Had Middle Watch. Seemed very long. Usual sea routine in forenoon. Cook of Mess and so scrubbed out. Down in flats afterwards. “Nottingham” torpedoed & sank in first watch. ‘Action’ sounded off at 1:30. Closed up all the afternoon. Buzz about German ships being about. Battle Fleet with us all day. About 5.30, two zeppelins sighted. Light cruisers fired at one. They maneuvered out by cruisers, perhaps dropping bombs and followed us about wherever we were keeping well out of range. Secured about 8.30. Had first Watch. Closed up about 9.0.p.m. “Falmouth” torpedoed during dog Watches.

August 19th 1916

Holystoned decks (Saturday’s Routine). Told off for washing down aloft in forenoon. Thought we were going out to sea in afternoon. On after deck gettting wet gear into “Sason”. Finally got under way about 7.30 p.m. Saw Lord Burghersh again re commission.

August 18th 1916

Had morning Watch. Packed up about 5.0.A.M. Scrubbed decks. Hands shifted into coaling rig after breakfast. Arrived Rosyth about 10.0.A.M. Started coaling about 11 o’clock. Took in 630 tons from Agnes Duncan. Finished soon after 1 o’clock. Cleaned ship in afternoon.

August 17th 1916

Scrubbed decks with sand before breakfast and then carried on with paintwork. Started cleaning screws in forenoon until 10.30 when recording party sounded off. Got under way about 10.30. Action Stations about 11 o’clock. Heavy gun firing 4 rounds per gun . Kept Yaw Record in lower conning tower. Good firing. 2nd part Starboard piped to dinner early and dropped hook about 1.45. Down in flats in afternoon. Put out to sea in 1st dog, leaving Scapa returning to Rosyth. Put clocks on again. Saw Lord Burghersh re commission in R.N.V.R.

(Ed: The name of the Lord is virtually impossible to decipher. I can’t imagine a Lord being on the Lion full time but Frank does not mention going ashore. The name comes up again on the 18th. He may be referring to someone on the ship’s staff, perhaps a junior officer. The Lord designation may be slang or a derogatory name for this person. If someone can figure out the spelling at least, I would be very grateful.) 

Edited April 26, 2016 thanks to the comment below.

August 16th 1916

Told off to sponge out 4″ guns in port foreward battery in afternoon. Prepared for coaling later. Waiting to see if weather would improve enough
to go out firing, (as it had been pretty misty) until 2.15. No fog and so started coaling. Our hold only had about 50 tons in it which we cleaned
out in about an hour and so had pretty slack time. Finished coaling about 5.30. Took in 520 tons. Cleaned ship after tea. Duty Sub. Slept
forward. 

August 15th 1916

August 15th 1916 B

4″ day action crews fired about 6.30. We fired 12 rounds. Better firing. Cleaned up booms in forenoon. Got head to bear. Duty Searchlight.
Slept forward.

August 14th 1916

Night defence sounded off about 12.0. A.M. Red & Blue Watches on. Had to train Searchlight as Red trainer was sick. Took nearly two hours to find
target and had to steam around firing ground three times before being able to do so. Fired 6 rounds from 4″ from Starboard guns. Packed up by
2.30. Hands called at usual time. Got under way about 6 o’clock. Fired 4″, 8 rounds per gun. Weather not very clear and firing very erratic.
Returned to harbour about 8 o’clock. No divisions but church in forenoon. Fletcher & Fate came on board in afternoon. Just started tea when their
boat came alongside which mucked things up. 4″ guns crew got in practice ammunition after tea. Got under way soon after 9 and did night firing
again. Picked up target first time and finished about 10.30. Firing much better. 

August 13th 1916

August 13th 1916 B

Holy stoned decks before breakfast. Should have done 4″ firing but weather not favourable. Closed up all afternoon, getting under way about 1
o’clock. Weather too thick for firing and so returned to harbour again about 3 o’clock. Cleared up in evening and so went out night firing. 

August 12th 1916

Hands called at 4 o’clock. Started coaling about 5 o’clock. Took in 500 tons from “Fordcastle”. Finished about 4.30. Cleaned ship in forenoon.
Went to dinner about 7 bells. 3rd part of Starboard on foc’sle at 1.0 p.m. Got up hook and went into Floe. Anchored on arrival. Did 1 in aiming.
Our guns crew had to fall in on Quarter Deck and go a rub down from Chief Gunner for not cleaning up deck round gun properly. Got under way again
about 4 o’clock. 4″ guns crews prepared for firing. Fired Sub Calibre but too foggy for 4 inch and so secured and anchored again. Returned to
harbour about 5 o’clock. Duty Sub. Slept forward. 

August 11th 1916

August 11th 1916 B

Intended to do 4″ firing but owing to fog it was postponed. 4″ crews closed up for practice. Carried on part of ship afterwards. Make & mend in afternoon. Went to visit Fletcher on “Temeraire” with Colin and Sid. Came back in Rookies cutter. 

August 10th 1916