I just realized that Commodore Thompson has to be around 70 years old when this was filmed. Which is amazing because from looking at him moving around i would have guessed he was maybe 50 years old. Honestly an amazing guide you got for this video. His anecdotes made the whole tour even more interesting.
@@GrahamWalters how did you get "54" out of that? He said he was serving on the submarine in 1969/70. That's already 51 to 52 years in the past. Unless he joined the Navy at an impressive age of 2 that would be impossible.
Dan Snow, three tips for interviewers: a) Let the person you're interviewing speak. That's what makes a video interesting. Not you. b) Don't shout. There's no need for it. c) Close your mouth when you're not talking. Thank you Eric for a very interesting and knowledgeable tour, I'm motivated to pay a visit on the back of watching your tour.
This is an unfair comment. Perhaps at the start of the video Dan was a bit eager to talk, but overall I think he has done a great job of giving his subject an appropriate room to share his knowledge without letting the thread of video getting side tracked.
You can see so many times where Eric is about to tell a story only to be interrupted by the interviewer, I am not sure if there was tight time restrictions but it would have been nice to hear more from him
I noticed that too, and I imagine Dan was doing it because they were on a really tight time schedule. Probably they were given an hour by the museum to do the whole thing and as a seasoned presenter, Dan has to try and keep his guests to point or risk not finishing the tour. I think it would be great to get Eric back on camera when time constraints are less pressing so he can get into much deeper anecdotes.
It must be frustrating for everyone involved, tight time schedules mean you can only get the odd snippets, whereas I could listen to this gentleman talk for several days. Seems like a lovely man.
Time limits play a big part - you don't get long to film these things, got to cover as much as possible in the time you've got. That means sadly that long stories need to be kept short
I work in the engine room on merchant ships..all he.s talking about im one step ahead...😁 .. I been on steamers and diesels...gasturbine ...rule of thumb always open one valve befor you close another😁always interesting to watch.. Old mariners Surface or pigboat guys
I served on the USS Bremerton (SSN-698) as a nuclear trained electrician. It took two years of training before I even saw a submarine. It takes approximately one more year after arriving on the boat to become fully qualified as both a nuclear plant operator and earning your dolphins as a qualified submariner. I spent four years on the sub (total of six years) and achieved the rank of EM1(SS) before leaving the navy at the end of my enlistment. IMO, if you enlist in the Navy, going to submarines is the best option if you have to go to sea on a naval vessel. Best training. Best food. Best crew members. Best port calls. Extra pay. Rapid advancement. No seasickness. Small crew (approx. 120). The only drawback is while at sea, you cannot go topside and see the sun and when you go to sea, you can be underwater for months at a time. The limiting factor for how long you stay at sea is how much food you can carry. They generally go to sea with a 90 day food supply. The longest I ever stayed underwater in one shot was 77 days.
Just to add, I was a qualified dolphin submariner in the early 70's . Best part of my life. "Diesel boats forever" Nothing but good memories, we even had a mini bar aboard for when in port, plus a beer machine.
This video could have been 3 hours long and I would have watched every second of it. This guy had some fascinating stories and such an excellent way of presenting them. Its a shame they were short on time.
Please, for the love of our history, let this man tell us his stories. Let us hear them, uninterrupted, before his knowledge is lost, and the lessons lost with him.
This takes me back to my own time as a junior officer, hearing seniors tell tales of their experiences. Totally riveting. No pretension, no sensationalism, just real stories of their trials and tribulations. More like this, please!
I visited the submarine museum while on active duty with the US Navy when stationed on USS Seahorse (SSN 669) during a port call. The old diesel boats are neat to look over. As to the comment on how submariners feel about surface dwellers, we had the same thoughts, "there are only 2 types of ships, submarines and targets". MM1(SS) USN retired.
Did you know anyone from the service that served on diesel electric and nuclear boats? If so, did they ever mention how they missed the old deisels or were ever nostalgic about them?
wh-do they seriously feel that way? because I'm a navy brat and my dad served on carriers when he was at sea, the U.S.S. Enterprise (CVN-65) and U.S.S. George H.W. Bush. and he would tell me that submarines were pretty worthy adversaries...although an aircraft carrier could beat a submarine in a heartbeat in my opinion lol
@@oceangalaxy2738 A surface ship is a target for the opposing navy's submarines. That's what they mean. A sub is for more likely to avoid detection by the enemy.
I've just read Commodore Erics book - thoroughly brilliant read about the really interesting career of a man who in his first few months at sea was at the point of being kicked out and eventually became a flag officer, a leader of 4000 people, an MBE for leading the team that averted potentially the first nuclear disaster on a Polaris boat, and also put forward so many ideas that are now standard doctrine. A fascinating man.
