Chris Sams
@jerijerod14.bsky.social
World War 1 & 2 Naval historian, also likes RAF bombers & the Luftwaffe between 1935-45. Working on Bristol Beauforts & WW1 U-boats.
https://linktr.ee/jerijerod14
https://linktr.ee/jerijerod14
#otd 1914 HMS Bulwark exploded at her moorings on the River Medway killing most of her crew.
open.substack.com/pub/jerijero...
open.substack.com/pub/jerijero...
The loss of Bulwark
On the 26th November 1914 a Midshipman on HMS Agamemnon, stationed in the Medway estuary, recorded in his diary:
open.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:41 PM
#otd 1914 HMS Bulwark exploded at her moorings on the River Medway killing most of her crew.
open.substack.com/pub/jerijero...
open.substack.com/pub/jerijero...
This week’s podcast is out!
The story of one Polish destroyer’s defence of the Isle of Wight against a brutal low level Luftwaffe strike during #ww2
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
The story of one Polish destroyer’s defence of the Isle of Wight against a brutal low level Luftwaffe strike during #ww2
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
Defending Cowes
Podcast Episode · Maritime History with Chris Sams (live and unplugged) · 26/11/2025 · 15m
podcasts.apple.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:54 AM
This week’s podcast is out!
The story of one Polish destroyer’s defence of the Isle of Wight against a brutal low level Luftwaffe strike during #ww2
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
The story of one Polish destroyer’s defence of the Isle of Wight against a brutal low level Luftwaffe strike during #ww2
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
Reposted by Chris Sams
HMS Caroline's 1919-1922 deck logs are available in Journey Plotter.
See where she went and learn more about daily activities and the people on board, complemented by editor's notes.
#NavalHistory #CitizenScience #Ancestry
See where she went and learn more about daily activities and the people on board, complemented by editor's notes.
#NavalHistory #CitizenScience #Ancestry
![Screenshot of Journey Plotter showing the 1919-1922 journey of HMS Caroline, and the events recorded in her log-book for 29 September 1919.
8.15am: Hands arrived on board, employed scraping, painting & refitting
11.0am: Training classes at instruction, paid monthly money
12.45pm: Hands left ship
5.30pm: Part of ship's company proceeded to Deolali camp [Deolali was an army transit camp in India, used as a sailors' home. It is the source of the phrase "gone doolally" meaning to lose one's mind]
Number on sick list = 11](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:errz23tprkacumhb536zxtka/bafkreib3ukbpfykycxe6dacp6qegmcn2a6qb6ybp7v5ttgvljjad73fqgq@jpeg)
November 25, 2025 at 9:00 AM
HMS Caroline's 1919-1922 deck logs are available in Journey Plotter.
See where she went and learn more about daily activities and the people on board, complemented by editor's notes.
#NavalHistory #CitizenScience #Ancestry
See where she went and learn more about daily activities and the people on board, complemented by editor's notes.
#NavalHistory #CitizenScience #Ancestry
I’ve written a special post (free) for a friend on her birthday about the story of a ship with the same name.
The museum ship HMS Caroline, the past surviving vessel that saw action at Jutland and a training school through much of the 20th Century
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/the-caroline
#history
The museum ship HMS Caroline, the past surviving vessel that saw action at Jutland and a training school through much of the 20th Century
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/the-caroline
#history
The Caroline
So I found an old notebook the other day when looking for some research notes for an upcoming article and found at the front a list of “Things to do by 2025”.
jerijerod14.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:37 AM
I’ve written a special post (free) for a friend on her birthday about the story of a ship with the same name.
The museum ship HMS Caroline, the past surviving vessel that saw action at Jutland and a training school through much of the 20th Century
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/the-caroline
#history
The museum ship HMS Caroline, the past surviving vessel that saw action at Jutland and a training school through much of the 20th Century
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/the-caroline
#history
Reposted by Chris Sams
Why did convoys work?
With apologies for the Buzzfeed-style subtitle...
#navalhistory
evanmwilson.substack.com/p/why-did-co...
With apologies for the Buzzfeed-style subtitle...
#navalhistory
evanmwilson.substack.com/p/why-did-co...
Why did convoys work?
The answer might surprise you (sorry)
evanmwilson.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Why did convoys work?
With apologies for the Buzzfeed-style subtitle...
#navalhistory
evanmwilson.substack.com/p/why-did-co...
With apologies for the Buzzfeed-style subtitle...
#navalhistory
evanmwilson.substack.com/p/why-did-co...
Over the last five years my mental state, post divorce, has gone from grief and defeat, to rebuilding, spiral of depression, rebuilding and then last month I developed a similar anger to Christopher Plummer’s Kaiser Wilhelm II.
