# Sad news....



## Medvedya (Feb 18, 2005)

http://news.mod.uk/news_headline_story.asp?newsItem_id=3088


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## Nonskimmer (Feb 18, 2005)

Helluva shame!  At least they're home now.


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## evangilder (Feb 18, 2005)

May they rest in peace.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Feb 19, 2005)

it's nice they got a proper reception though............


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## trackend (Feb 19, 2005)

Unfortunately a flag over a wooden box don't give a kid back his dad or a wife back her husband.


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## Concorde247 (Mar 22, 2005)

True.

Have they found out why it crashed yet? was it due to the cracks in the wing - or a missile


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## trackend (Apr 6, 2005)

Bit more bad new lads im afraid a Chinook has gone down in a sand storm near Kabul I believe they said 19 on board have been lost
I hate bleeding accidental casualties even worse than combat.


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## Concorde247 (Apr 6, 2005)

Such a terrible wastew of life!


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## evangilder (Apr 7, 2005)

They are both sad, trackend. It's never good to lose more guys.


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## trackend (Apr 7, 2005)

I didn,t mean that combat losses are not regretable Evan, as you rightly say they are all sad its just that the reason for the deaths of combatants are more readily understood. I find loosing a mucker because of an accident is harder to take as far me personally is concerned.


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## evangilder (Apr 7, 2005)

I hear what you are saying. It would be nice if someday these kinds of things wouldn't happen (wars) and all that money and energy could be used to solve the world's problems. Sadly, I don't think that day will come in my lifetime, or even my son's.


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 7, 2005)

I dare say that as long as human beings inhabit this mud ball, there will be wars.
The most intelligent species?


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## evangilder (Apr 7, 2005)

Good point, NS. You are probably right. Sometimes I hate being an eternal optimist!


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## trackend (Apr 7, 2005)

Well said gentlemen my feelings exactly and to be Honest I truly believe that the majority of people on the world are not violent and are very much of the live and let live variety but we all seem to get dragged down to the lowest common denominator which is very unfair on the rest of us
but one day lads lets hope as you say Evan people will use their energises
in constructive rather than destructive ways Id love to see a world government with no boarders and no poverty and all our kids what ever race,creed or colour living happily and the advent of modern cheap travel I think has been a significant step in the right direction 100 years ago international travel to see other culters was for the rich only. now the world has shrunk and a lot of bigotry with it.
I have to admit I had pre-conceptions about The USA and Canada before I went there all I had ever seen was what I saw on the TV but when I arrived everybody had the same hopes and fears as me. So we may have different cultures but we have far more in common than we have differences Good on you USA and Canada and the rest of the world for that matter. Peace too everybody Hows that for otimism Evan there's no harm in hoping is there


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## evangilder (Apr 7, 2005)

Good point, trackend. I will be the first to admit I knew little of the world before I went into the military. I grew up in a small rural town in Wisconsin. It was pretty sheltered. Because of the military, I got to see a lot of the world and meet some great people and experience other cultures. 

I spent three years in England and loved it, aside from the weather. It was interesting in East Anglia as I knew many families that didn;t have a car, telephone or television! I found it hard to imagine because we always had those things where I came from. Then I realized that they were not much different than I was on the basic level. They didn;t have those things, but they were still fine. I really enjoyed going to places "off the beaten path" where Americans didn;t normally go. I was always treated well and as long as I was respectful, so were they. Almost all of the Britons I came across were very nice. It was pretty much the same in most of Europe as well.


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 7, 2005)

It's funny, but I didn't really have to join the military to learn the basics of British culture. As I was telling Med once, the region of Canada that I grew up in celebrates it's British roots to a degree, and it's reflected somewhat in much of the culture here. My great-grandmother was English too.
Joining the Navy allowed me to experience many cultures, but when I first visited England it seemed very familiar in many ways. I like it there.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Apr 7, 2005)

as do I..........


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## Medvedya (Apr 7, 2005)

In my travels in the States I found that if you can get away from the bland corporate stuff - shopping malls and Starbucks, it always improved 110%. 

In my experience, you have to go looking for it, but when you find what I call the 'real' America, I.E towns with a high street that has individualy owned shops and bars, and where they don't mind if the paint has chipped a bit, or have to say fake sounding greetings when you enter, it's always been great.

The other thing that's really good about Americans is that they generally have this 'can do' mentality. I guess it stems from the days of pioneers. 

Instead of talking about doing something for ages and then allowing it to sputter out, they'll talk about it for as much as is necessary, and then go off and actually do it - usually at full throttle.