@@Ebbeebbeee He was the Officer in charge of the repair and was awarded the MBE (Member of the British Empire) medal for his actions in successfully completing the deterrent patrol. Our mission was to stay submerged and undetected and, as the Marine Engineering Officer, his actions enabled this to happen. Basically, he got the medal for the team and I was proud to have been involved in that incident. We were on a Polaris patrol at the time.
Loved Commodore Thompson's perspective on human waste disposal. I was a nuclear power electrician on a U.S. fast attack in the 1970's. Human waste disposal was a constant topic and often a source of wonderful humor. Here is a story.... One time when we pulled into port and shut down the reactor I was standing the shutdown reactor operator watch and my friend Jack was the engineering roving watch. He came to maneuvering, where I was, and told me he was going to blow number 3 sanitary, a 300 gallon tank blistered on the hull in engine room lower level. After 20 minutes or so I hear this very loud open throat-ed roar. Thinking we have water coming in the boat I grab the flood control actuators to shut all the engine room hull valves. Jack appears with a huge grin and told me he just blew number 3 inboard. Ha! I asked why. Turns out he couldn't get it to go overboard. He checked his valve line up multiple times and all was in order. So he increased the air pressure. No go. Finally he maxed out the air pressure. So he had a problem. 300 gallons under full pressure. What to do. He opened the 4 inch manual ball valve on the bottom of the commode, shut the head door, and cycled the 4 inch hydraulic ball valve just above number 3. Given the huge pressure, 300 gallons quickly exited number 3, blew open the door on the head, and soiled the aft engine room. Some of it drilled handily through the cracks between the little doors covering storage bins that we only accessed when we needed a spare. So years later we'ed open that bin and there would be this dry, brown spider web. Jack was legend. He cheerfully did the substantial clean up.
Just found this. Absolutely fascinated by Subs since a kid. This is my brother-in-law's boat. He was a baby sailor, then Merchant Marine, immigrated to NZ and then on Tugs. Nothing beats Wellington Harbour at midnight on a mirror flat sea, pulling a container ship out under afull moon! Wonderful memory. HMS Alliance visit is on my bucket list as are others.
Seems like one of those guys who could talk for days and still deliver gem after gem of lived first hand experience on these things. A true expert and enthusiast. Such a shame this video could be 10x as long! I also get the impression the reporter here didn't really do much justice to this clearly brilliant man and just wanted to hammer on his questions and romanticise the whole thing.
What an extraordinary gentleman. The stories and the knowledge he has on submarines is second to none. I’m working in the area, will have to visit it tomorrow.
What a fascinating chap. One could listen to all the anecdotal stories re 'The Trade' all day long. I had a relative sunk on probably the predecessor to that boat in the Med during WWII. Sadly he never made it. Really looking forward to going to that museum though.
Small world, I served on board HMCS Rainbow (sub) an old diesel boat in the early 70,s . One of our buddies was PO. Bill Howatson . He served on the "A" boats as a Canadian exchange sailor. A good friend and nice man.
Well worth a visit! I was there several years ago and the ship looks better now than it did then! If Commodore Eric Thompson is there you are in for a treat, also at Gosport sub museum was a very early example of a submersible vessel that you could have fitted in HMS Alliance about ten times over and it had a very few crew members and dates from the very early submarine days. Hopefully still there on show. Thanks for this and well done Dan as usual.
My father served on the HMS Artimis which was a sister ship to the alliance, i took him to walk though this for fathers days around 6 years ago. It was funny as he gave us a inside tour guide and by the end of the tour most of the group was listening to him
I love the human element of having an experienced submariner explaining life onboard. It's easy to get caught up in the machine, and forget that humans operate it, and all humans poop... We had a fire on one of the ships I sailed in when I worked with the RCN. Getting toilet facilities running was major health issue, as we had nearly 300 people onboard, and no working heads.
Good to see the old Alliance again. I served on the Oberon class boats based at Dolphin and went aboard the Alliance a couple of times. The O boats were more advanced and their design was heavily influenced by the German type VII boats as German submarine technology was more advanced. It's a shame that there isn't an O boat at the museum too, though there are a couple at other bases. The Ocelot is at Chatham. I'd like to see you do a similar video of her.
Weren't the "O" boats influenced more by the German type XX1's.? I have visited both U995, a type V11c at Laboe, and the type XX1 U2540 "Wilhelm Bauer" at Bremerhaven. HMS Alliance looked really "old fashioned" compared to the XX1, whilst the "O" boat at Chatham, HMS Ocelot, was very similar. All were a wonderful experience to visit, and the HMS Alliance in particular was very interesting as the tour was led by a WW2 veteran, who was then in his mid 80's, and he was extremely well versed. He had spent a lot of time on the "U" and "T" boats out of Malta, and had some really fascinating stories to tell.
My father served as a Frogman on board the HMS Alliance during the Korean war. He never talked much regarding his experiences during the war. There's a framed B&W photo of the Alliance in my Mom's home along with his Canadian Navy and UN medals.
