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Old 12th Jan 2017, 15:55
  #49 (permalink)  
Pontius Navigator
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 80
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UJ, as a slight digression, as a 2nd Officer my father's manoeuvre station was on the poop. Naturally, as the gun was on the poop, he was also in charge of the gun. He told me how they had to load the shell, then the silk bagged charge, and then sponge out after firing. Not 50 years different from the cannon ball era.

Although he was sunk by a surfaced submarine they had not had time to man the gun. He did tell me however of one of his companies fast merchant ships. As far as I can recall, as my geography was nascent at that time, the ship was making independent passage from Gibraltar when a German submarine surfaced. The ship got off the first round which fell short while the Germans were still trying to man and ready their gun. Before the Germans could fire the ship, and I have a dim recollection it could have been the City of Edinburgh, fired again and over this time. The submarine crew was then seen to scuttle back below and submerge before the third shot. He said the ship then departed at 20 kts, far faster than her design speed. I don't know how true that was.
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