A periscope stretching about 40 feet through two storeys of a Devonport museum gives visitors a working view across the Hamoaze, including the Tamar Ferry as it passes.
The periscope is the centrepiece of the Courageous Gallery at Devonport Naval Heritage Centre. It rises through the building and protrudes through the roof, just as a submarine’s periscope must reach above the water to let its crew see what is around them.
Visitors can look through it and sweep their view up and down the waterway. The everyday movement of ferries and vessels on the Hamoaze becomes part of the experience, a reminder that this is a working periscope and not simply a museum display.
Lead volunteer Peter Dunlop also shows visitors other pieces of submarine equipment, including an early battery associated on the tour with HMS Holland, the Royal Navy’s first submarine, and computer equipment used aboard submarines.
An original submarine escape suit is also on display. It was designed for a submariner to wear when escaping from a submarine in an emergency, offering a vivid reminder of the dangers faced by crews working deep below the surface.
The gallery also features original photographs taken through submarine periscopes in different parts of the world. Among them is an unexpected final image: a polar bear seen through the lens.
Another striking display is the collection of submarine Jolly Rogers, often mistaken for ordinary pirate flags. Their use by the Royal Navy began during the First World War. After HMS E9 sank the German cruiser SMS Hela in 1914, its commander, Max Horton, had a Jolly Roger flown as the submarine returned to port. The gesture answered an earlier comment by an Admiralty leader who had compared submariners to pirates.
The tradition continued, with submariners adding symbols to their flags to record actions during a patrol. Each Jolly Roger could become a handmade record of a submarine’s service, with different marks representing different operations and achievements.
The working periscope, escape suit, photographs, equipment and flags each offer a different glimpse into the hidden world of submariners. Peter Dunlop’s tour brings the displays together, explaining the technology and traditions behind the service.
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post