What brought that suddenly to mind? Is there some relevance to today’s date?
Here is something else for you to give consideration to.
On the night of the 5/6 November 1940 HMS Jervis Bay a converted Merchant ship armed only with four old six inch guns attacked the Pocket Battleship "Admiral Scheer" in order to save the convoy she was escorting.
The "Admiral Scheer" was the sister ship to the "Graf Spee". She was six years old and of the latest design and armament. She had six 11 inch Guns, eight 5,9 inch guns and eight 21 inch torpedo tubes.
The sailors on HMS Jervis knew full well that they would never get close enough to even put a scratch on the Scheer's paintwork but they still attacked to allow the convoy to scatter into the darkness.
Look at the list of names below and let your shivering spine think of them.
Killed 5th Nov 1940.
James Anderson Smn. RNR. Old Schoolhouse, Thrumster. Married.
James Bain Smn. RNR. 18 Wellington St, Wick. Married. Age 27 yrs.
John M Bain Smn. RNR. 24 Kinnaird St, Wick. Age 27 yrs.
David R Bremner Smn. RNR. 31 Smith Ter, Wick. Married. Age 29 yrs.(in-law, W Miller).
William Bremner Smn. RNR. 5 Macarther St, Wick. Age 32 yrs.
John Innes Smn. RNR. Burnside, Oldwick, Wick. Married. Age 33 yrs.
William B Miller Smn. RNR. 31 Smith Ter, Wick. Age 27 yrs. (in-law, D Bremner)
John C Munro Smn. RNR New House, Keiss. Age 28 yrs.
Alex Webster Smn/Gnr. RNR. 41 Argyle Sq, Wick. Married. Age 32 yrs.
Survived
Donald Bain Awarded the D.S.M. "He was wounded and burned at his gun post on the "Jervis Bay", but he and another gunner continued in action, even after seven of the gun crew had been killed". He was the first Caithnessian to be awarded for bravery during the 2nd World War.
Smn. RNR. 136 Willowbank, Wick. Married.(Wounded 5th Nov 1940).
George Doull Smn. RNR. 23 a Girnigoe St, Wick.
David Dunbar Smn. RNR. Kyleburn Cottage, Lybster.
Jack Durrand. Smn. RNR 86 Willowbank, Wick. (Brother of Robert).
Robert Durrand Smn. RNR. 10 Bridge St, Wick. (Brother of Jack).
Robert Gunn Smn. RNR. Ackergill Crescent, Wick.
Alex Moonie Smn. RNR. 9 Macarthur St, Wick.
William Oag Smn. RNR. New Houses, Thrumster.
James Reid Smn. RNR. 17 Vansittart St, Wick.
http://www.iprom.co.uk/archives/cait...sbaydetail.htm
Next Bonfire night, I hope a shiver again goes down your spine and you have the decency to remember the fate of those brave men from Caithness who willingly gave or risked their lives for your benefit.
They had the spine to put their lives on the line so we can have the freedom to sit and pass moral judgement on their generation without having the fear of the knock on the door because somebody had denounced us for thinking the wrong thing.
"Greater love hath no man than he lays down his life for a friend"
How much more so when he does it for people he does not even know?