WILLIAMSON'S TURN

Captain James had just taken over the command of his new ship. It was a heavy cruiser and James has had goose bumps when he saluted the Ship’s Ensign to confirm his Command of the majestic Ship. Battle cruisers are sub-types of capital ships, and may be defined as ““Surface vessels of war, other than capital ships or aircraft carriers, the standard displacement of which is less than 10,000 tons (10,160 metric tons) and which exceeds 1,850 tons (1,880 metric tons), or with a gun above 5.1 inch (130 mm) calibre. The cruiser category is divided into two sub-categories, Heavy cruisers carrying a gun above 6.1 inch (155 mm) caliber and Light cruisers carrying a gun not above 6.1 inch (155 mm) calibre.”
 

James’ Cruiser was armed with torpedo tubes, and had a top speed of around 30 knots. The ship was designed to mix speed with range, endurance and firepower, and was expected to be able to out-run any ship they it couldn’t out-fight. Smaller than a battleship, the heavy cruiser could mix fire-power with punch. The World War – II was raging on and the cruisers had a role to play in the Big Game. Captain James had a young crew and most of them had joined the new ship from other ships and establishments. The crew had got down to work themselves up and to reach the sailing standards. The heat of the War had reached the propellers of each ship worth sailing and no sooner James and his Ship were underway to the mighty Pacific Ocean’s battlefield. The Pearl Harbor massacre had just got over and the serious battle had begun.

The Ship proved its design during the sea trials and a young 18 year old Sailor was the first one to get a chance to fire the Ships’s massive big gun. The 09 guns of the cruiser fired simultaneously and the battle readiness was announced. The Ship set sail for its patrol area and to meet any challenge. Captain James stood on the bridge and was in full control of his mighty ship. He only had one worry on his brow- his young crew. The times did not afford James a well-oiled Ship’s Company and the challenge now was in James’ court to lead the ship into the raging battle. His Ship had charted course for an area infested with enemy Submarines and Sharks. The Submarines were routinely blowing holes in Men of War (Ships) and many a sea going Captains were having sleepless nights as Submarine alarms went onboard their ships. James had joined their bandwagon along with his large crew.

The life onboard a battle ship at sea resembles a human’s life. The action never remains still and times do not freeze. The ships at sea are constantly in action and practice to achieve perfection never ceases. Each soul onboard the ship gets exercised to achieve his standards and to contribute his bit when the prime action unfolds. The hum of the machinery keeps the humans on their toes and everyone has to contribute with their might to achieve the victory. Something similar happens in the life of the humans as each part of the body has to be kept well-oiled and nimble to meet the challenges of individual life. In a family, all the constituent individuals conjoin their efforts to achieve unified success. Individual successes leave tired souls whilst collective success leaves a well settled family.

Captain James began exercising his crew in the right earnest. He had laid out an extensive plan for the Ship’s Company to achieve perfect harmony before action strikes. The drills and emergencies were constantly being exercised to get the crew into a cohesive state. The day had broken brightly and the ship was getting exercised. The sea was also in an excited state and the region was infested with Sharks. The guns were being tried out when Leading Seaman Woody lost his balance and went overboard. As he fell into the Pacific waters, the Man Overboard alarms went off. Captain James rushed onto the Bridge and young Lieutenant Marsh had started executed a Williamson’s Turn. The massive ship had to be brought upwind of the overboard sailor.

The Williamson turn is a maneuver used to bring a ship or boat under power back to a point it previously passed through, often for the purpose of recovering a man overboard. It was named for John Williamson, USNR, who used it in 1943. However, according to Uncommon Carriers by John McPhee, the maneuver was originally called the Butakov pipe and was used in the Russo-Japanese War as a way of keeping guns at the same distance from an enemy. The propellers had to be stopped well clear of the man.

Captain James quickly analyzed the situation and saw the chart positions. He gave his nod to Lieutenant Marsh and just observed the proceedings. Marsh had ordered rudder over full towards Leading Seaman Woody. As the heavy cruiser responded to the rudders, Marsh calculated deviation from the original course. As he touched 60 degrees deviation mark, Marsh shifted the rudder full to the opposite side. The ship’s bows cut mercilessly into the cold water. As the cruiser came 20 degrees short of the reciprocal, Marsh put the rudder amidships and the ship gained onto the reciprocal course. The order for shutting the propulsion was given and Woody was onboard before the Sharks could get a whiff of his blood. Shaken but not stirred, Woody was taken to the warmth of the Ship and Marsh received Captain James orders to commence the journey to its target zone. The Ship’s Company had performed a live act and the crew bonding was amply displayed as the recovery was carried out. Captain James had maintained his calm during the entire maneuver and other than the nod and his eye contact with Lieutenant Marsh, he had not spoken a word during the entire episode. Captain James and his men had gelled into a cohesive unit. 

