Ash Rescue: Brits Abroad

[jordanpolonijo]

Whats the likelyhood we will see a Chinook TAG (comprised of JRRF) operating off HMS Ocean as well as Herc and C-17 operating at low level to get our folks home?

[rock34]

Slim to no chance?

Frankly, have we not got better things to worry about than giving free lifts to tourists who are 'stranded' in friendly, hospitable countries (well apart from France :})?

[airborne_artist]

About as much chance as I have of winning Miss World :}

Imagine the fuss if the RAF could find spare airframes to bring back Wayne and Waynetta Slob from Benidorm when the world and his missus knows that we don't have enough to keep Our Boys (and girls) safe in the rocky place.

Anyway, the hotels with pools out there are all full of trapped tourists, so how could the RAF accommodate their crews during the turn-around? They can't just kip down in a 10 x 10 pitched on the airfield, don't y'know?

[jordanpolonijo]

I know exactly what you are saying!

However Brown pants is Commander in Chief and he has already sent three "big hitters" of the RN to help.
:ugh:

[airborne_artist]

However Brown pants is Commander in ChiefWash your mouth out with soap, you 'orrible little man. As he has shown, Mr Brown is not capable of being in charge of two donkeys in a field of carrots.

The Commander in Chief is this person, who unlike Mr Brown, has all of our best interests at heart, all the time, not just the Nu Liabour few:

http://nickbaines.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/queen-elizabeth-ii.jpg

[Gainesy]

Some amusing headlines today along the lines of "Royal Navy to repat grockles".

Which of the dozen or so ships are up and running then?

[jordanpolonijo]

They have just started an "operation"to airlift 500 soldiers from 3rd Battalion the Rifles home from Akotiri.:ok:

[airborne_artist]

"The BBC understands 500 British soldiers from 3rd Battalion, The Rifles are being airlifted by chartered civilian jets from Cyprus to Spain, before sailing to the UK aboard HMS Albion."

You are too young to remember the Labour plonker called the Minister for Rain, Denis Howell. As soon as he was put in charge it threw it down.

I can confidently predict that HMS Albion will put to sea, have to go to the rescue of an idiot trying to cross the Atlantic in a wheelie bin somewhere the far side of the Azores, and finally make port at Guz a week after all the Iclandic sh!te has cleared and the aircraft are back in the skies burning up the ozone layer taking another load of slappers to Ibiza to catch/pass on their crabs/clap to/from the locals.

[Gainesy]

a wheelie bin somewhere the far side of the Azores

Ah, yes. I forgot Ark Royal was out that way.

[airborne_artist]

Ah, yes. I forgot Ark Royal was out that way

Nice one Gainsey :E

[vecvechookattack]

The Commander in Chief is this person

No she is not. Thats a Picture of the Queen.

[Gainesy]

....aaannd extra Brownie Points for VecFec when he staggers home of a Friday night.

Hmm, anyone seen which Civvies are stranded outside UK? Do we really want or need them all back?

[vecvechookattack]

We have 3 Commander in Chiefs

Land

http://www.army.mod.uk/images/central-panel/CinC_sir_peter_wall_200.jpg


Air

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/054A3EF8_1143_EC82_2EF23FD07FC59F18.jpg


and Fleet

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/upload/img_400/ark2_20090623130523.jpg

The Queen is the nominal head of the Armed Forces but she is not CinC.

[aluminium persuader]

We have 3 Commander in Chiefs

Shouldn't that be "Commanders-in Chief" then?!

:}

ap:ok:

[vecvechookattack]

probably......... Commanders in Chief

[Rigga]

If you guys can pull this one off - Gordon is promising you'll all get a new Single-Winged Brevet with the monologue of "IR" in the middle.


The IR stands for....


"InternASHnal Rescue"

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

Rigga,

Whereabouts in Anglia are you from? Ashford?

:)

[Gainesy]

Hmm, I wasn't too far off the mark by the sounds of it, the 200 civvies being put on a boat in Santander have been "selected by the British Embassy in Madrid". Said boat (missed it, Albion or Ocean) is there for troops coming home from Ops, civvies are a handy soundbite afterthought by Brown cronies I'd guess.

The Radio 4 bird reporting says some Army Colonel went onto the quayside and told other massed Brit repat hopefuls to leg it.

[diginagain]

The Radio 4 bird reporting says some Army Colonel went onto the quayside and told other massed Brit repat hopefuls to leg it.

Typical Movers.:rolleyes:

[orgASMic]

A colonel broke the news? I thought the Mov policy is to make the most junior erk break the bad news while the MovO hides round the corner.

"Sirs, ma'ams, ladies and gents. Excuse ranks, etc."

[Gainesy]

I did have this vision of some Rupert clambering up a crane and shouting: "Scuse Ranks, Laze an Gemmen, Listen In".:)

[Cornerstone958]

What I saw on the Lunch time News from Santander was a Bootneck Captain explaining to the masses that if they had no prior approval to board Albion then tough!!
CS

[airborne_artist]

What I saw on the Lunch time News from Santander was a Bootneck Captain explaining to the masses that if they had no prior approval to board Albion then tough!!

