Rum lot, the RFA

[pugwash]

Cruised from Falmouth to Plymouth single-handed two days ago. The big RFA ship Largs Bay was stooging slowly back and forth on the horizon. On Ch16 I heard a Russian vessel calling her. Very polite, spoke perfect English. Announced his call sign and spelled out his ship's difficult name. Then asked if he could please hhave a course and distance to Fowey. "No, we are on a naval exercise," the officer replied.

Later, heading up the Hamoaze, I passed an RFA tanker at the oil berth on the west side. A man in cook's garb was casually smoking at the rail.

Rum on both counts, I thought.

 

[bilbobaggins]

The story is told in WavyNavy circles of a Fleet exercise in the Norwegian Sea during a time in the 70's when such were 'shadowed' most of the time by 'Auxiliary Gatherers of Intelligence' or AGI 'Okean' Class vessels. Darned nuisances, I understand.

Once of these came charging up alongside an RN 'County Class' destroyer, and started flickering away with its signalling lamp - 'P-E-A-C-E'.

The OOW on the County Class had his Signalman send back....

'P-E-A-C-E-O-F-F!'


/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[graham]

As one seafarer to another he would probably would have wanted to help the Russian .A whole heap of poop would have descended on him from on high if he had.

I have been cargo on a few RFAs . Nothing but admiration for the officers and crew. Much different to RN.I believe the Chinese are gone now?

 

[Slow_boat]

What's wrong with the cook smoking at the rail?

I'd rather he was smoking over the poop than the soup. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[graham]

Its what goes in the baked beans that worries me..... Bit rude on an oil berth though.

 

[chas]

Great lot, the RFA. They were always there when you needed them and never complained. At the beginning of the Falklands war, just after the Sheffield had been hit, a signal was sent to all ships saying that extra lifejackets would be provided to be stowed on the upper deck for those who had lost theirs getting out from down below. RFA Regent (stuffed to the gunwhales with shells, cartridge and other explosives) replied asking if they could have parachutes instead!

 

[contessa26]

[ QUOTE ]
Nothing but admiration for the officers and crew. Much different to RN. I believe the Chinese are gone now?

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe, after the Falklands, all the Chinese on the LSL's (ie the 'Sir' boats) were quietly replaced... (a number of them gave their lives...) Before this, the RFA crewed ships with Maltese, Seychellian, etc etc...

 

[Jezlyn]

So the Russian ship didn't have GPS, Charts, a Log etc? How the hell had they got that far? Probably the RFA guy thought they were taking the p***.

 

[KCS]

If he's on exercise I'm sure the vessel had more important things to concentrate on tbh. It wasn't an emergency it was someone asking directions.

During the war exercises the RFA's are involved as much as the Navy themselves. If you got planes that are going to flying towards to (Hawks from RNAS Culdrose) for example, a high level of concentration on them and the vessels around are more important for safe reasons than giving someone directions.

As someone said did he not have charts on board?

As for the chef smoking. Was he smoking on the bunker side or the seaward side? They probably had permission to smoke on the seawards side only. Were they refueling at the time? He wouldn't be up there chuffing away if they were either.