Hms Bronington

[retrocop]

Does anyone recall that during his short command of HMS Bronington,a TON Class wooden minesweeper, the Prince of Wales ....err..crashed it whilst at the Con when docking it. Normally a naval commander who had unfortunate accidents with their command get, at least, a court of enquiry or a court martial if negligence is established.
No record as far as I can see on Google. Did I dream it or was it subsequently brushed under the carpet. HMS Bronington, alas, has since foundered in the dock. :-(

http://hmsbronington.org/

[mikey4444]

Retro....lots of stuff on Charles and HMS Bronington on the net, but nothing about him pranging it !

Apparently it was a mahogany-hulled boat, now sinking in Birkenhead Dock.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3557880/Minesweeper-captained-Prince-Charles-Royal-Navy-days-lies-half-submerged-Merseyside-dock.html

[woofgang]

I remember (or thought I did) his touching land with it too....and getting his leg pulled.

[retrocop]

Most minesweepers were wooden hulled mikey. They used wooden fishing trawlers to sweep for mines in WW2. It was used because they didn't set off magnetic mines. Today's modern minesweepers are called the 'Tupperware Navy' as they are fibre glass hulls. De-Gaussing was another answer for other ships.

[atalanta]

Don't you remember SubLieutenant Phillips, who used to crash H M S Troutbridge in almost every episode, and he never got court-martialled ?

[mikey4444]

atalanta.....yes, but he come awfully close.....Oh Lummy !

[atalanta]

Left hand down a bit !!!

[zebo]

Allegedly when he was on a run ashore in Gibraltar his chat-up line was Who wants to be Queen for a night?