Cherubs and Fairies
Jan. 20th, 2011 11:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anteros_lmcSeriously, sometimes you have to wonder what the Royal Navy were up to when it came to naming their ships.
At one end of the scale, I have always wondered about the audacity (or foolhardiness?) of men who would sail into the uncharted wastes of the Arctic in ships call Erebus and Terror. Erebus in Greek mythology being the personification of darkness and son of Chaos.
At the other end of the scale, who in their right mind decided to call a ship of war the Cherub? A very successful ship of war she was though, with a famously loyal and dedicated crew. The Cherub is perhaps best known as the consort of HMS Phoebe. Both ships were despatched to the Americas in 1813 to track down and apprehend the frigate USS Essex which was wreaking havoc among British merchant vessels on the coast of Chile. The mission was eventually successful and the Essex run on shore and destroyed, though her captain David Porter later accused the captains of the British ships of dishonourable conduct.
Then yesterday when reading Edward Osler's Life of Admiral Viscount Exmouth I came across a sloop of war called the Fairy. Turns out that the RN had no less than four small ships named Fairy between 1778 and 1840.
You know that scene in Retribution where Bush is rallying the sailors and marines during the assault on the fort in Samana Bay and he's bellowing "Renown's to me!!" It's not really going to have quite the same effect if your ship's called the Fairy or the Cherub is it?!
Really, you've got to love these guys :)
At one end of the scale, I have always wondered about the audacity (or foolhardiness?) of men who would sail into the uncharted wastes of the Arctic in ships call Erebus and Terror. Erebus in Greek mythology being the personification of darkness and son of Chaos.
At the other end of the scale, who in their right mind decided to call a ship of war the Cherub? A very successful ship of war she was though, with a famously loyal and dedicated crew. The Cherub is perhaps best known as the consort of HMS Phoebe. Both ships were despatched to the Americas in 1813 to track down and apprehend the frigate USS Essex which was wreaking havoc among British merchant vessels on the coast of Chile. The mission was eventually successful and the Essex run on shore and destroyed, though her captain David Porter later accused the captains of the British ships of dishonourable conduct.
Then yesterday when reading Edward Osler's Life of Admiral Viscount Exmouth I came across a sloop of war called the Fairy. Turns out that the RN had no less than four small ships named Fairy between 1778 and 1840.
You know that scene in Retribution where Bush is rallying the sailors and marines during the assault on the fort in Samana Bay and he's bellowing "Renown's to me!!" It's not really going to have quite the same effect if your ship's called the Fairy or the Cherub is it?!
Really, you've got to love these guys :)
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Date: 2011-01-20 12:15 pm (UTC)But… isn't Cherub quite appropriate? I mean, God's army, guardians of heaven…
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Date: 2011-01-20 01:56 pm (UTC)sn't Cherub quite appropriate? I mean, God's army, guardians of heaven…
I'm not convinced. Maybe HMS Archangel might sound more convincing.
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Date: 2011-01-20 12:35 pm (UTC)Oh, I totally agree about Erebus and Terror. Blergh, makes me shudder.
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Date: 2011-01-20 02:18 pm (UTC)"Fairies to me." Hee.
*snigger*
Have you guys found any other RN ship names funny?
Oh don't get me started! Spare a thought for the unfortunate crews of HMS Flirt and HMS Fanny.
There is also a brief record of a hired tender called Two Friends. I like that one :)
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Date: 2011-01-20 02:22 pm (UTC)I approve very much of the fact that they don't need their names to be all macho all the time
Although there were three gun brigs called Manly one of which was taken and then recaptured at which point it was renamedBold. Bit of a crisis in masculinity there perhaps ;)
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Date: 2011-01-20 09:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 02:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 02:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 02:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 03:13 pm (UTC)At least Surprise is aptly named for a man of war. ;D
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Date: 2011-01-20 09:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 03:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 09:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-27 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-27 10:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-27 10:39 pm (UTC)...and I won't get rid of this idea now. Aargh!
And you? Hmn? ;)
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Date: 2011-01-30 03:28 pm (UTC)Who? Me?! Erm..... ;)
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Date: 2011-01-20 08:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 09:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-21 12:09 am (UTC)Irresistable ...
Indignant ...
and the whole menagerie - HMS Squirrel, Crocodile etc
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Date: 2011-01-21 12:32 am (UTC)Didn't you write a fic about the I ships once?
I missed HMS Irresistible. I think she really need to go cruising in company with HMS Flirt ;)
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Date: 2011-01-21 12:39 am (UTC)They are unfinished - think I had done Archie and Horatio, EP and Bracey, part of Bowles and one for Oldroyd Had Styles, Bush and Matthews to do still..
they are drabbles and maybe I should revisit them now
was supposed to be going to sleep but seem to be still here !
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Date: 2011-01-21 01:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-21 10:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-21 11:14 am (UTC)new Indy icons are fantastic - this one is so open and full of sail as it were ( she isn't by any chance chacing is she ?!)
hoping one day to do a series of icons of the Indy to match this one of mine- one fine day !
have had a thought looking at your icon about the Indy herself but too long for this message.See email shortly.
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Date: 2011-01-21 09:44 pm (UTC)Here's another, this time it's the Indy flying a rather splendid red ensign outside Plymouth harbour.
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Date: 2011-01-21 11:18 am (UTC)Here he is - in case you need to verfiy the justice of the
designation...
though new Indy icons are fabulous.
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Date: 2011-01-21 10:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-21 10:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-21 10:43 pm (UTC)I'm not surprised. That's him on his way back to Ferrol. Mixed blessings indeed.
Here's another new one I did specially for you :)
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Date: 2011-01-21 10:57 pm (UTC)Actually it is really clever - they look both alternatively affectioantely puzzled (as anyone who loves Horatio is apt to of course- often!)
or just wary but intrigued with one another - which also is plausible.
many possibilities for this new style icon- I will have to buy more icon spaces !
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Date: 2011-01-21 11:52 pm (UTC)Well yes indeed!
I could be wrong, but I suspect this is the only scene in the entire series where you see Archie and Pellew in the same frame. I'm not sure though, can you think of any others?
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Date: 2011-01-23 06:48 pm (UTC)Cheerly
Cracker
Cheerful
Favorite
Fancy
Redbreast
Tickler
Swinger
Squirrel
Teaser
Sea Flower
Dave
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Date: 2011-01-23 11:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-24 04:08 am (UTC)Dave
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Date: 2011-01-25 09:17 pm (UTC)