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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Rosslyn Wemyss to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

August 20th, 1918. 

My dear Admiral,

     I have just received a copy of your Secret letter addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty, C.S. 30012 of the 19th August.1

     I have been talking on the subject with Admiral Bayly,2 who has also shown me a copy of your orders to Admiral Rodgers.3 I fear that the orders contained in Paragraph 3. (b) will cause some confusion. It apparently places all the destroyer force in Queenstown under the orders of Admiral Rodgers, and since they are already under the orders of Admiral Bayly, this creates a somewhat impossible situation, which, I think can be easily cleared up if we have a talk on the matter together.

     I shall hope to talk to you on the subject to-morrow after the Staff Meeting, and suggest that you do not actually issue the orders to Admiral Rodgers until we meet.

Yours sincerely,

  A.S.Weymss  

Source Note: LTS, DLC-MSS, William Sims Papers, Box 24.

Footnote 2: Sir Lewis Bayly, Commander-in-Chief, Naval Forces, Southern Ireland.

Footnote 3: RAdm. Thomas S. Rodgers, Commander, Battleship Division Six, Atlantic Fleet.

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