Moffat feared both punishment and disgrace when railway delays left him ashore as Argus prepared to sail. He paid a motorboat owner to chase the carrier and drew alongside while the ship gathered speed in the estuary. A low opening that he believed came from the liner's baggage arrangements allowed sailors to haul in his trunk and then pull him aboard from the pitching boat. The immediate summons to the captain's wardroom turns a comic memoir episode into a glimpse of naval discipline, improvisation, and the hazards of joining a moving ship.
Notable Point · 2:01:14-2:03:19
A new officer scrambles aboard HMS Argus
Moffat's first posting becomes a chase by motorboat when his missing trunk delays him until HMS Argus is already getting under way.