[Misc] RN SSBN Bomber Patrols

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Chicken Run

Member Since Jul 2003
NSC Patron
Jul 17, 2003
19,642
Valley of Hangleton
Was thinking with the Pandemic sweeping the world wether any of the returning from patrol crews have quite literally just found out about all this?

Each patrol I’m told is circa 12 weeks so if one of the Vanguards dived in early Feb they would be returning about now none the wiser with the exception of the CO and maybe TEXO.

As a former skimmer I always admired the boys of the silent service, there are many Senior Service vets. on NSC, are their any former submariners on here?
 






Deportivo Seagull

I should coco
Jul 22, 2003
5,409
Mid Sussex
Was thinking with the Pandemic sweeping the world wether any of the returning from patrol crews have quite literally just found out about all this?

Each patrol I’m told is circa 12 weeks so if one of the Vanguards dived in early Feb they would be returning about now none the wiser with the exception of the CO and maybe TEXO.

As a former skimmer I always admired the boys of the silent service, there are many Senior Service vets. on NSC, are their any former submariners on here?

I think there is at least one former boat person on nsc but for the life of me I can’t remember who.

Perks of being a WAFU was never going on a sub!


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Chicken Run

Member Since Jul 2003
NSC Patron
Jul 17, 2003
19,642
Valley of Hangleton
What is SSBN please? Submarine crews?

Sorry SSBN is the hull classification for a Nuclear powered Sub fitted to launch nuclear missiles.

Submarine Submersible Ballistic Nuclear iirc. IKA as bombers.

The other type of sub the RN have are Hunter Killers SSN aka fighters.

Edit


The SSN, commonly referred to as the fast attack submarine, is an abbreviation for Submersible Ship Nuclear, while the SSBN stands for the Submersible Ship Ballistic Missile Nuclear. The SSN and SSBN are powered by nuclear reactors.
 




essbee1

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2014
4,649
Sorry SSBN is the hull classification for a Nuclear powered Sub fitted to launch nuclear missiles.

Submarine Submersible Ballistic Nuclear iirc. IKA as bombers.

The other type of sub the RN have are Hunter Killers SSN aka fighters.

Edit


The SSN, commonly referred to as the fast attack submarine, is an abbreviation for Submersible Ship Nuclear, while the SSBN stands for the Submersible Ship Ballistic Missile Nuclear. The SSN and SSBN are powered by nuclear reactors.

Ta for that.
 


sparkie

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
13,192
Hove
I read an article about this with respect to a French sub.

It said the captain may know, but unlikely that the crew would.
 


Chicken Run

Member Since Jul 2003
NSC Patron
Jul 17, 2003
19,642
Valley of Hangleton
I read an article about this with respect to a French sub.

It said the captain may know, but unlikely that the crew would.

The crew on SSBN patrols get a familygram limited to circa 40 words and heavily scrutinised, there won’t be any bad news in these as the sub won’t compromise its position by surfacing.

Many crew have returned to find loved ones have past away.
 




lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
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Jun 11, 2011
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Worthing
As a "target" I have to agree with Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, "Underhand,unfair, and damned unEnglish"
 


daveinplzen

New member
Aug 31, 2018
2,846
When our task group went to the far east, Warspite didnt surface till Cape Town. **** that.
 


Chicken Run

Member Since Jul 2003
NSC Patron
Jul 17, 2003
19,642
Valley of Hangleton
As a "target" I have to agree with Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, "Underhand,unfair, and damned unEnglish"

Legend has it that this originated when Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson (1842–1921), controller of the navy, called early submarines “un-English” and suggested that captured crews should be hanged “like pirates”. This story is repeated in many naval histories but a glance at Wilson’s memorandum on the matter of 21 January 1901 shows that he never said such a thing – although he was not in favour of the British building submarines.
 






lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
NSC Patron
Jun 11, 2011
14,021
Worthing
Legend has it that this originated when Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson (1842–1921), controller of the navy, called early submarines “un-English” and suggested that captured crews should be hanged “like pirates”. This story is repeated in many naval histories but a glance at Wilson’s memorandum on the matter of 21 January 1901 shows that he never said such a thing – although he was not in favour of the British building submarines.

Whether true or not, it did directly lead to British submarines flying the Jolly Roger on returning home after patrols.
 


daveinplzen

New member
Aug 31, 2018
2,846
How long would that have taken, 6 weeks?

Honestly cant remember. We had exercise on the way so maybe around that or a little bit longer. We were all bronzed gods by the time we reached Cape Town, and could spot a submariner a mile off :lolol:
 






Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
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Jul 23, 2003
37,151
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
One of our big group in the WSU, and the one I travel to games with, is a former submariner. However, when we've discussed it over beers most of the stories are about a certain place in the Philippines rather than how long he was "under" for.

Certainly going to be a shock to a few :(
 


daveinplzen

New member
Aug 31, 2018
2,846
One of our big group in the WSU, and the one I travel to games with, is a former submariner. However, when we've discussed it over beers most of the stories are about a certain place in the Philippines rather than how long he was "under" for.

Certainly going to be a shock to a few :(
:
The navy heaven. Subic Bay :lol:
 


daveinplzen

New member
Aug 31, 2018
2,846
And smell too[emoji23], these days the Doc issues the lads with Vit D daily.

When I was on the old Ark, in mid Atlantic, we stopped and a conventional sub surfaced next to us, and their crew came aboard for showers. That was a special aroma for real.
 






daveinplzen

New member
Aug 31, 2018
2,846
Iirc didn’t RO9 have to medivac a US sailor off a Submarine mid Atlantic?

That actually rings a bell, whether it was during my time or heard the story im not sure, but yeah. I think it was on way to Puerto Rico
 


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