I will note that the ships Cpt ordered "all those who can swim jump overboard, and make for the boats"
While LTC Seton ordered the Regt to "Stand Fast", so Kiplings reference to Jollys (Marines) seems poetic license, it was the soldiers who stood in ranks
"During the whole of the action R.J. Starling remained pinned down under the foremost gun after the explosion of the torpedo, and remained there cheerfully and without complaint, although the ship was apparently sinking, until the end of the action."
Nevermind the rest of the crew, that is freakin' Fullbore right there.
Officer Steward 2nd Starling's was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. According to this (pg 276-77) it went up for auction last July as part of a lot with another medal and was expected to bring 10-14k pounds.
Don't forget that LCDR Douglas Fairbanks Jr. commanded HMS Aphis (while it was under US command authority) conducting deception operations in the Med in WWII. Rescued by LCDR Bulkeley and USS Endicott following Operation Dragoon. (https://www.glibertarians.com/2022/03/naming-the-fleet-2/)
Fullbore. Hostilities only sailors and reserve officers, doing amazing work. And the Steward pinned in a flooding spot until the end of the action, just as well. I hope his shipmates were checking in on him as best they could.
Thank you for the link. An interesting look at how the engagement was depicted. I particularly liked seeing the U-boat fleet at its moorings off Harwich, at the end.
Down in one of the dimly remembered rabbit holes I burrow into some months back (while risking balls of fire and damnation from The Admiral aka The Wife), I was browsing pre WWII USNA grads, and ran across a LCdr Harry L Hicks...
An aside brought to mind by the picture of Captain Auten and several WW II movies, but should the USNR have distinctive rank insignia, wavy lines like the RNR does?
It seems unfair that it's impossible for an active duty USN line officer in warfare to reach O-6 without having a very competitive O-5 command (luck being a big factor), yet there are hundreds of USNR-R weekend warriors strutting around with four straight stripes on their sleeves, having done much less.
A shame. Tradition abandoned. There even used to be two reserve officer rank variants. RNR and RNVR, it's fun spotting them in WW II movies like The Cruel Sea.
Excellent, thank you. To know your ship is sinking, and yet lay in wait for *hours*, is something. People nowadays can't wait 10 minutes without checking their phone…
It appears that carrying a couple of concealed QF 4"/40 Mk IV's really does come in handy now and then. Who knew?
... and from the Geogarage link:
"The Stock Force was sunk in just such a clash, in what became one of the war’s most celebrated naval encounters, which led to its captain, Lieutenant Harold Auten, receiving the Victoria Cross, and inspired an early action film."
And there were once LTs who knew not to surrender in a confrontation. Lucky the IRG boats didn't cross paths with captain Auten.
Good choice. Reminds of the MT saying "it's not the the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog". By 2028 Sal may be sifting through USN records of the Taiwan debacle looking for worthy FBF posts.
"A total of 19 Navy ships have been named by Del Toro in the past two weeks. The ships span two aircraft carriers, four submarines, five destroyers, two fleet replenishment oilers, a frigate, an amphibious ship, an expeditionary medical ship, two ocean surveillance ships and a first-in-class amphibious ship."
Q'te 'n wily, she were! nice end to this week. our thanks!
"...But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew,
An' they done it, the Jollies—'Er Majesty's Jollies—soldier an' sailor too!"
https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_soldiersailor.htm
Here's to LTC Seton and the 74th Highland Regt!!!
I will note that the ships Cpt ordered "all those who can swim jump overboard, and make for the boats"
While LTC Seton ordered the Regt to "Stand Fast", so Kiplings reference to Jollys (Marines) seems poetic license, it was the soldiers who stood in ranks
RADM Campbell's "My Mystery Ships" is another first-hand account of implementing this decoy approach and living through it, it's in the public domain and a great read: https://archive.org/details/mymysteryships00gord/mode/2up
"During the whole of the action R.J. Starling remained pinned down under the foremost gun after the explosion of the torpedo, and remained there cheerfully and without complaint, although the ship was apparently sinking, until the end of the action."
