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Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom. Died 9th April 2021.
He was given his first posting in January 1940 as a midshipman on battleship HMS Ramillies, and tasked with protecting convoys of the Australian Expeditionary Force in the Indian Ocean. Prince Philip then transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in October 1940 following the invasion of Greece.
He served onboard the HMS Valiant and was involved in the battle of Crete – which saw dozens of Royal Navy ships sunk or damaged. During this time he was mentioned in dispatches for his service during the Battle of Cape Matapan, in which he controlled the battleship’s searchlights. Then in July 1943, at the age of just 22, he was credited with saving the HMS Wallace which came under heavy bombardment during the invasion of Sicily.
To confuse the German bombers which were attacking the ship at night, he devised a plan to launch a raft with smoke floats that successfully distracted them. Speaking to The Observer in 2003, Harry Hargreaves, one of the Wallace‘s crew, said: “Prince Philip saved our lives that night. “I suppose there might have been a few survivors, but certainly the ship would have been sunk. He was always very courageous and resourceful and thought very quickly.”
After victory in Europe in 1944, Philip moved to the British fleet in the Pacific and he was present during the signing of the Japanese surrender the following year.
Like Old Tom Bowling, his soul has gone aloft.
RIP
He was given his first posting in January 1940 as a midshipman on battleship HMS Ramillies, and tasked with protecting convoys of the Australian Expeditionary Force in the Indian Ocean. Prince Philip then transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in October 1940 following the invasion of Greece.
He served onboard the HMS Valiant and was involved in the battle of Crete – which saw dozens of Royal Navy ships sunk or damaged. During this time he was mentioned in dispatches for his service during the Battle of Cape Matapan, in which he controlled the battleship’s searchlights. Then in July 1943, at the age of just 22, he was credited with saving the HMS Wallace which came under heavy bombardment during the invasion of Sicily.
To confuse the German bombers which were attacking the ship at night, he devised a plan to launch a raft with smoke floats that successfully distracted them. Speaking to The Observer in 2003, Harry Hargreaves, one of the Wallace‘s crew, said: “Prince Philip saved our lives that night. “I suppose there might have been a few survivors, but certainly the ship would have been sunk. He was always very courageous and resourceful and thought very quickly.”
After victory in Europe in 1944, Philip moved to the British fleet in the Pacific and he was present during the signing of the Japanese surrender the following year.
Like Old Tom Bowling, his soul has gone aloft.
RIP
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Brilliant! Long live the age of sail, and happy re-invention to the Donkey Boilers. Can't wait to see the first one in action. Not sure how they'll work with tricky things like the Suez CanalRandi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:27 pm Wind-powered transatlantic shipping could be making a comeback
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For the old OWers who worked on the WW1 RN ships a new replacement for one of them is partway constructed and others in the pipeline
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... t-56792379
Of course, "Glasgow" had a WW2 replacement as well so she has a long pedigree.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... t-56792379
Of course, "Glasgow" had a WW2 replacement as well so she has a long pedigree.
- pommystuart
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Love these shots of the super moon down under.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-28/ ... 100099278?
(And Happy Birthday Sleepy Owl.)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-28/ ... 100099278?
(And Happy Birthday Sleepy Owl.)