ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by blue-sophist

By Your Off-shore Correspondent.

1941, and the Germans are building everywhere. They've built little railways all over the place to carry building materials, and they are constructing gun positions and bunkers everywhere. The majority of the workforce seem to be German soldiers and Organisation Todt people. Oh, well, I suppose it helps prevent them being involved in the fighting somewhere else.

What we do with all these concrete things when the War has been won I have no idea. They look pretty indestructible to me.

"V for Victory" wall painting is a new sport amongst the young. Jerry gets really angry about that. It does make the place look a bit of mess at times; I hope they stop doing that sort of thing after the war

Chin up. A la prochaine.

Don't fret old bean - not long to wait. When we are ready to open the Second Front, the Islands are going to have to be the top priority. I mean, we are hardly going to liberate the Frogs before driving the Germans from sovereign British territory, are we?

Hmmm...looking at B_S's situation has given me a great idea. If Jersey can be effectively divided from the rest of the UK, then after we liberate the island we could use it as some isolated tax haven? The local government will be so grateful to us for not digging too deep into their relationship with the Nazis, they'll let us operate all kinds of "of-shore2 banking wheezes and tax dodges!

Originally Posted by Tax_Tw-t

They'd probably have to use some frightful oik from South Yorkshire to play the gamekeeper - not that there's anything wrong with chaps from around there, my Great-Grandfather's CO was from Sheffield. Lt Col Sharp (spelling?) I believe his name was - not really officer material, raised from the ranks and all that, but a handy man to have with you in a fight. Still remember Great-grandpapa bouncing me on his knee, telling me tales of Waterloo and his CO's cries of "Come on men, let's gerrem".

That Lt. Col Sharpe is actually an orphan boy from the slums of London, T_T. For the film they moved him to Yorkshire. Perhaps the actor couldn't do a cockney accent?

Originally Posted by Cuddles

Hmmm...looking at B_S's situation has given me a great idea. If Jersey can be effectively divided from the rest of the UK, then after we liberate the island we could use it as some isolated tax haven? The local government will be so grateful to us for not digging too deep into their relationship with the Nazis, they'll let us operate all kinds of "of-shore2 banking wheezes and tax dodges!

[2010] Bit late with that idea, I'm afraid. The "Special Relationship" started in 1216; nothing much has changed since then. We've NEVER been part of the UK, although we hold allegiance to the Crown.

Part of the British Isles, but not part of the UK and not in the EU. Self-governing Crown Dependency.

"Tax Haven"?????
We pay 20% Income Tax; I think you pay that in the UK as well.
20% means 20%
In UK you pay National Insurance, we pay Social Security contributions ... different name, similar cost.

[/2010]

Originally Posted by blue-sophist

Originally Posted by Cuddles

Hmmm...looking at B_S's situation has given me a great idea. If Jersey can be effectively divided from the rest of the UK, then after we liberate the island we could use it as some isolated tax haven? The local government will be so grateful to us for not digging too deep into their relationship with the Nazis, they'll let us operate all kinds of "of-shore2 banking wheezes and tax dodges!

[2010] Bit late with that idea, I'm afraid. The "Special Relationship" started in 1216; nothing much has changed since then. We've NEVER been part of the UK, although we hold allegiance to the Crown.

Part of the British Isles, but not part of the UK and not in the EU. Self-governing Crown Dependency.

"Tax Haven"?????
We pay 20% Income Tax; I think you pay that in the UK as well.
20% means 20%
In UK you pay National Insurance, we pay Social Security contributions ... different name, similar cost.

[/2010]

1216? I think you mean 1066 or indeed before that? Ha Rollo mean anything to you?? CI part of the duchy of Normandy before England...

As for tax, personal tax is not the issue - do you pay income tax, have a word with your accountant! Corporation tax...ah!

Cuddles, the relationship with Normandy is well known. Indeed, the 1066 invasion of YOUR island was probably part-manned by Channel Island militia in the service of the Duke.

However, when King John finally lost control of his Norman lands, he offered the Islanders the choice of being part of Normandy or part of Britain.

In 1216 the Islanders chose Britain. QED.

