Ash Rescue: Brits Abroad
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Out there somewhere
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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
CS
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
Age: 24
Posts: 6,487
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
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!!
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
Age: 24
Posts: 6,487
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
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.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Somerset
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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?
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?
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Dunno, the sat nav is busted.
Age: 48
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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?
"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.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Essex
Age: 39
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.
Yes, Him
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 2,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What happened to courage in the face of adversity and looking out for your own.
They're not being chased by Zulus y'know.
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Kinloss
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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
They are right to be disappointed.
Ed
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: France 46
Age: 77
Posts: 1,743
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.
Last edited by cazatou; 22nd Apr 2010 at 13:55.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: england
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's great the 3 rifles lads are getting back after such a tough six months.. 
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.
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.
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: warm
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 2 m South of Radstock VRP
Posts: 2,042
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!