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## cheddar cheese (Apr 7, 2005)

I have to say that of all 3 different countries Ive been to that Britian is probably best. Spain has too many Brits living there and theres no sence of culture (in the part I went to anyway) and the French are just rude. I like the South of France, but the people just ruin it for me.

However, if you include the Principality of Monaco then that blows Britian into the weeds. I love it there


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Apr 7, 2005)

but have you ever been??


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## trackend (Apr 7, 2005)

Here here Med you've hit the nail on the head I have friend's who live in Wenatachee Washington state a typical USA one main street town I had the best Steak of my life in an old Poolroom/diner the people where really friendly they thought I was Australian at first because I kept say cheers mate and at that time Crocodile Dundee was the no1 movie .
We had a brilliant time just talking about our families and what we did for a living I learned more about the USA in 2 hours of conversation with these nice people than I could have in twenty years of TV watching.
This as you rightly say Med is the real America and these are the type of people that give it a bit of back bone.
My friends husband was an ex Marine Bandsman and taught at the college unfortunately he died from a brain tumour not long after we visited him but we keep in contact with his wife and I am sure we will return to see her soon perhaps this time I'll get a chance to do the Boeing plant tour.


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## cheddar cheese (Apr 7, 2005)

Yep 8) Got photos somewhere...


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## Medvedya (Apr 7, 2005)

I can't get my head round why anyone would want to go to a fast food outlet in the States, when if you do a tiny bit of looking around you can always find a diner or restraurant with loads of character, that serves really great _*proper*_ food, plenty of it, and you'd only pay a tiny bit extra.


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## trackend (Apr 7, 2005)

You need to try somewhere else in Spain Cheesy, where I go there are some Brits but not many in fact there's not even many Spanish the nearest town is 10 miles away on the other side of the valley and the noisiest thing there is the Goat bells as the goat herd leads them across the hills, definitely a place to recharge the old batteries.

I know what you mean Med the only grub I was not keen on was corn bread the one I had I thought it tasted like the dry cellulose sponge that I use to wash me car with.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Apr 7, 2005)

well it may be more expensive, but only slightly, and it's far better value for money..........

it's the same over here, people always say how when they go to plymouth (or nearest city) they'll go to Mc. Donalds or burger king, i know a great little restauraunt on the street next to the main shops and it's gread, they've textured the walls in there and it's like a gaint orange cave, when i tell people about it they kind of look at me in  but i even took a friend there once an she loved it as well...........


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## cheddar cheese (Apr 7, 2005)

Where abouts is it? Ive been in most eateries in Plymouth.

Trackie, the place I went in Spain (Alicante) was totally packed with British people! I stayed with my Uncle and Aunt and the Street they lived in had all British people there. I dont doubt there are less British places in Spain but from what ive seen it ant too great.


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## trackend (Apr 7, 2005)

Cabrera is 3 hours south of Alicanti and 30 mins inland and 30 mins up.
I think its like anywhere Cheddar . Southend is full of kiss me quick hats and burger bars but 10 miles away is the Heybridge basin full of old Thames sailing barges and oo ar pubs brilliant. I believe every country has a + and a - its just a case of finding the positive bits.


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## evangilder (Apr 7, 2005)

Med andTrackend, you guys both have it right. Similar to what I did, get off the beaten path and find the real people. When I hit the big cities in Europe, people were not as friendly. But get away from the big cities and you find the character of the nation.


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 7, 2005)

Halifax, Nova Scotia isn't exactly a "big" city. We're _all_ friendly here! 
(Yeah, right!)

Well I am. That's all that matters. And I actually grew up in a small community called Sheet Harbour.


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## Medvedya (Apr 7, 2005)

Have you been to Gib guys - Its great! Loads of history, some of the biggest naval guns you'll ever see, and a bottle of Voddy (Stolichnaya -the proper stuff no less) is £5 and a packet of 20 Marlboro lights was 73p when I was there in 1999!


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 7, 2005)

If you mean Gibraltar, yes I've been there. It's a nice place and the beer was highly affordable. 
I even remembered to take pictures, if I could just find them.

I had an interesting time negotiating with those thieving cliff monkeys too.


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## Medvedya (Apr 7, 2005)

I didn't go near them - heard of too many stories of people getting robbed and/or bitten by those evil things.


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 7, 2005)

So did I. That is _after_ I had my picture taken with a happy couple of them. 
Fortunately, nothing was bitten or stolen.


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## Medvedya (Apr 7, 2005)

Have you heard the story that in 1940, the apes started dying off in droves? 

Legend has it if the apes ever leave the Rock, so will the British. Churchill got to hear of the Ape Crisis, and with Gibraltar being of such importance ordered the colony to be replenished with new apes. As the tide turned for the Allies, the apes not only recovered their original numbers, but started to thrive and multiply as well! Spooky eh?