On this clip on BBCi here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8632398.stm)

[Wander00]

Cruel but true. Just tell it like it is!

[airborne_artist]

All of those disappointed Brits had been told by relatives/friends at home about HMS Albion's voyage from Santander and had made their own way there, so HMG can't really be too much at fault on that specific case.

[helimarshaller]

Send in the Fleet!!

Why should these valueable assets be used to pick up all those stuck in Europe. If there was the threat of a conflict, then I could understand, but there isn,t.
I haven't heard of any other nations lining up their 'Grey Funnel Fleets' to pick up there stranded souls, or are the Spanish & French Armada's on there way along with a US Expeditionary Force to reclaim there citizens?

[Gainesy]

Election. Labour. Soundbite.:suspect:

[bubblesuk]

I know i'm running the risk of having me head chewed off but this is a genuine question....What harm does it do to use the Navy to pick up stranded brits? It could be argued that as tax payers we need them back here working to pay for the budget deficit! Seriously though aside from the fact that it's not the militarys role is it realy doing any harm?

[Tankertrashnav]

"selected by the British Embassy in Madrid". Said boat (missed it, Albion or Ocean) is there for troops coming home from Ops, civvies are a handy soundbite afterthought by Brown cronies I'd guess.




Just listening to PM on Radio 4 and heard Boris Johnson's dad is on board. Not exactly a Brown crony! Nice chap, but I wonder what strings he pulled to get a place, or did Boris put in a word with the Navy?

[jordanpolonijo]

Im quite angry that British folk where turned away by a British Armed Force. What happened to courage in the face of adversity and looking out for your own.

Poor response by Government (just before an election) and poor response by a force that is struggling with an emaciated budget. This would have been a prime opportunity to show the country why we need a "Blue Water" navy with big ships thus being a positive PR move.

However they took it the other way and the majority of Joe Public who has limited exposure to the RN will not have their opinions raised by this action.

[Gainesy]

What happened to courage in the face of adversity and looking out for your own.


What on Earth are you blethering about?:confused:They're not being chased by Zulus y'know.

[SPIT]

Why can't they get to UK !! the illegal imigrants seem to make it with NO trouble via FRANCE ???? :eek::eek:

[EdSett100]

I watched Cabinet ministers in Downing St on TV say that they would bring our citizens home, using the Navy if needed. On that basis, people would have phoned their stranded relatives with great expectations.

They are right to be disappointed.

Ed

[cazatou]

EdSett 100

If you are correct ( I'm afraid I try to avoid watching the current crop of Cabinet Ministers on TV) then perhaps Ministers should have made their intentions unequivocably plain to those Senior RN Officers involved in the "Operation".

I understand that the Naval Officers Commanding HM's Ships involved were informed that their task was to provide passage for those Military Personnel who were returning from an arduous Tour of Duty in Afghanistan where they had suffered numerous casualties. Any spare capacity could be utilised to accommodate UK Citizens at their discretion. It would have been up to those Officers Commanding to decide what, if any, spare capacity was available and that would have been offered to those who had registered with the British Embassy.

One minor point - many of those Civilians seeking passage back to UK were Families with young children. HM Ships do not routinely carry Baby Milk, life saving vests for young children nor cots for them to sleep in. Also, in the event of any mishap, their travel insurance would be Null and Void if it happened on any form of Military Transport.

[AH7]

It's great the 3 rifles lads are getting back after such a tough six months.. :D
The general public can sing for it as far as I am concerned, since when did anyone have a RIGHT to travel?? Hmmm never.. Unlucky order another beer in the hotel bar.:{

[rusty_monkey]

What really grips me is how poor the RAF PR machine has been. We have moved heaven and earth arranging the plan for the troops to get back to the UK and the navy get all the bloody credit. The only reason they got the call was because we couldn't get the charter for a ferry in time. (the ferry charter would have been cheaper to the tax paying public than the grey beast)

[Prawn2king4]

Now, now AH7 (and your fellow steely eyed jocks); try not to be too arrogant....

If you can help out your fellow citizens and it's no skin off your nose - why not do it? ;)

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

rusty_monkey. My, my; how far did you spit that dummy?

Contrary to popular belief, gash ferries aren't available at the drop of a hat. Certainly not ones with current safety documents. Accordingly, it would be reasonable for Fleet to plug the gap in the Airbridge. I trust that Fleet will get a suitable budget transfer from DSCOM. :ok:

cazatou seems to have a good grasp of Fleet's problem with moving the Public. Life saving equipment (lifejacket type and liferaft numbers) in all but a few RFAs would not meet MCA requirements. They can be augmented but the means to do so aren't sitting on a shelf (Resource Account Budgetting, anyone?) for the odd need for Aid to the Civil Authority. In an emergency, rules can be waived but a risk remains. That risk is largely Crown liabilty to compensation in the, albeit unlikely, event of an accident.

