HMS Astute

[Garry Russell]

Sorry mate.....top secret

That's why it's AI only

[airboatr]

Ha , you've forgotten I'm an electrician!


I'll hotwire the thing

do I cut the blue wire or the red wire,.....
eenie mennie miney moe

[jonesey2k]

What a fantastic sub, I wonder how long before the Russians have a boat trying to shadow her

[DelP]

Ahh.. Faslane.

Concur...my dad's final posting was as CPO radio supervisor in the Comcen. We lived in Helensburgh. I was 17 and my brother and I worked as 'labourers' for the 'harbour master's office'. This basically involved sitting in a small wooden hut on the pier and drinking lots of tea....actually, thinking about it, making lots of tea for the 'harbour master'

There was an open air swimming pool in Helensburgh, I suppose in the old days it would be called a Lido. The pool was cleaned out after winter storms, ready for the summer. Crap job The pool was affected by the tides so we had to consult the tide tables and twice a day took it in turns to clamber down into the pit and turn the huge sluice wheel....there was all sorts of stuff floating around in there....

A few years later I returned to the area whilst on joint exercise.....arrived at Faslane gates in a radio Rover, old camo warpaint streaked over my face, SMG and full kit, asked directions to the cookhouse......they were not impressed...

I should have asked for directions to the galley

Derek

[DaveB]

Yes.. they're a different breed up there aren't they. I joined HMS Wakeful there and the first thing I was asked by my 'boy' was 'Are you a Tim or a Prod'? I didn't know what a Tim or a Prod was but soon added 2+2. Fortunately for me (I guess) he was a Prod and I was CofE which amounts to the same thing I was introduced to many local activities during my 12 month posting from being shown the Orange Lodge in Ayr to 'Grab a Granny night'.. also in Ayr Those were the days.. most of which I've managed to bury deep in my memory

A cruel irony was my next draft.. this time to a Pompey based MineHunter (hurrah.. sort of) but.. refitting in ROSYTH!

ATB

DaveB

[jonesey2k]

Off topic:
My mate with a ZZR600 just had a new set of rubber fitted. Decided to give the old ones a send off with a massive burnout. Neighbours were not impressed!

[DelP]

I've just remembered that the Scottish sortie included a cabby from Garelochhead to Macrahanish...a few minutes as the crow flies, a couple of lifetimes by road

Water jump into the Clyde, met by RN Geminis....not nice people, making you duck your head before they cut your shrouds....I think they did that on purpose

Derek

[Garry Russell]

Sounds like the treatment was sub-standard

[DaveB]

.. something that could not be directed toward the quality of that comment

ATB

DaveB

[DelP]

I lived in Portsmouth and always filled out my 'Drafting Preference Card' under 'Areas to Avoid' as SCOTLAND.

'Preference Posting Form'...what a total waste of time

After years in Catterick, basic, trade training, driver training..then more training, I filled out the form.

I should add at this point that there were three Palmers in the Squadron at 8 Sigs, admin thought there were only two. I obviously didn't question why I hadn't drawn a duty for a couple of years

The MOD caught up with me though as my preferences were Hong Kong, BAOR and Gan (why not )....

There was silence in the Squadron Office as they handed me my warrant to Aldershot. My then missus was not well pleased.

Bite the bullet, do the job......glad I did

Derek