[2010]Don't worry. I've no intention of doing this every day but considered it worth demonstrating that the war at sea was very real during the so-called 'Phoney War' of 70 years ago. Bear in mind that the BEF was biding its time across the Channel but this was still three months before the Battle of France and seven months before the Battle of Britain. The torpedoing of the battleship HMS Royal Oak with the loss of 833 men in Scapa Flow, and the Battle of the River Plate resulting in the German pocket battleship Graf Spee scuttling herself off Montevideo, had happened in late 1939 and were already fading memories. In the meantime, over a hundred ships comprising hundreds of thousands of tons had been sunk by German torpedoes and mines, and several more severely damaged.[/2010]

Ultra-secret hidden forum - A bit quiet on the RN front today but it is a Sunday after all (link):

Originally Posted by Naval-History.net

Sunday 18 February 1940

Destroyer DARING (Cdr S A Cooper), escorting convoy HN.12, was sunk by U.23 off Duncansby Head in 58‑40N, 01‑40E. Cdr Cooper, executive officer Lt P L Roberts, Lt P C Gordon RNVR, engineering officer Lt W J K Shaxby, S/Lt L G M Potts, Gunner W H Easton, Midshipman A V Dumfrey RNR, Surgeon Lt G J Kearney MB, ChB, Probationary Temporary Midshipman J L Coleman RNVR and 145 ratings were lost. Destroyers BRAZEN and ENCOUNTER, which had been hunting in the area, were ordered to search for the submarine responsible. They were joined by the convoy escort and by destroyers DIANA, which had departed Rosyth on the 17th, KIPLING, which had left Scapa Flow on the 14th, INGLEFIELD, ILEX, DELIGHT which earlier were released from HN.12’s escort, and anti-submarine trawlers of the 11th Anti-Submarine Striking Force. Submarine THISTLE rescued Lt L A Rogers and four ratings from DARING. The 11th A/S Striking Force did make an attack on U.23 east of Duncansby Head in 58-37N, 1-18W, but did no damage.

Destroyers GALLANT, JAGUAR, NUBIAN and SIKH departed Rosyth as convoy escorts and joined HN.12 bringing it into Methil on the 19th without further interference. After a loop crossing had been detected, destroyers GRIFFIN, IVANHOE, INTREPID hunted for another submarine in the Forth of Forth and were joined by escort vessel VALOROUS.

KIPLING reached Scapa Flow on the 18th and because of prior defects, went on to the Tyne for repairs arriving on the 20th.
_____

ABORTIVE GERMAN BATTLECRUISER SORTIE

German Admiral Marschall departed Wilhelmshaven for Operation NORDMARK with battleships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU, heavy cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER, and destroyers KARL GALSTER, WILHELM HEIDKAMP, WOLFGANG ZENKER with the object of attacking allied shipping between the Shetlands and Bergen. However, ZENKER was damaged by ice and forced to return at the start. The remaining force was escorted through the Skagerrak by destroyers PAUL JACOBI, THEODOR RIEDEL, HERMANN SCHOEMANN, LEBERECHT MAAS and torpedo boats LUCHS and SEEADLER which raided in the Skagerrak after being detached. U-boats were disposed to support this operation. Three operated between the Shetlands and Norway, two in the Fair Isle Channel, three off the Pentland Firth and three held in reserve near the north coast of Scotland. Submarines deployed were U.60, U.61, U.57, U.23, U.22, U.62, U.19, U.13, U.63, U.18, U.14, U.18 and U.14, including some off Kinnnaird Head.

Submarine SALMON in the Heligoland Bight was ordered to attack the German surface ships, and convoy ON.14 was ordered into Kirkwall to avoid any contact with the enemy force, arriving on the 19th. Admiral Forbes was in the Clyde having only arrived on the 17th from supporting the ALTMARK hunt. After refuelling, he departed, still on the 19th with battleship RODNEY, battlecruiser HOOD, and destroyers FAULKNOR, FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, FURY, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE. Destroyers HARDY left Greenock on the 19th, KHARTOUM Scapa Flow the same day, and KANDAHAR and TARTAR from Scapa on the 20th and joined Forbes at sea. With the British out and extreme cold immobilizing his seaplanes, Admiral Marschall was forced to return to Wilhelmshaven empty handed. Ice breakers were required to clear the Rivers Jade and Weser before they could reenter on the 20th. On the 21st/22nd, ENE of Muckle Flugga in 61‑19N, 01‑30E, HARDY attacked a submarine contact, was joined by FORTUNE, but the search was unsuccessful.
_____

