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Thread: Taiwan Straits

  1. #61
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    Default Re: Taiwan Straits

    Was there a few times and never saw ships with their flags painted on side, we certainly didn’t. I was second mate on the Hazelmoor. Maybe Runcimans couldn’t afford the paint ? Cheers JS
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    Default Re: Taiwan Straits

    In Blue Flue we always had giant Union Jacks on wooden boards slung overside under the lifeboats and illuminated at night. We also had Union Jacks painted on old hatch tarps which we laid on the hatch covers the day after leaving HK northbound. Same drill coming south after leaving Kobe. Apprentices had Bridge wing lookout duty to watch for overflying aircraft and junks. At night we sometimes had to darken ship if local news was a bit feisty. Occasionally we would hear of ships being strafed but were never sure which side was doing the dirty work. Certainly saw some venturesome low fly pasts of a range of aircraft, but my cheapy camera couldn't cope unfortunately. On the Glen boats, our Chinese QMs wrote letters home from HK and left them with the boss lady of our Kowloon wharf. An aspect of "just in case" I guess. Bit twitchy when the Old Man refused to put the radar on. Had an American destroyer creep up one night on the 12-4 and suddenly put searchlights on. Nearly needed a change of underwear - boy that was a close encounter, saw the phosphorescence of his bow wave before I saw the ship he was that close.

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    Default Re: Taiwan Straits

    At the end of the Falklands war have already mentioned previously on a conversion vessel out into the Bristol Channel for a 3 day acceptance trial before handing over to the RN. As regards the blackout out one of the many trials was checking was this was checking the red battle stations conditions of the indoor lighting. The nearest I could come to describing the same would be to say it was like waking up in a brothel , I am told of course. When working with the SBS the first you saw of them was behind a gun barrel , their outboard engines were all electric and silent. JS .
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    Post Re: Taiwan Straits

    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Kieran View Post
    Anyone remember when ships had a national flag painted on the side? I don't seem to be able to find any old pictures on the internet. Mind you, it was always referred to as "The Straits of Formosa"
    Sorry, should have added,(Ships that sailed through the Straits)
    Yes, I do but can't find any either. Recall also seeing China Navigation displaying their House flag on ships side. I did sail on an old Guan Guan GRT 2810 GC named KING BAY
    as 2/0 with a Cpt J Wyle in 1969 on China Coast. This ship, max speed 10 knots still had steel bar guard panels fitted right around the accomodatiopn and access ways, with thick
    paint coatings - a blast from the past when piracy was rampant on the Coast/Straits. I believe the National/House flags were a quick deterrent towould-be pirates, or perhaps to
    indicate friendliness in/around Hong Kong waters.

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  6. #65
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    Post Re: Taiwan Straits

    Quote Originally Posted by Geoffrey Belletty View Post
    Recall also seeing China Navigation displaying their House flag on ships side. I did sail on an old Guan Guan GRT 2810 GC named KING BAY
    as 2/0 with a Cpt J Wyle in 1969 on China Coast. This ship, max speed 10 knots still had steel bar guard panels fitted right around the accomodatiopn and access ways, with thick
    paint coatings - a blast from the past when piracy was rampant on the Coast/Straits. I believe the National/House flags were a quick deterrent towould-be pirates, or perhaps to
    indicate friendliness in/around Hong Kong waters.

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    Default Re: Taiwan Straits

    I do remember having a full hatch cover tarpaulin on No.2/3 hatch with Union Flag painted on when going through the Formosa Straits in early 1960's.
    Dave Goodwin
    R692588

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    Default Re: Taiwan Straits

    In 1953 I can’t remember if it was the actual Formosa Straits or not , as being a lowly first year apprentice would not be considered worthy of having such information and none of my business anyway, just as long as kept on with the chipping and painting I was ok. But an aircraft came sweeping low over the sea and vessel , there were shouts from the bridge Quick get the Ensign up , so had to drop the chipping hammer and sprint aft. The aircraft dropped something putting the fear of G into some I suppose but before landing in our wake a chute opened to lessen the impact of it hitting the water. It was decided a short time later that it was an American aircraft and it was a sonar buoy being dropped. It was the time of the Korean peace plan being discussed and people were in a high tension area. Hence the tenseness and hoping to hide behind the flag. Cheers JS
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  12. #68
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    Default Re: Taiwan Straits

    I was on the Wave Baron there in May 52, can't remember any problems going through there, there again I may have been off watch LoL
    Des
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    Lest We Forget

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