Comments on: Vale RN

By: Kev

Kev — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 08:25:05 +0000

Foresight versus hindsight…one marks the professional and the other the amateur. I think it was all preventable. If the ship or chopper can’t support the troops then don’t run the mission until they can.

By: fm

fm — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 06:29:02 +0000

Sorry, here’s the link for that MoD quote:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/01/wiran101.xml

Just for the record.

By: fm

fm — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 06:26:43 +0000

Definitely seems to have been a stuff up with the helicopter. However, as to the frigate itself, someone at the MoD had this to say

The frigate was more than four miles away and could not come to the rescue because the water was too shallow.

“Cornwall draws about five metres and in water of less than 10 metres manoeuvring a craft of that size is very difficult,” a senior defence official said. “In future we should think about using minesweepers, which are smaller, instead.

We need heavier weaponry on the light craft, and we must use obscurant smoke.”

Good idea in hindsight, and that’s the real problem. They haven’t thought through just how “asymmetric” their enemies will be…

By: Kev

Kev — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 07:03:00 +0000

It’s encouraging…a good read Peter. 5 Pl seem to be performing as I would expect Brit troops to perform

By: Peter W

Peter W — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 06:25:44 +0000

In contrast... http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/british-forces-at-war-as-witnessed-by-an-american.htm

By: Kev

Kev — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 06:04:38 +0000

Cloud,
The trained military officer looks for something that can go wrong and accounts for it.They should know the Iranians would look for a gap and they found it….it shouldn’t have existed. If you can’t keep aircover overhead then don’t run the mission or at least have the frigate in range.

By: cloud

cloud — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 05:32:16 +0000

There was a Lynx helicopter covering them but it returned to Cornwall early for some reason. It seems the Iranians had been watching for just such an opportunity, and promptly took advantage of the situation.

By: Peter W

Peter W — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 05:26:07 +0000

I had the `pleasure’ of being sent on short exchange with the Royal Marines shortly after the Falklands War.

The Marines I met were a tough, determined bunch with incredible esprit de corps and VERY impressive and professional NCOs and officers.

I understand the Marine Sergeant was the only member who refused to play the Iranian’s game unlike the naval officer and incredibly the Marine Captain.

I was shocked to see the unprofessional demeanour of the hostages, they didn’t look like service personnel at all, more a bunch of teens with poor posture.

The Royal Navy’s inquiry should look at the whole service from recruit and officer training to boarding tactics as its people looked like a “shower of shit” both during their captivity and on their return to the UK.

Thankfully the video I’ve watched of the RAN’s boarding teams in the Persian Gulf depicts them as the Royal Marines once were – switched on and professional, the same with video of diggers in Afghanistan and Iraq, their patrolling techniques, weapon handling and attention to detail brought a tear to my eye.

By: saint

saint — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 02:45:16 +0000

Thanks Kevin. I’ve resisted commenting on this because I am not sure what to make of it. Richard at EU Referendum who also has a military background is a bit sore at the lack of cover. Series of articles at
eureferendum.blogspot.com/

One of the captives said they were photographed when they were “happy to see each other again” (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007160267,00.html) although as one American blogger noted, there was one in the crew who simply refused to smile or wave ever. And since their press conferences the Iranians have released another video of them lounging around in track suits playing chess.

(I’m glad however that you understood what Nazir-Ali was saying; it seems some have misread him as supporting the Iranians instead of highlighting the vacuousness of the Brits)