Not new - but still funny

[Willallison]

Most would have seen this before, but it still raises a smile.....

(and it IS actually true....)

This is the transcript of the ACTUAL radio conversation of a British Naval ship and the Irish, off the coast of Kerry, Oct 95. Radio conversation released by the Chief of Naval Operations 10-10-95

IRISH: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South, to avoid a collision.

BRITISH: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the North, to avoid a collision.

IRISH: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

BRITISH: This is the Captain of a British navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.

IRISH: Negative. I say again, You will have to divert your course.

BRITISH: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER HMS BRITIANNIA. THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE BRITISH ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY
THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS, AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, I SAY AGAIN, THAT IS 15 DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

IRISH: We are a lighthouse. Your call.

[Jeff]

LOL - that's pretty good! Thanks for posting it - I needed a good chuckle tonight

[duluthboats]

[Nomad]

I needed that!!!

OwNed

[Listinwickedbad]

hehehehehehehehehehahahahahahaha Damn thats sooooo funny oooohhh!!!

[SailDesign]

I saw that in '90, but it was a Canadian lighthouse and a US carrier. Strange how these urban legends morph...

Still good, though.

[Bergalia]

Good one. Unfortunately the Royal Navy doesn't - and as far as I can recall, has never had an aircraft carrier called Britannia. In 1995 there was the Ark Royal, Invincible and the Illustrious. Oh and in 1995 there were no cruisers in service.

But change the names and the circumstances and I can believe it's true.
One of my old ships - a tribal class frigate actually fired a live round at its home port... and missed...

[safewalrus]

Yeah way I heard it is was a Canadian lighthouse and American Battlewagon - back in '70' something.

Heavens Bergalia you are old! fancy remembering Tribal's; could have done with a few of they up the gulf (were they belonged and were designed for) last year! Never sailed on one 'tho. Remember the Tiger chucking a 6 inch dummy brick up the jetty in 'Gus! Heck that caused some fun! Luckily I was in barracks (Drake) in the 'heads' at the time (actually the shower but it was close - so was the bloody brick!)

[SailDesign]

Tiger, huh? Now there's a name I haven't heard for a while.
Last time I was on her was in '60, but I was just a kid back then. Do you remember who the skipper was when she "chucked a brick"?
Steve

[safewalrus]

'Fraid not mate, was living in barracks at the time (ship in refit, Scarboro' as I remember Dartmouth Training Squadron!) - story goes the bootys were doing turret drills about 1725 ish (wouldn't be jack at that time of night would it?) up the spout goes the blank brick up goes the cordite! Fire shouts 'Royal' so all the correct buttons are made usual procedure, but the safety number being a 'Royal' (an a little bit clockwork!) also made his trigger! BANG! Sh** all the Jan Dockies had just gone home several minutes earlier - that would have woke the buggers up!

[Bergalia]

Errrr the tale goes that it was 'Nubian' actually - (but the event was before my time - just). She also had the reputation of having launched herself. Lady Something-or-other-very-obscure apparently swung the bottle back - and Nubian took off down the slip - just about dragging the lady with her...
Skipper at the time - from memory was Jack Wilson.

[MikeJohns]

Will
The tale is actually almost true but project it back a few years and I think the East coat USA where the battle fleet on Manouvres blindly following the most senior vessel plowed ashore with the greatest loss of military ships in peactime. Only one vessel escaped and her navigator persauded her commander to alter course. Can't remember the exact details. No radar then.

Your tale circulated in the naval rags here as a standoff between Tasman isle lighthouse ( actually unmanned) and one of the visiting US carriers, all coblers of course if you understand how radar is applied on board these vessels. It's only the submerged rocks off the GPS dataum that they collide with now.

[Bergalia]

Valid point MikeJohns makes - but in true journalistic tradition - why spoil a good story with the facts...

[dougfrolich]

The event that may have spawned the story, A line of US Navy Destroyers ran into Pt. Arguello in 1923.