anoccasionalyachtsman
Well-known member
We sailed a 25' boat under the anchor chain of Dwight D Eisenhower while she was lying in The Solent in the 80s. Similar reaction.
Sailboat collides with aircraft carrier
- Thread starter Roberto
- Start date
Perhaps all the French sailors were at a language lesson? They have to learn German to make surrendering easier.
rgarside
Active member
Accidents may happen elsewhere, but they don't have the gaul to happen in french waters!
Frogmogman
Well-known member
Yawn.
Jungle Jim
Active member
This prompted a discussion in the household about another potential aircraft carrier collision from the past which I thought was apocryphal. It made I larf.
Edit: It does appear to be an urban legend but still funny for that.
Edit: It does appear to be an urban legend but still funny for that.
Bouba
Well-known member
I think HMAS Melbourne holds some kind of distinction for the way she treated her escorts
grumpy_o_g
Well-known member
She'd have had an escort too, even that close to port. I suspect that the OOW gave a Gallic shrug and said (in French) "If he want's to play chicken then bring it on".
edit: although he probably wouldn't have included the apostrophe..
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
That's getting close to shore leave
Sandy
Well-known member
Actually, its English that is compulsory. I had a long chat with a French matelot de 2e classe (Able Seaman) whose English was 1000% better than my French.
Fair comment: it's probably easier to surrender using English. German has such complicated grammar really. And I like France, or at least, the little I know of it, but sadly, they have never forgiven us for bailing them out in two world wars. However, generous chap that I am, one of my retirement hobbies is learning their language. I did it at school, of course. I suspect I'm at around B2 level now.
Putain! Vraiment? Sans dec?
grumpy_o_g
Well-known member
The noun in German is Kapitulation (f) and it actually is from the French Capitulation (I make no comment here). There is a verb "kapitulieren" I think but this really refers to events and organisation rather than than a person. German has a very similar expression to the English "I give up" which is "Ich gib's auf". I suspect a formal surrender might be "Ich gebe mich auf" (lit. I give myself up) but I'm guessing there. I didn't learn German until the '70s so it was all rather academic by then.
The term "surrender" was first used in the 15th Century apparently and has Anglo-French origins so you can blame the French or the Germans if you want. Interestingly it does seem to have been coined round about the time we stopped surrendering ourselves and started persuading others to do so instead. Definition of SURRENDER
For you, Tommy, ze vor iss ofer.
zoidberg
Well-known member
As I understand it, the wind was reported as '25-30 knots' with 'sea state 4', causing 'difficult conditions'. Also, it was 'predawn' so visibility was likely 'difficult' as well.
Not excusing, but an inquiry was initiated - as well it might.
'povremeni suradnik'
Not excusing, but an inquiry was initiated - as well it might.
'povremeni suradnik'