Memories from the 60's on the Orcades

[Mike Newell]

I was aboard for that trip Jenny, although I can't remember the incidents you mention. Certainly was a lot of partying though I do remember that ! Good ship and good mates. Oh to be 20 again.

[Ivan Cloherty]

It is widely tought that Titanic flew

Hi Terry

I always stand to be corrected, but you know what thought did, methinks the rules may have changed since that day, even if the "thought" was "fact" then

No doubt amongst all the wealth of knowledge and great expertise on this site we will both learn the truth very shortly.

I can only go from my own experience of an actual fact in my life and being told that at that time. Our skipper certainly wasn't the commodore of the fleet, although we were lead ship of the convoy.

Kind regards

Ivan

[Graham Payne]

Many thanks for the info Tony,
however I will write the info down and retype it,
copy and paste a different language . ARGHH.

[jenny]

Hi Mike, you would have known something was up when they turned the ship around so fast everything went flying. I am hoping I got the date right, I was 18yrs old at the time. I spent most days propped up at the bar by the swimming pool. She was a great ship as was the Orsova, went to the States on her.

[Don Rafferty]

"copy and paste a different language . ARGHH. "


Not sure how you're trying to do it Graham, if with the mouse, I find it frustrating!!

I do it with the keyboard - first highlight with the mouse the passage you want to copy, then press Ctrl+ C - that will 'copy' it, then go to where you wish to place it and press Ctrl+V - that will 'paste' it.

[Red Lead Ted]

Hi Terry I always stand to be corrected

I am not for one minute trying to correct you m8 the more i read into it the more we both have a valid point . Although commander captain smith was allowed to fly either ensign on any Merchant vessel under his command he was RNR Although through rank only he never served in the R.N.When you say things are different today the clip of the ORCADES It has been established was 1960 thats 52yrs ago i have a very good friend deck officer who is due home at the end of the month i am also in touch with a serving sea captain who i have emailed so for now we shall agree to disagree that ok with you buddy Regards Ivan Terry.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hi Terry

Thanks for that, I wasn't for one moment doubting the veracity of your posts, just telling it as I was told at the time when we were flying the Blue Ensign, so not disagreeing with anything you say. Lets hope some authority can lead us towards the light, not so that we can vindicate what we have said, but more in the spirit of learning what is fact because things do become misty in the passing of time, and I do like a good fact

[Graham Payne]

I do it with the keyboard

Don,
you are a diamond,
the ctrl + thing seemed to have worked, it lit up in a different colour when I e-mailed
Many thanks to you and Tony.

[Captain Kong]

BLUE ENSIGN.............
.
.
.Navy List regulations, 2005
Current rules on merchant ships entitled to fly the Blue Ensign:

ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE AND OTHER VESSELS AUTHORISED TO FLY THE BLUE ENSIGN IN MERCHANT VESSELS (FOREIGN OR HOME TRADE ARTICLES) AND FISHING VESSELS.
A list of Royal Naval Reserve and other vessels authorised to fl y the Blue Ensign will no longer be published in the Navy List.
Its inclusion was intended for the information of Captains of Her Majesty’s Ships with reference to the provisions of Article 9153 of the Queen’s Regulations for the Royal Navy under which they are authorised to ascertain whether British Merchant Ships (including Fishing Vessels) flying the Blue Ensign of Her Majesty’s Fleet are legally entitled to do so.
However, the usefulness of this list serves only a limited purpose as the list of vessels that could fl y the Blue Ensign can change frequently. British merchant ships and fishing vessels are allowed to wear the plain Blue Ensign under the authority of a special Warrant, subject to certain conditions being fulfilled, and which are outlined below.
Vessels registered on the British Registry of Shipping may wear a plain Blue Ensign providing the master or skipper is in possession of a warrant issued by the Director of Naval Reserves under the authority of the Secretary of State for Defence, and the additional conditions outlined below are fulfilled. The Blue Ensign is to be struck if the officer to whom the warrant was issued relinquishes command, or if the ship or vessel passes into foreign ownership and ceases to be a British ship as defined by MSA 95.
Vessels on Parts I, II, and IV of the Register. The master must be an officer of the rank of lieutenant RN/RMR or Captain RM/RMR or above in the Royal Fleet Reserve or the maritime forces of a United Kingdom Overseas Territory or Commonwealth country of which Her Majesty is Head of State, or an officer on the Active or Retired Lists of any branch of the maritime reserve forces of these countries or territories.
Vessels on Part II of the Register. This part of the Register is reserved for fishing vessels. The skipper must comply with the same criteria as for sub-Clause 4.a. above, however the crew must contain at least four members, each of whom fulfils at least one of the following criteria: Royal Naval or Royal Marines reservists or pensioners Reservists or pensioners from a Commonwealth monarchy or United Kingdom Overseas Territory Ex-ratings or Royal Marines who have completed twenty years service in the Reserves Members of the Royal Fleet Reserve.
Action on sighting a merchant ship wearing a Blue Ensign. The Commanding Officer of one of HM ships on meeting a vessel wearing the Blue Ensign may send on board a commissioned officer to confirm that the criteria outlined above are being met in full. If it is found that the ship is wearing a Blue Ensign, without authority of a proper warrant, the ensign is to be seized, taken away and forfeited to The Sovereign and the circumstances reported to the Director Naval Reserves, acting on behalf of the Commander in Chief Naval Home Command, who maintains the list of persons authorised to hold such warrants. However, if it is found that, despite the warrant being sighted, the ship is failing to comply with the criteria in some other particular, the ensign is not to be seized but the circumstances are to be reported to the Director.
Source: The Navy List (2006) (p. 287)

Andrew Thomas, 14 November 2005

.
. I sailed on the Queen Mary 2, on her maiden voyage, the Master was Commodore Ron Warwick, RNR.
Most of the Officers were RNR.
I asked the Commodore why , if he could fly the Blue Ensign was he flying the Red Ensign, he replied that he preffered the Red Ensign. the colour was better.
So there you have it.
Cheers
Brian

[Charlie Hannah]

Brian, he must have been a Liverpool supporter