The following ten or fourteen days were a period of great strain and anxiety. To assume so heavy a responsibility as the command of the Grand Fleet at such short notice on the eve of war was in itself a matter not to be taken lightly; it became necessary to gather together the strings of the whole organisation, to ascertain the dispositions already made and those immediately required, and the whole problem was largely complicated by the fact that the port on which the Fleet was based was open to attack both by destroyers and by submarines, the only obstacle to such attack being the navigational difficulties of the Pentland Firth. Though considerable, these were by no means insuperable. Added to this was my feeling of deep regret at superseding a valued chief and friend at such a moment. The one thing that helped me through this period was the great and most loyal assistance rendered to me by the staff of Sir George Callaghan, who, notwithstanding their intense personal regret at his departure, gave me their very warm support, and concealed from me any trace of the feelings which they must have experienced at my presence amongst them under such exceptional and trying conditions. They behaved as naval officers always behave--in a true spirit of comradeship. The same may be said of the flag officers and captains in the Fleet, and indeed of every officer and man. Sir George Callaghan left his whole staff with me, with the exception of his flag lieutenant, who accompanied him to London. This staff included: Commodore A. F. Everett, C.B., Captain of the Fleet; Captain R. N. Lawson, Flag Captain; Commander Roger Backhouse, C.B., Flag Commander; Fleet Paymaster C. F. Pollard, C.B., Secretary; Commander the Hon. Matthew Best, War Staff Officer; Commander R. W. Woods, Signal Officer; Lieut.-Commander J. S. Salmond, Wireless Officer; Lieut.-Commander R. M. Bellairs, War Staff Officer; Lieut. W. D. Phipps, Signal Officer.[A] [A] Later, Commodore L. Halsey, C.M.G., became Captain of the Fleet, Captain F. C. Dreyer, C.B., Flag-Captain; Commander C. M. Forbes, Flag-Commander, and Fleet-Paymaster V. H. T. Weekes, Additional Secretary. When it became certain that I was to take command of the Fleet, I asked the Admiralty to appoint Rear-Admiral Charles Madden as Chief of the Staff; and I was thus able to transfer Captain R. W. Bentinck to act as Chief of the Staff to Vice-Admiral Sir George Warrender, the next senior flag officer in the Fleet. The composition of the Grand Fleet was: Fleet-Flagship--H.M.S. _Iron Duke_. Attached Ships--H.M.S. _Sappho_, H.M.S. _Oak_. BATTLE FLEET _1st Battle Squadron_: Vice-Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, K.C.B. (in command). Rear-Admiral H. Evan Thomas (2nd in command).