Five huge bangs, repeated, RN probably?

mainsail1 said:
I appreciate that the prime role is NGS but what has happened to using 4.5 inch for AA if necessary? Yes I know sea ceptor etc. will be the first option but...........
Click to expand...
Indeed; it can't train fast enough for crossing targets but incoming should get everything but the kitchen sink on general principle, including the NAAFI manager with a GPMG.
 
You wouldn't want to sail near Foulness Island

Five loud bangs - pah - chicken feed! We had about ten the last time I was out.

Then a week ago there was a huge pyrotechnics fire. Large enough for someone who should have known better Pan Panning to report a ship on fire.
 
penfold said:
More luck than judgement that they didn't get a go at the other yin too.
Click to expand...

A little bird tells me that HMS Splendid ( S106 ), another Swiftsure, was tasked with dispatching this threat to the British Fleet, and was 'in close contact', but events elsewhere preempted the order to engage.
The 19,900 ton ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was ordered back into coastal waters and was spared the fate of ARA General Belgrano by a matter of hours..... some say, 'minutes'.

Splendid was one of the first submarines to reach the islands, arriving mid-April, after sailing from Faslane.
Click to expand...

One wonders what other British submarines were around. I've heard that US, Russian and South African subs also were lurking in the neighbourhood, 'legitimately', doing the 'look, listen and wait' that subs do so well.
 
zoidberg said:
A little bird tells me that HMS Splendid ( S106 ), another Swiftsure, was tasked with dispatching this threat to the British Fleet, and was 'in close contact', but events elsewhere preempted the order to engage.
The 19,900 ton ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was ordered back into coastal waters and was spared the fate of ARA General Belgrano by a matter of hours..... some say, 'minutes'.
Click to expand...
The other relevant factor was that 1st or 2nd May 1982 was windless in that part of the South Atlantic - and the Argentineans couldn't launch an air attack on the British fleet from their carrier. They couldn't get airborne!
 
  • Like
Reactions: dom
They could get airborne, but the choice of being bombed up but no fuel or fully fuelled but no bombs wasn't palatable; the joys of trying to fit a quart of carrier aviation in a pint pot of carrier.
 
zoidberg said:
In respect of "9425 - Ecclesiastical authorities without diplomatic status are not entitled to gun salutes"

I sense that 'The Bish' will be excluded out. Pity! :cool:
Click to expand...
Ahem! When I was in command of a JSASTC Nicholson 55 (with a vast crew of 12 including me!) in theTall Ships Race (Bermuda to Boston) I was given a naval salute with cannons as I marched up the road to the ceremonial dinner hosted by the city of Boston. I was mildly embarrassed and teased my CO about it when I returned to the UK (I was padre to SM2 working for a four ring captain at the time.). I can’t remember how many bangs I got. There were crowds lining the street and it’s all a bit of a haze. The after dinner party was memorable.
 
'9425-3' refers.....
it is to be regarded as an excess of courtesy....
Click to expand...

They'd plainly not worked their way through 'Customs of The Services' by Group Captain A H Stradling OBE. I do believe I still have some of my first tranche of Calling Cards. :ROFLMAO:
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all your erudite replies ☺

Alas i am still none the wiser. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Stonehouse barracks - i was on S side of Mt Edgecombe, and friends who live beside the barracks heard nothing.

If it was a gun it was large caliber. It was very noisy. Bit sci film esque really.

Cheers ☺
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top