Minelayer TEVIOTBANK and minelaying destroyers EXPRESS and ESK laid Deep Line S in operation DML.8 east of Outer Gabbard escorted by destroyers KEITH and BOADICEA. Minesweeper FRANKLIN had already laid the marker buoys on the 16th. After the lay, the minelaying ships proceeded to Immingham on the 19th.

Anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA and destroyer KELVIN arrived at Sullom Voe, refuelled and departed again later that day.

Motor torpedo boats MTB.22, MTB.24 and MTB.25 departed Rosyth on patrol.

Submarine SEALION arrived at Harwich after patrol.

Submarine TETRARCH and tender CUTTY SARK were to depart the Clyde for Portsmouth, but TETRARCH engine defects prevented them leaving.

Armed merchant cruiser ASTURIAS on Northern Patrol picked up the survivors of fishing vessel SEA RAMBLER.

Convoy OA.94 departed Southend escorted by destroyer WITCH. Destroyer ACASTA joined on the 19th, detached the next day and on the 21st, the convoy dispersed.

Convoy OB.94 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers WALKER and VENETIA. They detached on the 20th and 21st respectively, with VENETIA joining HXF.20.

Convoy SA.30 of two steamers departed Southampton, escorted by sloops FOXGLOVE and ROSEMARY, and arrived at Brest on the 20th.

Convoy MT.14 departed Methil escorted by the 3rd Anti-Submarine Group, supported by destroyers VEGA, JAGUAR and sloop STORK, and arrived in the Tyne later that day.

Convoy FN.97 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WESTMINSTER and sloop LONDONDERRY, and arrived at Methil on the 20th.

Convoy FS.99 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyers VEGA, JAGUAR and sloop STORK, which had just arrived from Methil with MT.14. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 20th.

U.10 sank Dutch steamer AMELAND (4537grt) in 51‑54N, 03‑01E and the entire crew, 48 survivors, was rescued by Dutch steamer MONTFERLAND. Patrol sloops PINTAIL, GUILLEMOT and two motor torpedo boats were searching in the area.

U.61 sank Pananamian steamer EL SONADOR (1406grt) east of the Shetlands and Norwegian steamer SANGSTAD (4297grt) east of Kirkwall in 59‑00N, 00‑25E. The Master of the Norwegian ship was lost and destroyer BRAZEN picked up 22 of the crew and took them into Kirkwall.

Sloop ABERDEEN, on escort duty with convoy OB.93GF, attacked a submarine contact south of Wolf Rock in 49-42N, 5-45W.

Anti-submarine trawler CAPE PORTLAND (497grt) attacked a submarine contact off Aberdeen in 57-19N, 1-50W.

Convoy HX.21 departed Halifax at 0800 escorted by Canadian destroyers OTTAWA and SAGUENAY, which detached on the 19th. Ocean escort was armed merchant cruiser ALAUNIA, which left on 1 March. Destroyers WINDSOR and WOLVERINE escorted the convoy 2 to 4 March, when it arrived at Liverpool.

Convoy SL.21 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser DUNNOTTAR CASTLE until 4 March. Destroyers WANDERER joined on the 4th, VERSATILE on the 5th and the convoy arrived on the 7th.

To supplement the motorised means of transport highlighted by “ stonker “ presumably for use by Officers and Warrant Officers there is a further new piece of kit . The “ Folding Bicycle “ will enable fully laden Paratroopers to rapidly pedal into battle .

2010 Mode On When I were a lad I had one of these . Thousands must have been sold off after the War as surplus . If my memory serves me right it certainly was not lightweight but weighed a ton . I reckon 20 would have been the payload of a Dakota . It was fixed rear wheel as well … propelled over the handlebars a couple of times . 2010 Mode off .