Stanwell,
A propos your suggestion in your #101, a thought has occurred to me (it does happen from time to time). If I were the First Sea Lord (which having regard to the safety of the realm, thank the Lord I'm not, sir), a wicked gleam might appear in my weatherbeaten old eye.
How about selecting a corvette or something of that size, and arrange for it to be crewed from Captain to ship's cat entirely with females ? (there must be some WRNS senior enough in the Seaman branch for Captaincy).
It would be interesting to see how popular service in this ship might prove to be among the feminist sorority, faced with a six-month commission in a steel nunnery. Then we should know what the draw of sea service really was: Life on the Ocean Wave - or Jolly Jack Tar !
Perhaps Union Jack could offer an opinion on this proposal ?
D.