[jambutty]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

Only in exercise operations as you have experienced to your own admission....Do you really know what happens on a war footing?
Do you consider rules of engagement?
Do you really know what goes on on a warship in a theatre of war?
Point me in the direction of your arguements and I will read it with interest.

First of all my naval experience ended in 1967. Things are different today. But the son of a very close friend was down at the Falklands and his son is now out in the gulf.

But yes I do know what happens on a war footing. My ship HMS Alamein with me onboard spent over 6 months around the Cyprus waters during the conflict on that island where (once again) the British were “piggy in the middle” trying to keep the peace. Now that wasn’t a fully blown out war at sea and there were no enemy naval craft trying to blow us out of the water (at least whilst we were moving) but we spent day after day after day at Damage Control State 2. That is one step down from action stations. Our job was to stop and search all craft, large or small, day or night in the Cyprus territorial waters. Some didn’t like being told to heave to and wait to be boarded and tried to outrun us. HMS Alamein was capable of 35 knots so they couldn’t do it and a shot across their bows convinced them of the futility to try.

On the odd night off duty, we spent our time at action stations whilst anchored off Kyrenia. Why? Because the EOKA terrorists were not averse to trying to plant limpet mines on our hull.

Not an all out war I grant you but as far as our duties were concerned it was the next best thing. The small arms fire from the “gun runners” was real enough and we had the scars on the upper deck to prove it and three bodies.

I never considered the rules of engagement. That was the skipper’s job. He led, we followed. Actually we couldn’t do anything else.

I’ve answered your questions even if you had to ask one twice. So how about you answering mine? Or is that too awkward to answer – hence ignore it.

Would you like to relate your experiences on a warship? I’m all agog.