I have a brief story, also: I think it was in 1950—the year King George died—that IREX sank the flag of combined “Allied Fleet” during maneuvers in Atlantic Coast waters. It seems that that summer a number of high ranking Dutch officers came to Lower Base to observe IREX's snorkel. Unfortunately, they were in whites. When we raised the mast and lit off an engine (#4, I believe), there came a shower of filthy water from the mast. All hands on pier were dirtied and they left in a hurry, perhaps not too impressed.
Also, a point on Mr. Brittain's story [”Message from the Commodore”] perhaps it was another event. At any rate, IREX was returning one afternoon, just in time to catch the Thames running to sea at it's top flow. The young officer on the bridge made several attempts to bring her alongside but with no success, as the river kept moving us. That day, after the skipper or the exec brought her in, there was a message from Squadron Office by way of signals, to wit: a summons for the old man to appear immediately “but leave the boat at the pier”.