Interesting documentary about WWII

[Dave 54]

This will be of great interest to our Canadian members its about the award of the VC to a Canadian Bomber Pilot officer whos bravery saw him awarded the VC.Postumously
We were watching a documentry about Bomber Command and this brave Canadian pilot officers name came up .

http://www.rafbombercommand.com/people_vcwinners_citations002.html#andrewcharlesmynarski

The VC is an award given out for acts of selfless Valor in the face of adversity and Pilot officer Andrew Mynarski was awarded it postumously in 1946 the last award of this medal in WWII .
It was a very moving story and will bring a tear to the eye of many an ex serviceman or woman and great pride in his sacrifice

Dave

 

[Big Lou]

Does sound very interesting.

 

[MitchM]

I've never fought in a war, but have the utmost respect for people that choose to put their lives on the line for their country.

 

[Dave 54]

Thank you Mitch did Active Service in Northern Ireland, moored in the Middle of bandit country on Carlingforrd Loch with the Royal Marine Ridged raider Squadren using our Mine Hunter as a mother ship slap bang on the boarder between North and South , checking container ships for smuggled arms .
The danger points for us where at high tide moored up to replenish water in Warren Point Newry , the south side of the Loch went upwards in elevation
Anyone could have taken pot shots at us thankfully it didnt happen and the enterance to the loch when entering and leaving (it being very narrow).
Lastly when we went into belfast to our mother ship a former IRA prison ship before H block was constructed . to replenish fuel and stores for the Royal Marines and ourselves

Dave

 

[Dave 54]

To tell you the truth at first we were frightened of suddenly being in an Active zone , only two days before we were searching for listening devices near Fazlane where the Britsh Bomber boats had their base , with Plymouth being the home of the Nuclear Attack boats and desil PO class submarines , Aircraft carriers Assault ships figates etc.
Before they reduced our once proud Navy to 13 ships see atachment, I've also atached a photo of the Mine Hunter HMS Hubberston I was serving on at the time,.
*Note this ship didnt have a ships wheel because of the activated rudder system we had (you could turn her on a sixpence) , we had to stear her by using a stick in rough weather you really had your work cut out keeping a steady course .
Somewhere I have a photo of HMS Ark Royal my first carrier on exersize off Brazil with supporting ships, in that one squadren there were more ships than we acctually have today, I think it came to 25 ships .
As to why they reduced it so dangerously the blame lies firmly on successive Governments listening to the treasurery
.

Now Putin is starting to push into easter Europe and we cant do a thing to tell him to back off because our Army and Airforce has also been cut to the bone and then some , many ex servicemen from my era think this is Treason.
To put it bluntly, as we are apart from the Bomber boats defenceless ad rely on the US to do much of the dirty work of war , mind you even with reduced manpower our Navy, Army, Marines and Airforce certainly put up a good fight in Iraq and Afganistan
However in HMS Drake the Have the Hasslar squadron which basically prepares Marines with legs and arms missing for life in civvy street , they paid a hard price , some with their lives .....
We have one Sergent MajorRoyal Maine imprisoned for offing a dying insurgent sadly it had been filmed on head cameras saying this is what you'd do to us , then saying to his men boys I've just broke the geneva convention not a word , some days before these insergents had hung the arms , heads and legs in a tree (he was probably suffering PTSD at the time though this barbaric act), besides the talinban didnt sign the geneva convention as their actions show .
All his outsanding service his career his rank are gone and he will be dismissed of service at the end of his prison sentence put there by Officers who have never been on active service for life reduced to 10 years on appeal to the high court , ( personally I think he deserves a medal )...


Dave

 

[CeeJayH]

Dave,

I remember an interesting article in the Telegraph.

Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee - 165 warships at the Spithead review
Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee - a Royal Barge & flotilla of pleasure craft down the Thames.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ilee-The-Queen-no-longer-rules-the-waves.html if you're interested.

Chris

 

[Big Lou]

Just a side note. Our army is getting drawn down more and more. I am simply befuddled by our standing president and other leaders. One minute leaders go on about putting boots on the ground against ISIS then the next force numbers are cut. Troops coming home needing much care. Question to me is all the support for them seems to depend on private groups. All troublesome.

 

[Dave 54]

Just a side note. Our army is getting drawn down more and more. I am simply befuddled by our standing president and other leaders. One minute leaders go on about putting boots on the ground against ISIS then the next force numbers are cut. Troops coming home needing much care. Question to me is all the support for them seems to depend on private groups. All troublesome.

I have a feeling Lou that the wars in Iraq and Afganistan have drained the coffers dry , they are making a big mistake both with ISIS and President Putin who is I think a big threat to us all .
Its the same in the UK these troops have to go for stress related issues and it isn;t working for them , they shut down two very good Naval Hospitals one in Plymouth the other Portsmouth the care in these hospitals was the very best , I know I had a series of operations there my surgeon was actually the Queens Othapedic Surgeon Captain Bertram or billy as we knew him
The hospital now homes for the rich "so wrong". .

Your thoughts Big Lou

Dave

 

[Dave 54]

Dave,

I remember an interesting article in the Telegraph.

Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee - 165 warships at the Spithead review
Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee - a Royal Barge & flotilla of pleasure craft down the Thames.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ilee-The-Queen-no-longer-rules-the-waves.html if you're interested.

Chris

I was at the Spithead silver jubilee review on HMS Euryalus a leander class frigate with Ikara anti submarine missiles as its main weapon see bellow there is also a plan of the 1953 cornation review at spit head last is HMS Euryalus , I'm acctually one of the men on the forcastle in this photo one of the two men stood together I was coms to the bridge at that time the other chap was an eletrical branch rating making sure every thing worked with the capstans
Sadly my first draft HMS Ark Royal was for the knackers yard a year later bottom right of photo

Dave

 

[CeeJayH]

Dave, very interesting. I didn't know "you were there".
Chris