(MP139). Frank Watson Wood (1862-1953). Watercolour signed and dated 1922 and annotated in artists hand, lower right and left.
Limited Edition: 25 copies worldwide
Standard size: 22.5 x 5.75 ins (56.5 x 14.6 cms approx) (but available in sizes as required).
£100-120
This is a pair with a similarly sized painting by Wood on this website (MP037) and shows HMS RENOWN (Captain The Hon Herbert Meade DSO RN) on that same occasion when the battle cruiser was returning from a tour of India and the Far East by the Prince of Wales. This one, depicting the Royal Escort of destroyers taking its leave of HRH, shows the scene earlier in the evening than in MP037: the westering sun is brighter and RENOWN has only just passed through Plymouth breakwater. Up on the focsle they have cleared away the port anchor for the tricky passage up harbour and HMS COMUS (Captain Ralph Sneyd DSO RN) who accompanied RENOWN home from the East Indies station where she had been based for two and a half years, is also underway although she will not go all the way up harbour but will anchor further up the Sound before going alongside on the morrow.
The Royal Tour which had started 8 months earlier had taken the Royal Squadron to Japan and India and here the Prince’s ADC, Lieutenant Lord Louis Mountbatten, had become engaged to Edwina Ashley on St Valentine’s Day whilst the Royal Party were in Delhi. Three days after arriving back in Plymouth HRH celebrated his 28th birthday and on 7th July Captain Jimmy Meade was appointed CVO in recognition of his ship’s services to the Prince’s Tour.