Tiger-pie

The US Navy chief's / officer's cap is put together in the same way. We no longer use the blue cover, so you must be able to break it down to wash the white cover. We're still using a plain fabric cover (cotton?), although I believe the RN may have gone to plastic?

Hugh

Correct, the cover is now, and has been for a long time, plastic. However, you can still purchase the cotton cover. For 'onboard' wear, I have a lid with the cotton cover, and it looks very salty, and U-boatish.

I had never realised that these were detachable - I suppose for winter and summer caps ? The officer's is straightforward - however, is there any difference in the two petty offs. ? Also, are they WW1 or, WW2 ? There is a possibility that they are Sth. Af. - although I don't think there is much difference.

The entire cap can be pulled apart, the same with the Junior Rates 'dog bowl'. This saves money as you can replace bits rather than the entire cap. I'm not sure if it was to facilitate changing between winter and summer as they should have received an issue of both. However, given space limitations (then and now), it would be easier to carry a cap cover rather than an entire lid for a season change.

The difference between the two Petty Officer cap badges may simply be an be a case of using what was available. The velvet type is still used today (my own cap badge being of this type).

Jelly beans? Don't you mean love hearts and bunny rabbits...?

There are a few different types getting around at the moment, including the Navy version.

Looks like a early pattern uniform, the slanted pockets went out years ago.

What is a Portmanteau?

Fancy name for a suitcase. You won't here it much anymore, but the word was shortened here in Australia to 'port'.

I like the miniture, can't say I have stumbled across one as yet.

Interesting. I've never seen arms drill done with an AUG.

G'da Tony, it is far easier than using the old SLR. Lighter and less cumberson.

Regards,

Johnsy

Dear Tiger-pie,

Many thanks - does this book include photographs of Nufl or Ghassani?

Owain

Mate, I can't remember. It did have photos of the patrol members, and areas they were in. I was about 12 or 13 when I read it, a while ago now. Ranulph Fiennes was basically working as a mercenary for Oman, if I recall correctly, so the story is biased toward his experiances. However, I added it as you may find it an interesting angle on that particular conflict.

Regards,

TP

Even the boss likes to get out of the office occasionally.

Outside the village a security cordon waits in position.

Getting those RPG's out of Taliban hands is a great days work. Excellent Job and as we say in the CF Combat Enginees CHIMO!!!

Cheers

Chris

Some of them look pretty well stuffed. I'm not sure they would have function. I suppose that they could have been rigged to make IED's, so having them out of circulation is a good thing.

A member of the Afghan army looks on as the engineers make a final check to ensure they have found all munitions in this section. The trooper in the forground inspects a 12.7mm round.

The find is layed out for cataloguing. They will destroyed in a more isolated location.

Out in the compound further munitions have been located, more small arm ammunition and RPG rockets.

A soldier holds up an AK-47 round for inspection.

Paydirt! Cases of munitions had been hidden in a wall of a dwelling.

An engineer checks a suspisous area with a mine detector.

Munitions sweep through a village. Engineers investgate a dwelling after a search with a mine detector.

Very interesting - I had never known submarine service had a different anchor - do you think the top 'sweetheart' is genuine ?

I don't know what size it is, it looks like a genuine RN type of dolphins. They have the 'un-fouled' anchor.

Yes, they are a current badge - but, not this one which is a copy. Look at the naval FOULED anchor !

Without dragging the thread too far off topic, submariner dolphins don't have a fouled anchor, for what I would have thought was obvious reasons. The Australian version has no anchor at all. The badge that the RN Submarine Service wears was derived from the RAN designed badge, introduced in the mid 60's here, officially recognised by the RN in 1972. All other Commonwealth navies then adopted it as a standard, with slight differences, the Canadian type being the most striking.

Therefore, anyone trying to flog off a set of dolphins, claiming that they are from any time prior to the mid sixties at the earliest, are pulling your leg. Miniatures are issued for Mess Undress, Senior Sailors and Officers only. There is of course nothing stopping a Junior Sailor going to 'slops' and buying his other half (or halves ) a mini set as a sweetheart brooch.

Interesting, I had a relative that served in that unit, one of three brothers who went to the Western Front, he survived as did his two siblings.

Wittman for sheer numbers....

but I always think Wittman going into battle with a Tiger tank was like turning up to a knife fight with a machine gun.

The true test of the warrior could only be to put Wittman in a Sherman and send him up against 3 tigers... and then count his kills.

Same idea... imagine pool on a Tiger with 3 years to wrack up kills...

Plus Pool survived to enjoy his victories, whereas Wittman got spread all over a paddock in Normandy...

A security detail keeps watch as the Minister and Keith Payne land at Patrol Base Buman

Minister for Defence speaks with WO2 George Phillips and Sgt. Adam West about their mentoring of local Afghan troops.