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21:00 Today
BBC1
Shipmates
Documentary series about the frigate HMS Chatham's six-month deployment in the Gulf. Gunner Rab Butler stands on the upper deck waving to his wife Mel as the warship heads out to sea. Within two weeks Chatham is on patrol on the lookout for merchant ships carrying arms, drugs or terrorists. Christmas Day is spent 60 miles off the Iranian coast, but on Boxing Day the sea becomes rough - the result of a massive earthquake just off Indonesia that has generated a massive tsunami

Duration: 60mins

Just finished watching it, and as a current wannabe found it really interesting. For anyone who has actual experience of the Navy and life in the service, would you say its a fair representation of life at sea? If so, I'm sure its a career choice I'd be more than happy with. Having said that, it seemed to focus mainly on the Ratings, so would life as an Officer be similar? Or was it a rose tinted promotional video designed to lure innocent little boys like me to the recruiting office?!

Dickie it has to be said that its a good thing that they show more of the ratings side of life, generally when you have guests and vips onboard there whipped off to the wardroom and dont really see how life is for the lads (and lasses). Having watched the programme I thought it was a fair representation but maybe they could have shown more scrubbing out.

That big bold guy who was in the shopping mall was a bit disrespectful! When he heard about the tsunami he was basically cursing it because he wanted to get 'shitters' that night. No regard for any of the victims.

He was just explaining that all the lads are a bit disappointed because its theyve missed christmas and now they are finally allowed to get shitters for new years but cant now due to the tsunami, im sure he meant no disrespect.

Anyway, my sister said its a very good insight to the navy on ship.
I also enjoyed watching it, i also love how the military personel manage to maintain humour even when the shit hits the fan.

So I gather you were sober new Years Eve then Letsrole?

He probably didnt know the scale of the disaster and remember his words were spoken at the time and only aired last night.

Now do you want to remove your left foot from your mouth or let the right one join it?

HA, my foot. A tsunami in any respect is a large ocean wave caused by underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption. He knew that much. How could he possibly have thought it was something small? I would have thought that even he could have figured out that if his ship was being diverted away from an already dangerous posting it had to be something big.

As for new years, I was sober, down with the family (grrr) anyway not the point. I was looking forward to getting ‘shitters’ but didn’t make a big deal out of it when I heard I was missing a party to go to my families’ house. Now, he was making a big deal from getting ‘shitfaced’ to save hundreds of lives where thousands have already periled.

I watched the show and the guy in question actually spent more time saying that having to go help out with the aid relief would be a very positive thing for a lot of the younger sailers as it would help put things into perspective. Yes he said that missing out on a piss up was a bit of a pain in the arse but he hardly laboured the point. I doubt anyone in his position would have said otherwise*. letsrole, I'd say you must have missed most of what he said or are just trying to get a bite. Another Royal family tirade maybe?

An hour long show but it didn't feel like they showed much. Maybe it'll get better.







*Mother Theresa probably wouldn't admittedly

Worthers Original wrote:I watched the show and the guy in question actually spent more time saying that having to go help out with the aid relief would be a very positive thing for a lot of the younger sailers as it would help put things into perspective. Yes he said that missing out on a piss up was a bit of a pain in the arse but he hardly laboured the point. I doubt anyone in his position would have said otherwise*. letsrole, I'd say you must have missed most of what he said or are just trying to get a bite. Another Royal family tirade maybe?

An hour long show but it didn't feel like they showed much. Maybe it'll get better.


*Mother Theresa probably wouldn't admittedly

Not meaning to bite I guess he just came across to me in that way. Why is it I'm always on the other side of opionions?

I don't know. I prefer pickled onions to opi ones.

Sorry OMSSMretd, it was more of an observation than me complaining! I was just wondering if the life and events depicted would be typical or similar to that of an officer whilst I'm still trying to decide if its a career for me. Sorry if I offended anyone or came across like I wasnt interested in or want to see ratings!

I'll go and be quiet now

Dont need to apoligise to me shipmate, if you you carry on watching the series I would say you probably will get more of an insight into an officers role. Dont take me on, I have to admit a have a chip on my shoulder for not having had the sense to study at college and then uni and joining as an officer instead of rushing into joining as a rating.

Dickie you didnt say anything wrong or out of place lol, he was just adding on to what you said is all.
But there are still 4 episodes to come so im thinking they will show more of both commisioned and noncommisioned.

Totally unrealistic didn't have TARGET painted on the side and didn't have them scrubbing out, painting the ship or doing the janer bop when they had the three tinnies in the mess!

Did the narrator really say they had a beer ration of 3 cans each per day or was I hearing things? Seems like quite a lot to me...