Nevermind the rest of the crew, that is freakin' Fullbore right there.
I'd upgrade that "fullbore" to "hardcore."
Officer Steward 2nd Starling's was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. According to this (pg 276-77) it went up for auction last July as part of a lot with another medal and was expected to bring 10-14k pounds.
https://issuu.com/noonansauctions/docs/medals_naval_23_jul_24
Don't forget that LCDR Douglas Fairbanks Jr. commanded HMS Aphis (while it was under US command authority) conducting deception operations in the Med in WWII. Rescued by LCDR Bulkeley and USS Endicott following Operation Dragoon. (https://www.glibertarians.com/2022/03/naming-the-fleet-2/)
Fullbore. Hostilities only sailors and reserve officers, doing amazing work. And the Steward pinned in a flooding spot until the end of the action, just as well. I hope his shipmates were checking in on him as best they could.
I think this is the silent movie you are looking for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnzjlxHuqpU
Thank you for the link. An interesting look at how the engagement was depicted. I particularly liked seeing the U-boat fleet at its moorings off Harwich, at the end.
Down in one of the dimly remembered rabbit holes I burrow into some months back (while risking balls of fire and damnation from The Admiral aka The Wife), I was browsing pre WWII USNA grads, and ran across a LCdr Harry L Hicks...
https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/Category:USS_Atik_(AK_101)
Here is his story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zEfJzWkcWY
More info here:
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/q/q-ships-during-world-war-ii.html
German after action report:
https://www.uboatarchive.net/KTB/KTBNotesFormat-SampleKTB.htm
Fight smart - then fight hard!
Amazing a 160 foot ship stayed afloat for four and half hours after taking a torpedo.
The Q-Ships were normally filled with buoyant cargo.
Excellent FB. Based upon the picture, the CO was RNR (Royal Navy Reserve) most probably Merchant Marine pre war. Tough people.
An aside brought to mind by the picture of Captain Auten and several WW II movies, but should the USNR have distinctive rank insignia, wavy lines like the RNR does?
It seems unfair that it's impossible for an active duty USN line officer in warfare to reach O-6 without having a very competitive O-5 command (luck being a big factor), yet there are hundreds of USNR-R weekend warriors strutting around with four straight stripes on their sleeves, having done much less.
No. In fact, the RN moved to having all officers wear the same sleeve braid many years ago for both.
A shame. Tradition abandoned. There even used to be two reserve officer rank variants. RNR and RNVR, it's fun spotting them in WW II movies like The Cruel Sea.
Excellent, thank you. To know your ship is sinking, and yet lay in wait for *hours*, is something. People nowadays can't wait 10 minutes without checking their phone…
It appears that carrying a couple of concealed QF 4"/40 Mk IV's really does come in handy now and then. Who knew?
... and from the Geogarage link:
"The Stock Force was sunk in just such a clash, in what became one of the war’s most celebrated naval encounters, which led to its captain, Lieutenant Harold Auten, receiving the Victoria Cross, and inspired an early action film."
And there were once LTs who knew not to surrender in a confrontation. Lucky the IRG boats didn't cross paths with captain Auten.
Good choice. Reminds of the MT saying "it's not the the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog". By 2028 Sal may be sifting through USN records of the Taiwan debacle looking for worthy FBF posts.
Zhōu wǔ quánlì yǐ fù!
"A total of 19 Navy ships have been named by Del Toro in the past two weeks. The ships span two aircraft carriers, four submarines, five destroyers, two fleet replenishment oilers, a frigate, an amphibious ship, an expeditionary medical ship, two ocean surveillance ships and a first-in-class amphibious ship."
Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2025-01-17/navy-secretary-naming-ships-del-toro-16514748.html
Not much room left unless Trump wants to name ships commissioning in the 2040s