This photo was taken by my Grandfather. I scanned it from his memoirs and have uploaded it with his description below:-
“As a reward for some two years in a far from placid Mediterranean Sea, capped off with a torrid few weeks on the Palestine patrol, we were given a junket reward with a showing the flag patrol of three days each to Trieste (then an open city) and Venice. Apart from two days in a rest camp at Civitavecchia at war’s end, we’d had no leave for well over two years. So we enjoyed our holiday, had a wonderful reception in both places and on day two in Venice my demob instructions came through.
Next morning, complete with walkie-talkie (‘You’re the only one who can work the bloody thing") I accompanied the Navigating Lieut. as he chugged our skimmer around the point, confirmed our departure time and course with the water police, and duly passed it back to the skipper. As we doddled back I asked if he’d stop for a tic as I’d like to use the last shot on my camera on what would be a rather good shot of the ship, where the lads were already slipping the buoy.
A fortnight later I was home, had the pictures printed, liked the ship one and had it enlarged; it went into my album where it has rested ever since. At this distance it is historic and possibly unique, as warships aren’t permitted to berth in Venice. I thought you might like to see it as a little bit of our past lives.”
![HMS Surprise in Venice, Italy. August 1949 [2787x1940]](https://i.redd.it/jee4nww0l4n41.jpg)
Chronopher
This photo was taken by my Grandfather. I scanned it from his memoirs and have uploaded it with his description below:-
“As a reward for some two years in a far from placid Mediterranean Sea, capped off with a torrid few weeks on the Palestine patrol, we were given a junket reward with a showing the flag patrol of three days each to Trieste (then an open city) and Venice. Apart from two days in a rest camp at Civitavecchia at war’s end, we’d had no leave for well over two years. So we enjoyed our holiday, had a wonderful reception in both places and on day two in Venice my demob instructions came through.
Next morning, complete with walkie-talkie (‘You’re the only one who can work the bloody thing") I accompanied the Navigating Lieut. as he chugged our skimmer around the point, confirmed our departure time and course with the water police, and duly passed it back to the skipper. As we doddled back I asked if he’d stop for a tic as I’d like to use the last shot on my camera on what would be a rather good shot of the ship, where the lads were already slipping the buoy.
A fortnight later I was home, had the pictures printed, liked the ship one and had it enlarged; it went into my album where it has rested ever since. At this distance it is historic and possibly unique, as warships aren’t permitted to berth in Venice. I thought you might like to see it as a little bit of our past lives.”
InVirtute
Where’s Captain Jack Aubrey?
Olsc
So.. A surprice visit i tale it?