Lieutenant Marsh and the Executive Officer (2^nd in Command) Lieutenant Commander Bennett sat down for the dinner with the Captain that evening. James was not a man of few words and a stiff upper lip. He appreciated young Marsh for his presence of mind and perfect execution of the Williamson’s Turn. The discussion veered towards the imminent action that the ship was likely to face in the coming days and Bennett was a bit worried about the new crew’s performance. James calmed his deputy’s nerves and advised that the Ship’s Company be kept exercised for all the possible actions that could unfold. He elucidated the hard work put in by the ship builders and war torn country’s industry to get the cruiser into water and the expectations from the ship’s guns. Bennett and Marsh acknowledged the Captain’s advice and the ship sailed deep into the Pacific Ocean as the night unfolded.

Across the huge expanses of the Pacific, the two most powerful navies in the world were locking themselves up in a death-to-finish struggle. The war was spreading in every possible climate, from Arctic conditions in the Aleutians, to the appalling heat and swelter of the South Pacific. Every conceivable type of naval activity was represented: carrier aviation battles, surface engagements, bitterly fought night-fights, the largest amphibious landings of the entire war, and the stealthy, brutal battles waged by and against submarines. James and his ship were soon going to enter into the spread of war and the young Captain had many thoughts grazing his mind. He was all over the ship and his handshake stories became the galley talks amongst his crew. He would greet each of his men with a broad smile and a pat on the young and old backs. He had started pushing his new team for a leadership at all levels and guided the Officers and men to take charge of the situations in their arena. James understood one thing very clearly- the raging battle would consume either the enemy or his ship and he wanted each men onboard the heavy cruiser to engage in everything that went onboard from drills, emergencies to combat moves. The young crew of James ship began to respond to his leader-leader theory.

James’ ship joined a squadron in the area tasked with interdicting any enemy resupply convoys to the area. On a clear morning and with unforgiving cold sea, this task group found what they were seeking, but got more than they bargained for. An enemy convoy of two transports was coming north, escorted by eight warships, including two heavy and two light cruisers. What followed was one of the more 'pure' long-range naval gunfire engagements of the war.

The enemy ships were far more superior and nimble. The enemy ships had sailed in a pattern and the initial engagement resembled as if the Fox had arrived in the Chicken’s coop. The young crew of James’s ship was excited as the guns prepared for their pound of steel. The day grew brighter and along with it appeared the huge enemy task force. The Fox was now turning into the chicken. The option was very clear- barrel down till you go down. James passed down a cut message to his crew- Begin with End in Mind. The cruiser was cutting the Pacific water line at almost 30 knots and the battle positions were drawn. The enemy ships were firing all guns and each change of position by Executive Officer Bennett was where the last enemy shell fell. Bennett sought advice from James and James advised him to follow his instincts. As the ship swung on its side, yet another shell landed into the merciless water.

The ships’ machinery was taking the toll of the high speed maneuvers and it was the time when a shell landed on James ship. The deadly explosion ripped steel frames and casualties were born. The young crew worked hard to keep ships’ buoyancy into a stable position for its own guns to return the fire-power. The guns blazed away to glory and each hand on ship was moving on his own to meet the mission. The listing ship kept pounding its guns on the enemy and its sister ship created a smoke screen to hide it from the enemy’s gaze. James ordered a steaming coffee for himself as his guns kept sliding out powder from their barrels.

As the smoke screen lifted, the enemy ships were seen moving out towards the horizon. They had just given up on the battle and were retreating. The success of the guns and their continued firing from behind the smoke screen saved the day for James and his ship. The limping ship was safely brought back to the harbor and earned laurel for a spirited fight against a larger enemy. The battle was fought with minimum of intervention from James who just ensured that each one of his Officers and Men took the actions that were required.

James did not give orders, he had conversations with his team. He ensured that he only certified what they briefed to him. He held their hands warmly and patted their backs as they took control of the situations. In the end, James’ team came out of the battle unscathed. Something similar happens in the life of each human. We also end up operating in various teams in our own personal and professional lives. We have teams at home, at offices, with our friends, with our business associates, our social networks et. al. Each team demands a leader who can give the correct control to his team members. The orders should have a room for correct questioning and conversations. Teams need to work on long-term strategies and should remain curious till the end is not achieved. Monitoring and inspections necessarily do not increase efficiency and many a times stifle courage and conviction. James led with control, competence and clarity. He was the source of power which gave power to his crew. The response- A Battle Well Fought Against a Superior Enemy.

We all have the capability to carry out a Williamson’s Turn in our own lives. Life does have its own tricks up its sleeves and many an initiatives will fall down. Who then stops us from carrying out the turn, head on to the reciprocal course, shut the propulsion and recover the initiative. Come on look ahead, the rudder is very much under your control.