I think that means I’m getting better
I think that means I’m getting better
November 23, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Over the last five years my mental state, post divorce, has gone from grief and defeat, to rebuilding, spiral of depression, rebuilding and then last month I developed a similar anger to Christopher Plummer’s Kaiser Wilhelm II.
I think that means I’m getting better
I think that means I’m getting better
Launching the Tirpitz on 1 April 1939.
November 23, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Launching the Tirpitz on 1 April 1939.
Reposted by Chris Sams
Ardvrek Castle wall 'ripped down' for use as stepping stones. "Some special individuals decided when the water was over the beach area, rather than get their little tootsies wet, they would rip down a 500-year-old wall to make a path for themselves.” Unbelievable! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Ardvrek Castle wall 'ripped down' for use as stepping stones
Ardvrek Castle in Assynt is a 500-year-old former clan seat, and reputed to be haunted.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Ardvrek Castle wall 'ripped down' for use as stepping stones. "Some special individuals decided when the water was over the beach area, rather than get their little tootsies wet, they would rip down a 500-year-old wall to make a path for themselves.” Unbelievable! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Chris Sams
Recently digitised - at Thabutkon troops of 17th Indian Division are flown in on Dakota transport aircraft, during the division's advance on Meiktila in central Burma. Shot by A Salem.
#filmcataloguing #ww2 #history #AvHist
Full film: IWM JIN 12 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...
#filmcataloguing #ww2 #history #AvHist
Full film: IWM JIN 12 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...
November 21, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Recently digitised - at Thabutkon troops of 17th Indian Division are flown in on Dakota transport aircraft, during the division's advance on Meiktila in central Burma. Shot by A Salem.
#filmcataloguing #ww2 #history #AvHist
Full film: IWM JIN 12 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...
#filmcataloguing #ww2 #history #AvHist
Full film: IWM JIN 12 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...
The launching of the Grom class destroyer, ORP Grom in 1937 at White’s shipyard at Cowes
#history #ww2 #navalhistory
#history #ww2 #navalhistory
November 19, 2025 at 8:10 AM
The launching of the Grom class destroyer, ORP Grom in 1937 at White’s shipyard at Cowes
#history #ww2 #navalhistory
#history #ww2 #navalhistory
If you subscribe to my Substack you can get next week’s podcast today 😉
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/defending-...
One Polish destroyer vs. the Luftwaffe during #ww2
#history
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/defending-...
One Polish destroyer vs. the Luftwaffe during #ww2
#history
Defending Cowes
One Polish destroyer vs. the Luftwaffe
jerijerod14.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:55 AM
If you subscribe to my Substack you can get next week’s podcast today 😉
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/defending-...
One Polish destroyer vs. the Luftwaffe during #ww2
#history
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/defending-...
One Polish destroyer vs. the Luftwaffe during #ww2
#history
This week’s podcast (a day early because I still don’t understand dates and scheduling)
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
No ships this week as I’m on holiday - it’s the Luftwaffe’s operations on Adlertag…
#ww2 #avhistory #podcast
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
No ships this week as I’m on holiday - it’s the Luftwaffe’s operations on Adlertag…
#ww2 #avhistory #podcast
Adlertag
Podcast Episode · Maritime History with Chris Sams (live and unplugged) · 18/11/2025 · 36m
podcasts.apple.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:51 AM
This week’s podcast (a day early because I still don’t understand dates and scheduling)
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
No ships this week as I’m on holiday - it’s the Luftwaffe’s operations on Adlertag…
#ww2 #avhistory #podcast
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
No ships this week as I’m on holiday - it’s the Luftwaffe’s operations on Adlertag…
#ww2 #avhistory #podcast
Reposted by Chris Sams
I'm going in! Been looking forward to this!
November 17, 2025 at 10:15 PM
I'm going in! Been looking forward to this!
Ten hours until my flight so catching up on episodes of @shipwreckspod.bsky.social and & @historyrage.bsky.social whilst snoozing at Luton airport… great way to spend the time 😊
November 15, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Ten hours until my flight so catching up on episodes of @shipwreckspod.bsky.social and & @historyrage.bsky.social whilst snoozing at Luton airport… great way to spend the time 😊
For anyone who has been following my Battle of Java series - here’s the next part, free to read…
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/that-dutch...
#history #ww2 #navalhistory
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/that-dutch...
#history #ww2 #navalhistory
"That Dutchman has more guts than brains"
The Java Seas night action and the end of ABDACommand's fleet
jerijerod14.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:00 AM
For anyone who has been following my Battle of Java series - here’s the next part, free to read…
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/that-dutch...
#history #ww2 #navalhistory
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/that-dutch...
#history #ww2 #navalhistory
Reposted by Chris Sams
Polish casualties were reported as 15 dead, 13 seriously wounded, and between 25 and 40 lightly wounded.
This was partly because the shells did not explode due to the extremely close range.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...