Few things are as simple as they first appear.

[Wander00]

The post morten on the events of the last week will be interesting. Firstly the technical reaction - where it is safe or not to fly; the technical aspects of ash ingestion - the Finnish F 16 engines made a strong case for staying well away.

The reaction and (in)action of polititians may well be less able to withstand close scrutiny. It must have been pretty clear after 24 hours that the problem would not just disappear, yet it was only in the last few hours, just before the arorts generall reopened that anything practical seems to have happened -eg coaches turning up at Madrid airport just as everything starts flying again. The consumer protection authorities in some countries, Spain especially, need to look at the extortionate prices charged for any means of transport, car hire particularly.

Good luck to all those who still have to make it home - record wait I have seen on TV is a bunch of schoolkids in China who apparently now have to wait until early May for a flight!

[Wander00]

PS Just saw Adonis being interviewed on BBC News 24 - why does he always seem uncomfortable when being asked anything more complicated than "what time is it?"

[Capt Pit Bull]

The general public can sing for it as far as I am concerned,

Perhaps 'Help for Heroes' could use that as a tag line.

[Gainesy]

Nice to hear the Wokka mates out and about at low level just before midnight,
welcome back.:ok:

Course, yer all now a noisy pain in the butt again, rather than a possible way home for Kev and Chardonny Feckwit.
The general public can sing for it as far as I am concerned

As a member of same, I'd agree. For Christ sake at least the Illegals show some initiative to get across the Channel, rather than just sit there bleating and waiting for hand outs/rides etc.

[Pontius Navigator]

The DT carries a bit about a 31-yr old teacher, made an arduous and hazardous journey all the way from Malaga to be rescued by the RN only to be denied boarding. So he wandered over the the ferry terminal and bought a ticket home.:confused:

[Clockwork Mouse]

The Mrs and I were due to fly back to UK from Jordan with grandson on 16 April after hols with parents in Saudi. Been stuck here since then. Can't get back into Saudi because of visa burocracy. Insurance company abandoned us saying they won't pay anything in connection with the volcano, presumably because it was an act of God. Airline only interested in making money by demanding we upgrade to get back this month. Getting any advice or info in the middle east without paying a fortune in international phone charges is a non starter.
Now due to fly back on 26th, rather poorer and pretty pissed off, so please don't be too hard on us Joe Publics.

[Pontius Navigator]

an act of God.

Just spoke with my insurers.

Their underwriter is not using the AOG clause. Claims however are excluded as the event was not an adverse weather condition, although you could argue that point given that it was the weather pattern that conveyed the ash to the UK.

The second get out of jail clause however is that my insurers only cover outbound journey delay and not homebound so there would be no cover for additional costs of accommodation and subsistence, so the bottom line is enjoy your unexpected break.

[topgas]

Got home last night - crew of HMS Albion did a fantastic job looking after everyone. They were on a run ashore in Antwerp when they got the call, and got everyone back on board in an hour and a half, which is pretty impressive. They really couldn't take any more civilians - there were already 600 or so troops on board, including tonka and wokka boys, but not 3 Rifles, contrary to earlier reports. Space was running out!
http://i44.tinypic.com/fxtdsp.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/12179fa.jpg
If you have to spend a week getting home, finishing the journey with 30 hours on a RN ship could be worse.
Thanks again to any RN that might read this :ok: And pats on the back to the RAF movers who got us to Spain with little fuss in a rapidly changing situation

[4mastacker]

Originally posted by Pontious Navigator:
The second get out of jail clause however is that my insurers only cover outbound journey delay and not homebound so there would be no cover for additional costs of accommodation and subsistence, so the bottom line is enjoy your unexpected break. I had a similar problem with my travel insurance a couple of years ago when the Channel Tunnel was closed following a fire. My family and I had been pre-booked on Eurostar but all train services were suspended so we had to make our own way from Paris to Calais for a surface crossing to Dover. This journey meant we missed our booked connections and had to purchase new tickets to complete our journey home. My travel insurers rejected my claim out-of-hand, quoting various caveats, clauses and sub-sections of their policy. I refused to accept their rejection and referred my claim to the Financial Ombudsman who found in my favour and directed the insurance company to pay an assessed award (which actually turned out to be more than my original claim). The Financial Ombudsman based their decision on the policy clauses relating to "Delayed Departures" rather than Cancellations - the implication being for that clause to apply, the Channel Tunnel would have had to have been permanently closed.

My advice to anyone who's insurance claim is rejected is get the insurance company to issue a "Final Refusal of Claim" in writing and then refer your claim to the Financial Ombudsman - it worked for me!!

Slightly off topic - Eurostar/SNCF staff in France were brilliant and very helpful...then we encountered the UK Border Agency staff at Calais......:mad: