'Odd craft flying the white Ensign'

Inscribed, as title, and signed by the artist, lower right, this drawing was reproduced in Wyllie and M.F. Wren's 'Sea Fights of the Great War (1918) f. p. 140. It is an imaginary gathering of varied naval craft - presumably those of unusual interest to Wyllie rather than 'oddities' in themselves - and is probably set in the Solent. On the left is a submarine of the early E-class with a patrol sloop of the P-class and a mercantile balloon ship beyond. An X-lighter is in the centre with two Elco American-built motor launches, in front of a monitor of the 'Marshal Ney'-class. The ship at speed on the right is another P-class patrol sloop and a paddle minesweeper is on the extreme right. The flying boat on the right may be a White & Thompson No. 3 Type, introduced in September 1915. The other two flying boats remain to be identified.

Object Details

ID: PAF1745
Collection: Fine art
Type: Drawing
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Wyllie, William Lionel
Date made: 1915-18; 1915-1918
People: British Fleet
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection
Measurements: Sheet: 266 x 432 mm