Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst ... 2 3 4
Results 31 to 40 of 40

Thread: Missing royal navy life ?

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    77
    Thanks (Given)
    9
    Thanks (Received)
    53
    Likes (Given)
    107
    Likes (Received)
    249

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    Just to add to the Submarine threads if you ever wanted proof of not choosing subs take a look at the escape tank in what was HMS Dolphin in Gosport (not now in service) all submariners were inserted at the bottom of a 100ft tall water tank and you were expected to pop out at the top, if something didn't go quite to plan or you didn't breath out on the way they had divers at different levels that punched you in the solar plexus to make you breath.
    Oh, and just in case you got the bends there was a decompression chamber and a qualified Doctor at the top to look after you, easy eh?
    Gosport SETT.jpg

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,640
    Thanks (Given)
    12848
    Thanks (Received)
    13717
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76753

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    Hi Malcolm you sounds as though ex or even present RN. Like most ex or present MN seafarers we have a little knowledge of bits and pieces of nautical life , as you can imagine we were wanderers in more ways than one. I worked for a few years on the perimeters of saturation diving RN style and have nothing but admiration for those who did the deep water stuff .If you know the submarine story as in the Gosport museum you may have noticed the Hollande 1 .We found it off the Eddystone in 1979 and it was later recovered .There used to be an escape tower I believe at HMS Vernon but in contact with RN people out here it no longer exists .Anything you can add you will probably find an appreciative audience from ex or present matelots on the site . Regards JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 9th June 2021 at 12:48 PM.
    R575129

  3. #33
    Lewis McColl's Avatar
    Lewis McColl Guest

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    I used to play golf with a guy who had been in the RN Diver? when he came out of the service he was diving in the offshore sector. He told me he enjoyed diving but really had been at it to long. He would at times take dizzy spells while golfing and he would have to have a sit down for a spell.
    He was a fit lad and looked after himself. We would take turns at doing the driving back and forth to the golf club or at different clubs if playing inter club competitions.
    I was driving past his house one day and as I had just got back from sea, I thought I would drop in as his car was up the drive. His wife opened the door, the poor girl looked as if she had not slept in a while. Turns out Chris dropped dead in the shower the week before. He was only mid 40's cause of death was put down to COPD.
    Last edited by Lewis McColl; 9th June 2021 at 01:13 PM.

  4. Thanks Doc Vernon thanked for this post
    Likes happy daze john in oz liked this post
  5. #34
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,640
    Thanks (Given)
    12848
    Thanks (Received)
    13717
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76753

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    #32..To add to this post , I am not a big lover of being underwater and do not have webbed feet. I can swim but would rather not. However for those working offshore I believe this has been put up before in Australia every two years , think it was a longer period of time in the uk , if were using helicopter transport over water you had to have a current certificate called a HUET Certificate and if this was not current you were not allowed to fly. HUET stands for Helicopter Underwater Escape Techniques , and to receive such you had to make 4 escapes from a helicopter underwater strapped into your seat .these 4 escapes were all from different angles one usually sitting on your head
    As said the only water I like is in the shower, as suffer from enclosed spaces at the best of times. So when they used to ask any non swimmers I used to put my hand up. At least I knew the divers who were stationed under water would see me if in difficulties and hopefully pull me out stili breathing. JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 10th June 2021 at 07:20 AM.
    R575129

  6. #35
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    77
    Thanks (Given)
    9
    Thanks (Received)
    53
    Likes (Given)
    107
    Likes (Received)
    249

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    Hi JS, Not an RN man but had 7 years visiting military sites all over the UK as a H&S Mgr/Confined Space man, and yes I have seen a lot of specialist bits of kit over the years.
    HMS Excellent in Portsmouth may be of interest to this site as they have a full size mock up of a ship they regularly fill up with water, stuff a load of youngsters in it and tell them to fix the leak, when they ask what leak the instructors fill the space up with freezing cold sea water, oh did I mention the whole thing is on hydraulic rams so they can replicate a bit of bad weather.
    Then there's the Fire training one, think I will let the imagination work on that one

  7. Thanks j.sabourn, Doc Vernon thanked for this post
  8. #36
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    574
    Thanks (Given)
    517
    Thanks (Received)
    652
    Likes (Given)
    8950
    Likes (Received)
    2336

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    #36, this is not new, and not confined to the RN, Edinburgh Fire Brigade, had a vessel of at least three deck built to simulate a vessel,
    That they set on fire with various degrees of ferocity used as a MN fire trading facility, HMS Cochran’s in Rosyth had a similar three deck high structure the they had filled with old railway sleeper which they doused in a flammable liquid and set fire to it all we had to climb from the top deck to the ground with all the gear on, as a Reservist I had to do this every second year, scary at first, but soon respected fire

  9. #37
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,640
    Thanks (Given)
    12848
    Thanks (Received)
    13717
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76753

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    #36... I liked the M notice think it was in, that all ships in port should have a fire plan of the ship and the layout of vessel for visiting professional fire fighters , at the top of the gangway in a sealed envelope. I would of been happy to leave them to it as we adjourned to more favourable surroundings. We put a blaze out once in a warehouse on the Clyde with the ships fire monitors and put out the fire ok but also knocked the warehouse down. Another time in Portsmouth with the same monitors and lying alongside the quay I put the monitors on facing away from the quay, in the celebrations welcoming the fleet back from the Falklands. The wind blew the residue of water back onto the quay swamping it and the hundreds of sightseers thereon. Its a wonder I wasnt sued for damages to same for soaking and cold water shock. Firemen are the ones who have the greatest success with fire. JS
    R575129

  10. Thanks Doc Vernon thanked for this post
  11. #38
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Sunbury Victoria Australia
    Posts
    24,991
    Thanks (Given)
    8300
    Thanks (Received)
    10124
    Likes (Given)
    106523
    Likes (Received)
    45652

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    We had a very large fire training place here in Victoria, owned by the Uni I was at.

    Had to close as a number of those that trained there contracted some form of lung disease.
    It was caused by the chemicals they used to simulate fire fighting such materials.
    Apparently the fumes protection they were given was not good enough to keep harmful fumes out.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

  12. Thanks j.sabourn, Dennis McGuckin, Graham Shaw thanked for this post
    Likes Tony Taylor, Denis O'Shea, Doc Vernon liked this post
  13. #39
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Lowick
    Posts
    16
    Thanks (Given)
    7
    Thanks (Received)
    11
    Likes (Given)
    19
    Likes (Received)
    44

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    While a Cadet at RMAS we were given the chance to visit the other services, I had 2 days on an A Class submarine HMS Artemis and a 16-hour trip on a Shackleton with the RAF. I suspect it was the Army's way of showing you that you had made the right career decision.

  14. #40
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,640
    Thanks (Given)
    12848
    Thanks (Received)
    13717
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76753

    Default Re: Missing royal navy life ?

    #40... William you do mean the Royal Maritime Auxilary Service dont you ? If so I never knew they had a Cadet Scheme. Just the other day I was talking to the lady barber I use and she was telling me her father now deceased had worked for the RMAS for a lot of years . And putting a lot of loose ends roughly together he may of been on the RMAS vessel Which fired the practice torpedoes up in NW Scotland and at one particular time I was there which was about 1980 ish. I cant remember his name but can find out next time I see her, it is a topic of conversation whenever I have a haircut now. He was however an old ex merchant seafarer as I thought they all were. The family have been out here about 12 years. If you want to know lets know. Cheers JS
    R575129

  15. Likes Denis O'Shea, Dennis McGuckin liked this post
Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst ... 2 3 4

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •