
655:
654:
653:
648:
643:
638:
633:
628:
623:
614:
608:
607:
591:
588:
576:Donald MacLean
537:
534:
402:
399:
216:
213:
204:Michael Hodges
184:Cromarty Firth
142:Cromarty Firth
134:
131:
77:
76:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
846:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
806:
804:
795:
794:
789:
786:
784:
781:
778:
774:
773:
768:
767:
763:
758:
754:
751:
747:
746:Gurney, Jason
744:
741:
738:
735:
732:
728:
725:
721:
719:
718:0-370-31129-9
715:
711:
707:
706:Cecil, Robert
704:
702:
701:0-7146-5460-4
698:
694:
690:
689:
685:
678:Gurney, p 112
675:
672:
666:
663:
656:
652:
649:
647:
644:
642:
639:
637:
634:
632:
629:
627:
624:
622:
621:(1909)#Mutiny
620:
615:
613:
610:
609:
605:
599:
594:
589:
587:
585:
581:
577:
573:
569:
565:
561:
557:
555:
554:Gold Standard
551:
546:
542:
535:
533:
530:
526:
522:
518:
514:
508:
504:
501:
497:
493:
489:
485:
481:
472:
471:
466:
462:
460:
456:
452:
448:
447:Royal Marines
444:
440:
436:
432:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
408:
400:
398:
395:
391:
387:
382:
378:
374:
370:
366:
361:
358:
354:
350:
349:
344:
343:
338:
337:
332:
331:
326:
322:
318:
317:
312:
311:Ragnar Colvin
308:
304:
300:
296:
295:
290:
289:
284:
283:
278:
277:
272:
271:
266:
265:
260:
259:
254:
253:
248:
247:
242:
238:
237:
228:
227:
221:
214:
212:
209:
205:
201:
197:
194:
189:
185:
180:
178:
177:Conservatives
174:
170:
166:
165:petty officer
162:
161:public sector
158:
154:
147:
143:
139:
132:
130:
128:
127:Gold Standard
124:
119:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
89:
85:
81:
73:
70:
62:
52:
48:
42:
41:
35:
30:
21:
20:
791:
770:
756:
749:
739:
737:Ereira, Alan
730:
723:
709:
692:
674:
665:
618:
580:Fred Copeman
568:World War II
558:
547:
543:
539:
528:
520:
516:
509:
505:
499:
495:
491:
487:
483:
479:
476:
469:
458:
454:
450:
442:
438:
434:
430:
426:
422:
418:
414:
410:
406:
404:
393:
389:
385:
380:
376:
372:
368:
364:
362:
356:
352:
347:
341:
335:
329:
324:
320:
315:
306:
302:
299:The Red Flag
293:
287:
281:
275:
269:
263:
257:
251:
245:
235:
232:
225:
193:Rear-Admiral
181:
169:Labour Party
150:
120:
95:
93:
80:
65:
56:
37:
560:Len Wincott
517:Dorsetshire
496:Dorsetshire
252:Dorsetshire
116:Invergordon
51:introducing
803:Categories
686:References
401:The mutiny
342:Snapdragon
155:, the new
112:Royal Navy
34:references
777:The Times
536:Aftermath
484:Adventure
427:Centurion
330:Centurion
246:Adventure
208:Admiralty
59:June 2009
590:See also
521:Warspite
451:Warspite
348:Tetrarch
321:Warspite
307:Warspite
303:Warspite
288:Warspite
241:flagship
188:Scotland
146:Scotland
525:Cabinet
492:Valiant
480:Norfolk
459:Repulse
439:Valiant
419:Valiant
407:Repulse
394:Repulse
377:Valiant
365:Repulse
357:Valiant
336:Shikari
282:Valiant
270:Repulse
264:Norfolk
229:in 1940
200:Admiral
106:in the
104:sailors
47:improve
716:
699:
617:HNLMS
488:Rodney
455:Malaya
435:Rodney
431:Exeter
423:Rodney
415:Nelson
390:Nelson
381:Nelson
373:Rodney
325:Malaya
316:Nelson
291:, and
276:Rodney
258:Malaya
226:Rodney
133:Causes
100:mutiny
98:was a
36:, but
657:Notes
515:, on
433:. On
239:(the
714:ISBN
697:ISBN
564:USSR
529:Hood
500:Hood
498:and
490:and
482:and
470:Hood
457:and
443:Hood
429:and
421:and
413:and
411:Hood
388:and
386:Hood
379:and
369:Hood
355:and
353:Hood
345:and
323:and
294:York
236:Hood
202:Sir
94:The
243:),
186:in
144:in
114:at
805::
775:,
748:,
708:,
586:.
453:,
375:,
339:,
333:,
285:,
279:,
273:,
267:,
261:,
255:,
249:,
179:.
72:)
66:(
61:)
57:(
43:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
