Diving Stations

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The Admiralty official who first suggested the posting probably received an MBE in the New Year’s Honors List in appreciation of his services to the Royal Navy and the nation. And, if he failed to win an award, it certainly wasn’t the First Sea Lord’s fault. Many civil servants were known to have been knighted for less.

Not that Lieutenant Nicholas Hamilton DSO RN was a bad submarine commander◦– his seamanship and courage in dangerous situations were invariably highly commended in his personal reports.

But he had a reputation for being difficult and at least half a dozen flotilla commanders had breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief when his tour of duty with them came to an end. On the other hand, there were many submarine captains who would have willingly shouldered the burden of Hamilton’s unenviable reputation in exchange for some of the brilliant successes he had enjoyed in his brief career.

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