Naval Horologists

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, October, 1946

Naval Horologists
By A. C. Ellison

When on anti-submarine patrol with the British Eastern Mediterranean Squadron, our subchaser had occasion to put in at the island of Kalki, in the Aegean Sea, for a routine check of the harbor.
Welcomed by town officials and presented with fresh fruit and vegetables, we wished to make some return for their hospitality.

One of our engine room staff, who in peace time had been a jeweler's apprentice accordingly offered to repair the town clock which we had noticed was out of order. Before he could complete the repairs, it became necessary to put to sea. However on leaving, we told the Mayor that we would be back again and finish the job.

Returning a few weeks later, we saw to our surprise on entering the harbor that the clock was running.

Our clock" expert" hastened to the Town Hall to find out what had happened, as the Mayor had stated on our previous visit that no one on the island could repair clocks.

On reaching the clock tower, he found his job finished and chalked on the wall "British engineer no good." Subsequent inquiry revealed that a few days after our visit a German submarine had called at the port and hearing that we were repairing the clock thought it a good joke on us to finish the job.
Probably they got fruit and vegetables too, but this of course was not admitted.