Bit sad................

[YM-Mundrabilla]

Just came across the following by Dr Mark Felton a respected historian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po9duwvipB0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4TmtkjcY9A

[Malcolm G]

I wonder whether the RAF has similar ratios - How many actual deployable fast jets etc?
My understanding is that currently the Japanese self defence forces are larger than the UK armed forces. Anyone know if that is accurate?

[al1934]

Thank you for this! However, it could seriously affect our health and almost certainly my musings when I lie awake at night.....................

[John Rogers]

The new Secretary of Defense in the US has said that the US has more Generals than that had in all services in World War 2.

[Engine Serang]

Did I read somewhere that the RN "Trident" submarines need permission from the US Government before launching a ballistic missile? Are we now in uncharted waters?
Has HM Government a plan to deal with strange businessmen, good old boys, rednecks, hillbillies and a mad member of the Kennedy clan.

Let us cancel the F-35 Lightning, re-commission Blackburn Aviation and start building Buccaneers.

[YM-Mundrabilla]

As Private Frazer said:

• 'We're doomed, doomed, doomed...............'
• But, as Corporal Jones says 'don't panic don't panic..........'

But the old YM says 'many of us may get out just in time.......'

[Engine Serang]

Sgt Wilson:

"Do you think that's wise Sir"

[Varley]

I gather from R4 earlier today that we can fire what we have but we cannot get more or spares for them should they 'go wrong' (the mind boggles).

Logistically speaking therefore we should fire them now, before spares and repairs are needed.

[Engine Serang]

Our friends across the Pond will give them to us under, "Lend Lease 25"

[Varley]

The Swiss Guard and 'our own' Gurkhas give some sort of respectability to the description 'mercenary'. Before our sometime ally joined us (as they say, late) they had sold us, paid with borrowings, much materiel for the 'war to end war.' The debt incurred, on commercial terms, only being cleared in 2014. Lend-lease seems to have been more generous with materiel gifted with what was not destroyed (in fighting or deliberately after victory) or returned sold at a discount (Pa dropped a few brand new ML engines into the ogin, Packard I think, under the agreed terms).

So it looks as if this time the repayment is to be more 'mineral mortgage in exchange' than either. That is if they stay 'on side'. Perhaps Mr. Putin has some rare-earth deposits with which to forge a different alignment. One which, to paraphrase HLIMEOJ Hirohito, "May not necessarily be to our advantage". Benedict Arnold in reverse?

[Engine Serang]

On Regent ships there was the occasional Regent Man who did not fully embrace the Texaco amalgamation and was full of Regent tales, one of which the refinery on Trinidad was given to the US as part reparation for Lend-Lease. It may not be true but it sort of holds water.

[Dartskipper]

Originally Posted by Varley

The Swiss Guard and 'our own' Gurkhas give some sort of respectability to the description 'mercenary'. Before our sometime ally joined us (as they say, late) they had sold us, paid with borrowings, much materiel for the 'war to end war.' The debt incurred, on commercial terms, only being cleared in 2014. Lend-lease seems to have been more generous with materiel gifted with what was not destroyed (in fighting or deliberately after victory) or returned sold at a discount (Pa dropped a few brand new ML engines into the ogin, Packard I think, under the agreed terms).

So it looks as if this time the repayment is to be more 'mineral mortgage in exchange' than either. That is if they stay 'on side'. Perhaps Mr. Putin has some rare-earth deposits with which to forge a different alignment. One which, to paraphrase HLIMEOJ Hirohito, "May not necessarily be to our advantage". Benedict Arnold in reverse?

David, those engines your Pa applied the deep six procedures to could have been Packards if taken from Fairmile "D" class MTB/MGB's. The ML's were equipped with Hall Scott V12's of lesser capacity and volatility. Whichever they were, it seems a great shame that they were disposed of so carelessly. The RN Museum would have been interested in displaying them in their "Coastal Forces" Division I think.

Regards,
Roy.

[Varley]

ROy,

Pa was engineer for a ML flotilla so that does fit (can't remember which) but ended up in the Far East in Sembawang (HMS Sultan?) sometime after VE day (which he saw in doing a gunnery course at Whale Island where they celebrated by firing billiard balls at the cricket screens using thunderflashes and ornamental cannon). Don't know where he was when ditching the engines. I think we may still have a set of sockets 'on lease' as it were.

[Engine Serang]

Bit sad indeed.

Bit sad that the Nobility has to come face to face with a socket set. One wonders if he has an inkling as to its uses?
One hopes not.

[Varley]

I'll remind you of the old saying. The radio room has tools by act of parliament. The engine room has them by act of god.

Any way. Of course I know about sockets. They's what you plug you telly into.

[Engine Serang]

Does a socket set contain 440, 220, 110, 24 and 12 volt sockets?

I must have one for my toolbox, I'll check out Argos and Amazon.

Act of Parliament my arse, excuse my non parliamentary language Mr Speaker but most Acts are no longer written on vellum, lack of monks, but printed on Andrex.

[Dartskipper]

Just before Dad gave up on his career at sea in 1946, he sailed in the Fort Spokane, a wartime built steamer in the Watts Watts fleet. He did some trips carrying Bedford lorries deemed to be surplus to requirements which were unloaded in Poland. When the lorries were loaded in London, each one had a tool kit which included Britool spanners. When the lorries arrived in Poland, the spanners had mysteriously vanished.

Dad had a nice set of Britool spanners in his shed when I was growing up. They all had an arrow design stamped in them.

Funny, that.

[YM-Mundrabilla]

Acts are printed on Andrex because of their content.