I'm sorry but I think the RN personnel have shown themselves and their service in a poor light.
Granted, we were not present in Tehran, but the media coverage didn't show beaten personnel reading a preprepared script, as happened with the two Johns in 1991. It showed RN personnel gushing forth apologies and explanations of why they were in the wrong.
'Felix' pointing at a large map and spouting on like a demented weatherman, all rather pitiful. What was their tipping point....the threat to remove the chess board?
As for selling their stories, a large stride in the wrong direction by the MOD, though it reeks of either a New Labour stunt, or an attempt by a hollow,
PR obsessed RN to claw back some credibility. Either way, it is rather sad.
I have witnessed far greater feats of heroism both in the air and on the ground. I have nothing but the highest respect for the Warrior crew killed last week. They know the threat is real, yet face it every single day of their 6 month tour. I doubt very much whether the sound of a rifle being cocked would have them cowering in the corner.
2 Weeks 'compassionate' leave and £150000? Maybe a P45 and an Iranian passport would be more apt