In addition on Patreon, we have Falcons, Darts and Wolves, where Hop C and Latin discuss the battle for San Carlos from the Argentinian perspective /3

Previews of that are available here:-

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s...

open.spotify.com/episode/5EBm...

Part two is available now on our Patreon channel along with Dougies Story. On the bridge when HMS Coventry was struck, he talks to David about his experiences that day as he abandoned ship /2

www.patreon.com/posts/144006...

So, select port and starboard Tynes, let go head rope, let go stern rope, both telegraphs slow ahead and join us for season two here, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and Patreon! /6

www.patreon.com/ShipWrektOve...

There will also be an interview with Keith, a Coventry survivor, and this is of course part of our mission statement to document the memories of naval veterans.

So, a busy season beckons with a special guest appearance in December kicking off our segment on command leadership. /5

Falcons, Darts And Wolves is now live on Patreon, with @hopfifi and @Latin doing an aviation aspect analysis of the Battle For San Carlos. It’s a great primer for the release of Thunderbolt Of Zeus-the loss of HMS Coventry later this week. /4

Big episodes will of course remain free to listen! And that starts on the 20th. But as a Patreon Shipmate, youll get access to lots of additional goodies. More episodes, video, wines, spirits and cigar reviews, exclusive interviews and breaking maritime news segments /3

Now we want to switch things up a bit. Season one, our producer Scoot has been self funding editing gear. But we want to get you even better content so we have decided to start a Patreon page to fund better sound equipment and software as we move towards things like video /2

Want to know more? Then download our podcasts!

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s...

So, if you think you are a people person? A week down a thirty six man mess would break you. Parties were epic. Thank God there wasn’t SM back in the day! Camaraderie off the scale. Saints and sinners, legends and leg ends. Spit kids and Red Death.

It was gulch life /fin

Ahhh, wtf is that? A flimsy partition separating bunks in gulches, with a three inch gap at the top for ventilation. You do NOT want to wake up to the sound of an elbow banging the board as your neighbour cranks one out in company with Miss Love Sock /13

Never use someone’s bunk as a ladder to get into the top pit. There’s a handle in the deck head. I don’t want your gopping trotters coming through my bunk curtains thanks. If you’re on a stumpy 42, you’ll need that roll bar trust me. And beware of the ‘buggery board’ /12

For evening rounds, all lights up and bunks squared away and secured. However, HMS Illustrious, being rather civilised, allowed watchkeepers to be turned in (asleep) for evening rounds if they had a sign up at entrance to the gulch. Very sensible policy appreciated by all /11

No steaming boots in the mess square unless at action stations or about to go to action stations. Boots stowed in a wooden rack at the entrance to the mess square. No ovvies (overalls) on mess square seat covers, so roll them around knees or change into No8 trousers /10

The gulch was sacred territory. If you were drunk, but made it to the gulch, you were on hallowed ground and Mr Permanent Marker and Mrs Clippers couldn’t visit you. But in the mess square (the Big Bedroom) you were in the greatest peril.
Never fall asleep in the big bedroom/9

No repeat no lights in the gulch were to be switched on when you went down a mess to ‘do shakes’ (wake up oncoming watches). You used a torch, and consulted the ‘mess plan’ to ensure you shook the right sailors (“wrong pit you fucking gimp, he’s above me”) /8

The gulch lights were fitted so there could be red light only, and it was normal for at least one or two to be in this state at lunchtime as well as at night. After all, everyone loves a siesta and an hour in it, is worth two hours on it! /7