Speaking of heroes, does this guy qualify?
Discussion
The ballsy fecker said:
You're in a war where everyone's united. You drink like 'Tomorrow we die', yet you feel immortal. One lost a lot of chums, but otherwise one enjoyed one's war. I find this country so much more depressing today. We're no longer united, and all anyone cares about is money."
Words to remember.Heroic indeed. Similarly his colleage James Magennis who took part in the Tirpitz raid and similar attacks on the Japanese cruisers Myoko and Takao.
http://www.ulsterhistory.co.uk/magennisvc.htm
"The King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Victoria Cross for valour to Temporary Acting Leading Seaman James Joseph Magennis, D/KX144907. Leading Seaman Magennis served as diver in His Majesty's Midget Submarine XE3 for her attack on 31 July 1945 on a Japanese cruiser of the Atago class. Because XE3 was tightly jammed under the target the diver's hatch could not be fully opened, and Magennis had to squeeze himself through the narrow space available. He experienced great difficulty in placing the limpets on the bottom of the cruiser owing both to the foul state of the cruisers bottom and to the prominent slope upon which the limpets would not hold. Before a limpet could be placed therefore Magennis had thoroughly to scrape the area clean of barnacles, and in order to secure the limpets he had to tie them in pairs by a line passing under the cruisers keel. This was very tiring work for a diver, and he was moreover handicapped by a steady leakage of oxygen which was ascending in bubbles to the surface. A lesser man would have been content to place a few limpets and then to return to the craft. Magennis, however, persisted until he had placed his full outfit before returning to the craft in an exhausted condition. Shortly after withdrawing Lt. Fraser endeavoured to jettison his limpet carriers, but one of these would not release itself and fall clear of the craft. Despite his exhaustion, his oxygen leak and the fact that there was every probability of his being sighted, Magennis at once volunteered to leave the craft and free the carrier rather than allow a less experienced diver to undertake the job. After seven minutes of nerve racking work he succeeded in releasing the mine carrier. Magennis displayed very great courage and devotion to duty and complete disregard for his own safety".
Despite his heroics was denied the Freedom of Belfast because he was Roman Catholic and in 1952 was forced to sell his VC for £100 as he couldn't get work.
http://www.ulsterhistory.co.uk/magennisvc.htm
"The King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Victoria Cross for valour to Temporary Acting Leading Seaman James Joseph Magennis, D/KX144907. Leading Seaman Magennis served as diver in His Majesty's Midget Submarine XE3 for her attack on 31 July 1945 on a Japanese cruiser of the Atago class. Because XE3 was tightly jammed under the target the diver's hatch could not be fully opened, and Magennis had to squeeze himself through the narrow space available. He experienced great difficulty in placing the limpets on the bottom of the cruiser owing both to the foul state of the cruisers bottom and to the prominent slope upon which the limpets would not hold. Before a limpet could be placed therefore Magennis had thoroughly to scrape the area clean of barnacles, and in order to secure the limpets he had to tie them in pairs by a line passing under the cruisers keel. This was very tiring work for a diver, and he was moreover handicapped by a steady leakage of oxygen which was ascending in bubbles to the surface. A lesser man would have been content to place a few limpets and then to return to the craft. Magennis, however, persisted until he had placed his full outfit before returning to the craft in an exhausted condition. Shortly after withdrawing Lt. Fraser endeavoured to jettison his limpet carriers, but one of these would not release itself and fall clear of the craft. Despite his exhaustion, his oxygen leak and the fact that there was every probability of his being sighted, Magennis at once volunteered to leave the craft and free the carrier rather than allow a less experienced diver to undertake the job. After seven minutes of nerve racking work he succeeded in releasing the mine carrier. Magennis displayed very great courage and devotion to duty and complete disregard for his own safety".
Despite his heroics was denied the Freedom of Belfast because he was Roman Catholic and in 1952 was forced to sell his VC for £100 as he couldn't get work.
King Herald said:
The ballsy fecker said:
You're in a war where everyone's united. You drink like 'Tomorrow we die', yet you feel immortal. One lost a lot of chums, but otherwise one enjoyed one's war. I find this country so much more depressing today. We're no longer united, and all anyone cares about is money."
Words to remember.Eric Mc said:
King Herald said:
The ballsy fecker said:
You're in a war where everyone's united. You drink like 'Tomorrow we die', yet you feel immortal. One lost a lot of chums, but otherwise one enjoyed one's war. I find this country so much more depressing today. We're no longer united, and all anyone cares about is money."
Words to remember.
Let's not sully this thread with politics or money...
Mc Lovin said:
Simpo Two said:
The ballsy fecker said:
We're no longer united
That's quite easy to explain. No common enemy, no real threats, too much welfare state, loss of community, too many people whose first priority lies beyond these shores. They call it progress.
Overly obsessive about material gain.
Lack of community.
No comprehension of the greater good.
Expectation of reward for every act.
I blame Mrs Thatcher
Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 22 September 16:14
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