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 7, 2005)

Yes, I remember that story! A cliff guide told it to us as a matter of fact. It _is_ a bit spooky.


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## trackend (Apr 8, 2005)

I went there believe it or not 5 weeks ago on a day trip when me and the missus where visiting in Marbella I can understand now why in the film Das Boot they crapped themselves at the prospect of going through the straights into the Med. Med.  they really are narrow arn't they.
The guy showing us around was very proud of his heritage and amusing he told us generally the locals speak a mixture of Gibraltees and Spanish which they call Gibberish  My wife was too scared and wouldnt get out of the motor when we went to see the apes. Apparently there's no mooring fees for anchoring vessels off of Gibralter so thats why there is always a large Merchantial fleet there. Im at work at the moment but Ill stick a couple of pics on when I get home tonight.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Apr 8, 2005)

on the computer at work, naughty naughty  

and CC this cafe's on royal parade but no one i know actually knows where it is 

and the same girl i took to that cafe also has a couple of villas in spain as well, i'll ask her about this stuff..........


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## trackend (Apr 8, 2005)

Bleeding hell Lanc can't I even have a tea break you,re a blooming tough boss


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Apr 8, 2005)

i must admit though, CC does come on here rather unlawfully when at school, however i don't believe he posts so i can let it slip........


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## cheddar cheese (Apr 8, 2005)

Yes but that is usually to show people the numourous humourous (what do you know it, im a poet...) pictures that are put up.  At school though I usually always work, even during free time! 

Woo! Off to Spain in August...


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## trackend (Apr 8, 2005)

Have fun cheesy im off to Spain in 3 weeks time.
Heres a couple of those Gib Pictures Med


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## Medvedya (Apr 8, 2005)

How about that! Never saw the Mosque on the other side of the rock.


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## trackend (Apr 8, 2005)

It was shut when we went but apparently I cost an absolute bomb to build it faces the straights directly opposite the town that is part of Spanish territory on the north African side and as the guide said they never seem to mention that when discussing Gibs sovereignty


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## Medvedya (Apr 8, 2005)

Not surprised - Gibraltarians _hate_ the Spanish more than anything else in the world. This is not helped by the custom officials making them queue for ages to cross the border. 

The Spanish ask how we would like it if say Penzance was a Spanish enclave - a fair point, but considering the cheaper booze, wine, cigarettes, and relaxed licencing laws that would exist there were that the case, I'd say it'd be the number one short break for the entire country.


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 8, 2005)

Nice apes, trackend! 

These are the only two pics I could locate at the moment. Not the best, but what the hell.


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## evangilder (Apr 8, 2005)

Nice shots, guys!


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## trackend (Apr 9, 2005)

I really like the Iroquois shot Skim 
I think we may have left ourselves open for a few remarks (like "which monkey are you" Track)
PS I Notice in my info Skim that the Iroquois/tribal class destroyers where due for decommissioning last year do you know if it has been done yet
If they have it seems a pity as they where a bloody good vessels.


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## cheddar cheese (Apr 9, 2005)

No, that would be mean to the monkeys  (joke)


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## trackend (Apr 9, 2005)

Bog off cheesy


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## cheddar cheese (Apr 9, 2005)

Tsk tsk


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 9, 2005)

trackend said:


> PS I Notice in my info Skim that the Iroquois/tribal class destroyers where due for decommissioning last year do you know if it has been done yet
> If they have it seems a pity as they where a bloody good vessels.


Of the four of them, only one is currently planned for decommissioning. That would be HMCS Huron. They _are_ pretty good ships, but like a lot of Canadian equipment , they're beginning to show their age. I've sailed on two of them, and I had a pretty good run on them.


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## trackend (Apr 9, 2005)

As always Skim it comes down to money and military kit has always cost a fortune. My old home town had a population of 12,000 odd in 1940 and they had a whip round with the intention of buying a Spitfire but in the end they only raised enough for the engine which was put on display outside the local movie house. But nowadays the technological research and build costs must be phenominal by comparison. So I assume everything ends up going past its sell by date. Even the States has started to feel the pinch so it must be ten times worse for us and yourselves.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 16, 2005)

Medvedya said:


> http://news.mod.uk/news_headline_story.asp?newsItem_id=3088



About 5 minutes before this happened I flew past this C-130 about 500m out the left side of it. We did not hear about it though until we landed back at out home station. We were all in shock about it. We actually heard it was a SA-7 that shot it down, but we could not get it confirmed because we left Iraq before anything was found out. So we did not know if it was shot down or it crashed because of mechanical failure.


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