04-10-2013, 05:04 PM
11
Re: Royal Navy is here
Originally Posted by Bruce
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I have a ticket to visit the ships in Garden Island on Monday and tomorrow night I am staying with my youngest son to watch the fireworks from his flat in Neutral Bay.
Enjoy!! I envy you.
Glasses raised to the Australian Navy.
04-10-2013, 05:09 PM
12
Re: Royal Navy is here
Originally Posted by Bruce
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Joe, me old pal, me old beauty. I don't know about checking for contamination but they will probably be checking the hull very carefully, last time a RN ship ventured this far east of Suez the poor bugger ran into some well charted rocks and had to go home on a Dutch barge (HMS Nottingham). 
I am hoping that HMS Daring will be at Garden Island so I can go on board, I'd like to get a look at the Chinese and US guided missile ships too
Yes Bruce I remember it well - sent an email to the then Secretary of Defence teling him to pass on the sterling advice that emanated from the radio programme "The Navy Lark" wherein Leslie Phillips instructed the helmsman, not in the usual naval orders but said "Left hand down a bit". Had the navigation Officer instructed the Helmsman on board HMS Nottingham in similar fashion, I strongly suspect the accident on Wolf Rock wouldn't have happened.
06-10-2013, 11:39 AM
14
Re: Royal Navy is here
HMS Daring is on the extreme left in this picture she really stands out.
I don't think I have ever seen the harbour so full of boats even more than when the Queen opened the Opera House. I went across the harbour bridge (in a bus) at 11am and the walkway was already packed with people watching the harbour and many more seemed to be on their way.
BTW I have a new hat!
...and this is a bit of the fireworks as well as a glimpse of HMS Daring and Prince Harry:
I only filmed bits of it because I wanted to watch - the fireworks lasted half an hour and involved 7000 tonnes of them - much bigger than New Years Eve. For the first time some were set off from naval vessels which involved getting special approval to take explosives aboard a warship!! Ya gotta laugh
06-10-2013, 11:48 AM
15
Re: Royal Navy is here
Originally Posted by Uncle Joe
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Yes Bruce I remember it well - sent an email to the then Secretary of Defence teling him to pass on the sterling advice that emanated from the radio programme "The Navy Lark" wherein Leslie Phillips instructed the helmsman, not in the usual naval orders but said "Left hand down a bit". Had the navigation Officer instructed the Helmsman on board HMS Nottingham in similar fashion, I strongly suspect the accident on Wolf Rock wouldn't have happened.
06-10-2013, 01:10 PM
17
Re: Royal Navy is here
Was there ever an enquiry to find out how it happened? They must have been asleep (or drunk?) on the bridge because the rocks are well known and charted. I read somewhere that they ended up scrapping the ship when it got back to the UK.Bruce matey, I know there was a 'court of enquiry' into the incident and the Captain & a couple of other senior officers aboard were 'court marshalled', however the results of that courts marshall have, to my knowledge never been published. HMS Notttingham was repaired, refloated and re-commissioned and saw service (I believe) in the 'Gulf'. She was de-commissioned and scrapped subsequently. I remember seeing it on the news at the time, but cannot now remember precisely when.
07-10-2013, 08:19 AM
20
Re: Royal Navy is here
Today I travelled up to Sydney again for the Warships Open Day.
I was a little disappointed because the US, UK and the Chinese vessels were not there (they might have been at the open day on the other side of the bridge) however there were ships from India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand as well as a few other countries whose flags I didn't recognise
on display and open for visits. It was a wonderful day out and very well organised. All the tickets were sold out days ago.I bought another hat! I left my favourite hat on a bus travelling from Penang to Alor Setar in August so today I brought this hat on the Malaysian guided missile cruiser KD Jebat. The sailor assured me it was only worn by officers. I visit Malaysia several times a year so I shall cut an impressive figure when I next go through customs and immigration. I shall expect salutes all round
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