Ghost of a flea: Wake the dragon

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September 28, 2008

Wake the dragon

The descendants of Admiral Nelson and Captain Hardy have words for the MoD. I suspect most are unprintable.

The descendants of Captain Hardy and Admiral Nelson are due to launch a series of projects to help fight the decline in the Royal Navy. This could include a "buy out" package for HMS Victory and commissioning experts to look into the sorry state of "Nelson's Navy".

The grandson of Captain Hardy warned the MoD that they had "awoken a dragon" and would do everything in their power to turn around the Navy's terminal decline. He also promised to keep the public involved and informed while drawing together consensus amongst naval campaigners. The families are known for controversy clashing with the recently formed UKNDA and causing discomfort at the Admiralty as they declared "The covenant between Nelson and Hardy's descendants and the MoD as "null and void".

Directly related: Admirals now outnumber warships in what I will laughingly describe as the Royal Navy, 78% of the UK electorate (i.e. the British) believes Britain’s Armed Forces are “dangerously over-stretched” while Daniel Hannan states the blindingly obvious (and it needs to be said): Rebuild the Navy or risk another Falklands war.

Blindingly obvious, that is, to everyone including not only our enemies at home and abroad but to the treasonous swine charged with the defence of the realm and whose only passion is the will to decline. One imagines some feeble Götterdämmerung on permanent loop at Downing Street and in all the smart places the left congregates, praying for an opportunity to surrender to the men with the scimitars and relishing the thought of their enemies -- us -- paying for our temerity to think we could delay the inevitable.

What would happen if the islands were attacked again? No one pretends that we could send another task force. The Royal Navy has lost two thirds of the warships it had 20 years ago. In theory, there would be no need for such a flotilla, because the islands are now properly defended. But our strategy seems to be based around the idea that we could hold the base at Mount Pleasant for long enough to allow a major reinforcement of the Falklands by air.

I have been fretting about this ever since the kidnapping of our sailors by Iran last year. Almost every aspect of that episode was disturbing. The way in which crew members allowed themselves to be taken in the first place; the revolting deference some of them showed to Iranian officials; the sight of our ill-suited sailors whooping and high-fiving at their release; the way they clutched the enemy's goody bags as they disembarked to safety; and the way the MoD allowed them to sell their stories to the tabloids.

Small wonder the sailors showed deference to Iranian officials, these were probably the closest thing to men in authority they had ever encountered. Their captivity was perhaps the first time in their lives they were offered discipline in place of the weak tea that is "self esteem". Of course they kept their tails between their legs, it never occurred to them they might have fought and died like men.

The cowards survive; they have never learned how to live.

Read the comments at that last link. Admiral Cunningham is quoted to great effect.

When, in WWII, the Royal Navy was trying to evacuate Crete they were taking major losses from the German air force. An Aide went to the Naval C-in-C in the Mediterranean, Admiral Cunningham, and suggested to save ships (and sailors) the Navy should pull out and leave the Army to their fate.

Admiral Cunningham replied, "It takes two years to build a ship; two hundred years to build a reputation. The Navy stays."

Alas the Commanding Officer and crew of HMS Cornwall forgot or perhaps never knew they were part of the Royal Navy. So in a few minutes their boarding party, which, if I remember correctly, included an officer and men from the Royal Marines – bootnecks for Gods sake) destroyed the reputation that generations of sailors had fought and died to build.

Correct. And not just the reputation of the Royal Navy; the reputation of Great Britain.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at September 28, 2008 01:47 AM

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In the least 20 years the RN has taken such losses -- at home -- that I cannot see it holding Dover, much less Gibraltar.

Ding, dong. I watch the suicide of the West and wonder about my kids. At least the bloody wogs take someone with them when they go... we, it seems, just yell for more 'soma.'

Too drunk and silly tonight; dear Professor: remind us why we fight in the AM!

Posted by: Clayton Barnett at September 28, 2008 10:36 PM

Ghost of a flea

September 28, 2008

Wake the dragon

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