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#71
13-10-2005, 20:14
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Normally crewed by the Merchant Navy as the Captain, Jimmy, Chief Engineer etc with the crew made up again, normally of expat, time served merchant seamen. On board these ships, as there sometimes is on the Destroyers and Frigates etc are the laundrys. These are usually manned by ex-Gurkhas. The vessel may also have had a compliment of Gurkhas on board for port-side protection whilst alongside, normally done my Royal Marines but they are really over-stretched right now around the world, so they may have a small detachment of these guys on board. Not bad for a pongo eh?
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The idea is to die young.........as late as possible. 
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#73
13-10-2005, 21:17
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__________________
The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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#74
13-10-2005, 22:22
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Denver, could you double check the spelling of the second ship you mentioned. I have a personal interest. When was it commissioned?
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#75
13-10-2005, 23:00
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According to the RFA, Sir Geraint was listed for disposal in November 2003!! and is currently laid up awaiting her fate. Ships No:L3207. All I could find Gez.
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The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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#76
13-10-2005, 23:12
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Thanks Denver. So, was I named after a ship, or was a ship named after me? Maybe I should chang my board name to Sir Gez.
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#77
14-10-2005, 01:00
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Are you due to be decommisioned soon as well Sir Gez 
__________________
I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my Granddad Not screaming in fear like his passengers
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#78
14-10-2005, 01:37
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This talk of RFA's is memory lane for me, I did a couple of trips on the Bulwark and to see a re-fuel at sea is an amazing sight. Your right Denver, they used to have 22 man Royal Marine detachments on board ship, Frigates mostly, this was cut down to 10 men who all worked as gunners. Interesting thread even with the flaming  Be safe and if you are in Phuket in Feb I'll buy you a wet. Dave
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#79
14-10-2005, 01:51
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Video
I had forgotten about this as it seems like ages ago but only last April. A company called PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) which I think is a US Govt sponsored or funded organisation spent some time with us here in Iraq and did some filming of some of our guys doing some training, moving thier filming team around to our 'place' and towards the end of the first segment called 'The Private Side of War' there is some footage of one of our teams in the North getting ambushed by a roadside bomb and quite heavy, small arms fire, then the aftermath of that particular incident. One of our contract bosses Andy is interviewed and asked some pretty gruelling questions and I think he coped quite well. Below is the link to Andys interview:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl.../melville.html This link is: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/ the link to the front page of the PBS article, then click on watch the full article on line and most of the stuff on my particular group is Chapter One. There are four different chapters to have a look around. We also appear in the last chapter as PBS chose us to get them to the airport down Route Irish at the end of thier visit. It's all public domain stuff and nothing cloak and dagger. I don't know if Lightemup has seen these clips, so it will be of interest to him I am guessing. Hope it works for you! I think this will answer most of your questions in regard to the orginal statement of this particular thread. Be good. 
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The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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#80
14-10-2005, 02:45
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I've been in dry dock recently Roger, but I'm due to set sail for LOS after Christmas, where I intend to fire my big gun in anger. 
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#81
14-10-2005, 14:29
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#82
14-10-2005, 14:46
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I've seen them.
Many I know, werent too impressed with the 23 year old Team 2ic that seemed to like to hear himself talk on camera a little too much..... Other than that, somebody should have an AD in Peter Singer, as he is a total ****tard. 
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#83
14-10-2005, 14:59
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Thanks Captain, I was actually named after a famous Welsh opera singer (Sir Geraint Evans), as I come from a musical family. He might have been named after one of King Arthurs knights though.
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#84
14-10-2005, 15:06
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It was for the camera. We had to use him as he is a Brit, Joey is a good, pro-active team member and seen a lot prior to, and including Iraq. I see too many security companies using 'has beens' and 'Wannabees' to protect clients. The actual team leader is Mike who is a South African (Stood quietly to the right of Joey) and as the program was being made predominately for a US audience, they wouldn't have understood a bloody word he says!! 5555555 Not long for you Lightemup before you are away again!! Nice one. We are battened down now for the next couple of days. We had three polling stations close to us here in town last time. Two were blown up, so taking no chances this time. Have a great trip and have several cold ones for me. 
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The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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#85
14-10-2005, 15:11
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Yeah, I take this election and then go on leave, come back in time to ramp up for the next one.
Just thought about it yesterday: Im currently working in the most important building in Iraq, looking after some of the most important people in Iraq right now....Litterally seeing history in the making.....Kinda gave me goose bumps..  Then I started scanning the floor and crowd again....
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#86
14-10-2005, 15:22
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Don't forget the guy in the 'special' ski jacket with wide-eyes, sweating in 45 degrees of heat and mumbling 'Allah Akbaar' - may just be your man! 55555555 Take care mate, I want to see your holiday reports OK! Stay low, run fast, be safe.
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The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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#87
16-10-2005, 13:14
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Referendum in Iraq
Relatively quiet day here yesterday in Baghdad with only 36 incidents of note! We are still in body armour, helmets etc with minimum movement but in comparison with the last voting for the interim Government, a really quiet day
How was it for you Lightemup? Was there a good turn out at your place ?
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The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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#88
16-10-2005, 16:52
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Yeah, everything quiet our end.
Next couple of days is going to be busy though with all the votes being counted. We are right in the heart of it. Going on shift in a couple of hours, yesterday it was a 18 hour work day. See if I can sneak into taking some pics from the "heart of it" and post them once everything is over and the results are out. Maybe a picture of me fiddeling with the final results page or so  Here is one taken some days ago. 
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#89
16-10-2005, 17:56
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Hi Denver and Lightemup
Great thread and thanks for the photos - Everyones efforts are appreciated by a lot more people then would dare to admit for fear of not being PC. Nice one and the next rounds on you lah (Especially at those rates )
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Be Like Water
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#90
16-10-2005, 20:59
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I hear what you say about the PC folk. 'Up to you' as they say. I am here for the money yes, if what we are doing here is helping move things along then great. I know we are well paid but we also employ a hell of a lot of Iraqis who would not have an income or food on the table if we were not here. I have seen the aftermath of the 'Food for oil program' Bafana and to be honest it was a load of tosh. I do want to retire as soon as possible and I am hoping that after Iraq, that is exactly what I am going to do. I will either set off on my travels again, I fancy South America for a couple of years or put down some roots somewhere and I think you know where that might be!! Attached a few pics from the last 'interim' Government elections for folk to see. The last picture was the aftermath of a polling station being attacked by a suicide bomber. Trees burned, walls collapsed, no polling station, no bomber!! That was about 200 meters from the end of the street where we currently live. I had to change my under grollies when that one went off..........Parp! Thanks for the comments Bafana, good to get feedback. I still have to comment on the Territorials out here yet for ETV but will do that soon!
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The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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#91
18-10-2005, 03:59
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Boom Bangabang!
Inspired by Faultys Blackadder references earlier about 'BOB' - I have put a few pictures together entitled "BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM" as in Baldricks famous WW1 Trench poem.
Enjoy
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The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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