A short history of mutinies and rebellions in the British Royal
Navy and Marines from the end of World War I, Russian Revolution
and up until 1930. Whilst the mutinies in the German and French
Navies in the First World War have been well documented little
information is available concerning the British Royal Navy.
There was, however, considerable talk of mutiny at Portsmouth,
in the summer of 1918. The threat was serious enough for Lionel
Yexley, an admiralty agent, to write a report warning the
Admiralty of impending trouble. This was only averted by
immediate improvements in pay and conditions. Demands for 'lower
deck' organisation were taken seriously. Agitation for trade
union representation was spreading throughout the Navy. The
material conditions of the sailors certainly justified a mutiny.
Between 1852 and 1917 there had only been one pay increase,
amounting to a penny a day, in 1912. Wartime inflation had
reduced the sailors' nineteen pence a day to a mere pittance.
Another twopence a day was granted