Hello

Hello to you all,

I am ex Royal Navy - served (1976 - 1989).
Aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL (RO9)
Leander class frigate - DIOMEDE (F16)
Various minesweepers.
Two Merchant Navy ships.

My main interest, surprisingly, is Merchant Navy research. I have my own website dedicated to my late father who was torpedoed during WW2 whilst serving with the Merchant Navy.

The Merchant Navy's contribution is often forgotten, so I am here to help keep their sacrifice and service where it belongs - at the top of the list. Without the Merchant Navy, we couldn't have won the war.

I hope to be able to contribute to the threads

Best regards
Hugh

 

Watcha Hugh! Keep that red Duster flying!

 

Welcome to the forum, Hugh. Nice to have another member with knowledge of the navy, and it seems that you certainly had a lot of experience.

How about using your website as a signature?

 

Welcome Hugh....

 

Welcome Hugh,

I have always pushed the contribution of the MN or MM as the other services usually got the "glory".

They had the highest death ratio (1:25 - 1:26?) which was greater than the death rate in the US Marines.

My favourite war movie on the Merchant's as some will know and which you are probably familiar with, is "San Demetrio London".

The aim of this Website is to educate and discuss all areas of ww2. We look forward to making all aware of the services that allowed the front liners to win the war especially in areas other than mainstream European LandSeaAir.

Logistics for instance is another area that does not receive enough accolades.

 

Hi Hugh,

Welcoem to the forum, we are of the same era I was 1976 - 1985!

I hope you will enjoy your stay here and look forward to your contributions!

 

Welcome Hugh! Good to see you here.

Ahem, I was born in 1976!

 

If you don't say it, Hugh, I will - git :laugh:

 

Thank you all.

Spidge, you are very well informed.

Kyt, thanks for the tip.

Thank you all for your welcome - much appreciated.
Regards
Hugh

 

I was born in 1979, so stick that in your pipe Kyt!

Yey! The Red Duster is flying!

 

Hugh,

that's a great site you've created - very pleasing to the eye (so many sites seem to fail on that front), and seems packed full of information. I shall definately have proper read later. On a personal note, it's so nice to see the Lascars highlighted too - so often forgotten.

cheers
K

 

I would ask Lee to put an minimum age-limit for membership of this site, but he's a young'un too. :frusty:

 

Aww you poor old soul you!

Hugh, just had a gander round your site, a very good site, and it made me a bit teary.

am glad to see the DEMS mentioned.

 

You are babies, all of you.

 

Thank you all for your kind comments regarding my website - a labour of love for me.

Kyt - thanks - the Lascars deserve their mention, they were very much part of the Merchant Navy and many were lost with no grave but the sea.

Kitty - thanks - the DEMS gunners (24,000 Navy, nearly 5,000 killed), (14,000 Army, 1222 killed) paid a heavy price and again like the MN were not given the recognition they deserved.

Spidge, I wish I could claim to be a baby but alas it wont wash :bathbaby:
Regards
Hugh

 

But at least you have a duckie>:becky:

 

A man must always have a duck :>