This was partly because the shells did not explode due to the extremely close range.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...
Battle of Westerplatte - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
September 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Polish casualties were reported as 15 dead, 13 seriously wounded, and between 25 and 40 lightly wounded.
This was partly because the shells did not explode due to the extremely close range.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...
This was partly because the shells did not explode due to the extremely close range.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...
Reposted by Chris Sams
At 04:45 on 1 September 1939, the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on Westerplatte, Danzig, Poland.
German troops then stormed the defences, but Polish soldiers continued to resist until, a week later, they ran out of ammunition and surrendered.
German troops then stormed the defences, but Polish soldiers continued to resist until, a week later, they ran out of ammunition and surrendered.
SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN - THE BATTLESHIP THAT STARTED WW2 BY SHELLING WESTERPLATTE İN THE PORT OF GDANSK
YouTube video by Artichaeology
youtu.be
September 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
At 04:45 on 1 September 1939, the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on Westerplatte, Danzig, Poland.
German troops then stormed the defences, but Polish soldiers continued to resist until, a week later, they ran out of ammunition and surrendered.
German troops then stormed the defences, but Polish soldiers continued to resist until, a week later, they ran out of ammunition and surrendered.
Reposted by Chris Sams
On this day in 1942, the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal begins. In the first engagement, which turned into a true "Fire away Flanagan," the US Navy loses two light cruisers, two destroyers, and Admirals Callaghan and Scott.
The Japanese lose the battleship Hiei and two destroyers.
The Japanese lose the battleship Hiei and two destroyers.
November 14, 2025 at 12:05 AM
On this day in 1942, the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal begins. In the first engagement, which turned into a true "Fire away Flanagan," the US Navy loses two light cruisers, two destroyers, and Admirals Callaghan and Scott.
The Japanese lose the battleship Hiei and two destroyers.
The Japanese lose the battleship Hiei and two destroyers.
This week’s free to read asks (and gives my opinion) on whether the Franklin expedition men turned to Canabilism, is there a legal precedent for men at sea eating one another and some Monty Python…
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/canabalism...
#navalhistory #history
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/canabalism...
#navalhistory #history
Canabalism on the tundra
The grim end for the Franklin expedition sailors
jerijerod14.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:53 AM
This week’s free to read asks (and gives my opinion) on whether the Franklin expedition men turned to Canabilism, is there a legal precedent for men at sea eating one another and some Monty Python…
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/canabalism...
#navalhistory #history
jerijerod14.substack.com/p/canabalism...
#navalhistory #history
This week’s podcast is on a naval accident off Folkestone in 1878…
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #podcast
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #podcast
November 12, 2025 at 7:46 AM
This week’s podcast is on a naval accident off Folkestone in 1878…
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #podcast
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #podcast
Reposted by Chris Sams
Long before Edmund Beaufort and Richard of York became sworn enemies, they were young men working together trying to rescue England's weakening position in France. Today I look at the 1436 Siege of Calais when Beaufort made his military reputation and became an English hero. 🔗👆🏾
November 11, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Long before Edmund Beaufort and Richard of York became sworn enemies, they were young men working together trying to rescue England's weakening position in France. Today I look at the 1436 Siege of Calais when Beaufort made his military reputation and became an English hero. 🔗👆🏾
Reposted by Chris Sams
Have I sailed as close as you are legally allowed to do to have a nose at the SS Montgomery?
Of course.
Moment I knew she existed, I was out there faster than Jay Hulme when he spots a rickety ladder in a church.
Here she is:
Of course.
Moment I knew she existed, I was out there faster than Jay Hulme when he spots a rickety ladder in a church.
Here she is:
November 11, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Have I sailed as close as you are legally allowed to do to have a nose at the SS Montgomery?
Of course.
Moment I knew she existed, I was out there faster than Jay Hulme when he spots a rickety ladder in a church.
Here she is:
Of course.
Moment I knew she existed, I was out there faster than Jay Hulme when he spots a rickety ladder in a church.
Here she is:
Reposted by Chris Sams
New episode! The Yarmouth Castle sank on Nov 13, 1965 after burning out of control while on a short cruise from Miami to Nassau. Authors of "Yarmouth Castle Burning," Captains Eric Takakjian and Randall Peffer join me.
www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/95
#maritimehistory #history #shipwreck
www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/95
#maritimehistory #history #shipwreck
Yarmouth Castle Burning
The Deadliest Passenger Ship Disaster off the Coast of the United States Since 1934
www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:52 PM
New episode! The Yarmouth Castle sank on Nov 13, 1965 after burning out of control while on a short cruise from Miami to Nassau. Authors of "Yarmouth Castle Burning," Captains Eric Takakjian and Randall Peffer join me.
www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/95
#maritimehistory #history #shipwreck
www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/95
#maritimehistory #history #shipwreck