suuusssiiieee Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 See today in Lerwick another visit from a "proper" naval vessel from a foreign navy, yet you never see the Royal Navy frigates/destroyers in here for dust, why do you think that is? I'm talking about frigates/destroyers etc, not the coastal patrol vessels you do see in Lerwick from time to time like HMS Archer, or HMS Mersey when she was here for the tall ships...it's as if other countries value a "courtesy call" to our islands more than our own! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 We used to get some pretty impressive Royal Navy visitors: http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r60/ArabiaTerra/Rodney.jpg HMS Rodney http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r60/ArabiaTerra/Barham.jpg HMS Barham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 Much of Lerwick was HMS Fox. It has had an impressive Naval history. Check it out. Scappa Flow is not used that much as a base. Are the fisheries protection ships not RN? Nope but the closest Scotland has to a Navy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 Ahem, excuse me, it's not a "foreign" navy...... Who wants a British ship here anyway?. It was the British Navy that press ganged wir own Shetland men and boys..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RileyBKing Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 They are just checking out berthing arrangements prior to Lerwick becoming a home port for the Norwegian Navy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 Ahem, excuse me, it's not a "foreign" navy...... Who wants a British ship here anyway?. It was the British Navy that press ganged wir own Shetland men and boys..... 'Royal' Navy, actually. Just remember that is was the 'British' Navy - along with 'British' aircrews and 'British' SOE and 'British' land troops that fought and died for the freedom of Norway alongside True Norwegians. So take your narrow minded bigoted anti UK (and anti Shetland when it suits you) pish and shove it up your jacksey, Kavi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 Major RN vessels very rarely call into non-base UK ports unless there is a specific tie to that particular town or it's operationally necessary. In nine years in the Navy I only ever called into two UK ports away from RN bases: Glasgow (when I was on HMS Glasgow) and London on 'visits'. For foreign navies, it's a chance for some relaxation time in different (UK/Shetland) surroundings. We used to do the same when elsewhere on the planet, lots of 'goodwill' visits that weren't an operational requirement. Also, you really don't want 300+ matelots off a RN destroyer hitting your nice town centre after being at sea for weeks on end....it's not pretty, believe me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RileyBKing Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 Would be good to see more RN ships here showing the flag imo. I think HMS Daring called in during the working up period? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted July 23, 2012 Report Share Posted July 23, 2012 G.B. still has a navy with ships that are seaworthy, there's news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted July 23, 2012 Report Share Posted July 23, 2012 ..... So take your narrow minded bigoted anti UK (and anti Shetland when it suits you) pish and shove it up your jacksey, Kavi. A bit harsh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
man of kent Posted July 23, 2012 Report Share Posted July 23, 2012 Having served in the RN and being a Shetlander too, I agree with everything Scorre said about 300 matelots coming ashore, drinking, celebrating etc. You dont really need that. As a boy there were loads of RN ships calling in, I used to go onboard them when ever you were allowed to. In those days the RN had over 100 fighting ships at their disposal. These days there are probably around the 20/30 mark. So you could wait for years before one comes to Lerwick. The ships I served in did visit British ports, Lerwick included, but not often. Strangely enough the best trip for me was a round Britian trip for "meet the Navy" in the mid 1970's. No restictions on recruitment in those days. I now live very near an ex-naval dockyard and since HMS Chatham was done away with, we dont see any in Medway anymore either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted July 23, 2012 Report Share Posted July 23, 2012 On That note ^ I almost bought a Thames Cruiser that was berthed there, it had taken part in the repatriation of the British Expeditionary Force during the Second World War. They brought it in for me to view, the berth they used had not had such a large vessel in it for a while, the tide went out, it stuck in the silt, the tide came up, it didn't. I did not buy it though it was a nice vessel. Some what wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirvaluk Posted July 23, 2012 Report Share Posted July 23, 2012 There were certainly more visits from RN ships in the 60s/70s,I think I was aboard most of them,even the submarines were open to the public. Maybe they are to busy now, and with all the cut backs, none left to come here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engineer21 Posted July 24, 2012 Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 iam pretty sure if there was a British Royal Navy vessel in here every other week folk would be saying 'look they do no work waste of taxpayers money etc etc etc'at least if they aint calling at uk ports they are making there presence felt elsewhere in the world hopefully detering pirates (if thats possible) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete-builder Posted July 24, 2012 Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 Maybe the navy may be called in yet ,could use it as replacement ferry if Serco cock up lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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