I think she is still alongside at Devonport awaiting de-commissioning. HMS Courageous is there with her, and is open to the public on specified days. Well worth a visit.
very relaxed and enjoyable. He is one of those people you could happily sit and listen to for ages, hearing all his stories and things. Hillarious point to end on. 🙂
Eric Thompson was my MEO on HMS/M REVENGE (P) back in the 70s. I'm sure he'll remember my best friend and best man Bungy Mcwilliams and the big steam leak fiasco.
@@andrewthompson8610 I was forward killick at the time of the steam leak, but spent time as lower level stoker with Bungy Mac on Revenge. Names such as Blackie, Jacko, Chris Pearce, Brum Connelly, Ram Murdoch, Ken Glover, Jimmy Green, Mac Mcdonagh, Dave Curtis, big Herman Faulkner, big Brigham young and Beasty Beale to name but a few. He was best man at my wedding so I was extremely upset by his tragic passing. Great times with great guys, some sadly missed.
@@mikewood866 Certainly was Mike. That was an interesting incident. There is a board in the Submarine Museum on that event. I work there as a volunteer guide so see it quite often! Hope you're keeping well.
In 1972 as 3 years old I visited a Danish submarine in dock for repairs in Copenhagen. It still remember the cramped long narrow space and all the handles and controls everywhere, it looked not much different from this one. My granddad worked on the place. It was my father who had the interest, but he wasn't allowed in (restricted military area). I was so little that I couldn't be a Soviet spy so I was allowed.
My Grand uncle Bill started out flying a Bi-plane, and finished his career in a Lightening. It was an amazing generation to live through i feel, we have not seen progress at that speed for many years.
A Con Rod connects the Piston to the the Crankshaft. The Push Rods push the rockers (the exposed rockers in this case) which open and close the valves. Great presentation on the sub.
An enjoyable tour through a British RN diesel electric Submarine. Dan Snow has presented many a worthwhile documentary covering a wide range of topics but none better (subjectively speaking) than this one here as we tour the inside of HMS Alliance.
Absolutely gorgeous boat! Until watching this, I wasn't aware that there was still a British Second World War era (design) sub still in existence! My knowledge of the Royal Navy submarine service during the War is very limited / almost nil as the exploits of the Kriegsmarine U-boats are a subject that I'm far more familiar with. The control room on this boat looks quite a bit bigger than the control room of a German Type 9, but it looks to be an incredibly similar layout in there!
You might enjoy a book about the exploits of HMS TRENCHANT, which sank the Japanese heavy cruiser ASHIGARA in one of the finest attacks of WW2. 'HMS Trenchant: From Chatham to Banka Strait', by Arthur Hezlet (the CO), is very good, having a terrific mix of design, build, training, 'life' and operational action.
@@well-blazeredman6187 Thank You for the recommendation, I'll see if I can get hold of a copy to add to my mountain of books in the queue waiting to be read LOL.
Did you look into Dutch submarines? They gave the British about 9 during the war. The other 8 went to service in Asia. They sank a few German and Japanese's subs but mostly Japanese ships. Their commodore was called ship a day Helfrich.
Very informative and certainly educational. Absolute Marvel ENGINEERING! U boats inside are a maze of comp,ex pipes, valves, cables etc...........fantastic.
According to my research, Dan Snow (the host) is a healthy 6’6”. He is 5” taller than me and about a foot taller than the average crew member of a submarine back then... Talk about watching your head!
What a fascinating tour. I'm glad you let the Commodore talk on, he is like my elderly neighbour, could go on for hours, so needing the occasional reminder to jumps ahead lol.
HMS Andrew starred in the film "On The Beach". It played the part of an American Submarine that sailed into Melbourne, Australia, after a nuclear exchange in the northern hemisphere. Also staring HMAS Sydney.
The interviewer doesn’t seem to pay attention to the interviewee’s Historical stories. He seems set on tuning the drama. Sorry, everybody has an opinion……….
I naval reserves in the early 90's (serving on the river class minesweepers) and we used to have problems with the females flushing their sanitary towels down the head. They usually jammed the blades that minced up the waste before it was deposited in the 'domestic services' tank. The stokers would have to dismantle the mechanism and clean it by hand. That usually resulted in them coming into the junior rate's mess and asking 'who does this belong to then'? as they held the troublesome item aloft.
I visited hms alliance late 80s as a primary school kid, but never really took it in - I'm now disabled, so can't access it; thankfully this is a good substitute. I spent years sailing out of the joint services sailing centre which is literally in the shadow of the submarine
Sorry mr. Commodore. What you pointed to and proclaimed con rods, were in face push rods. Also the interesting story about the switchgear , about the man who died testing/developing equipment, was interrupted by the blockhead you were talking to. Do the video again without the blockhead please.
Great informative Vlog! Just a bit of info on the difference between boats and ships. It has to do with the way they turn. When "ships" turn they "heel" or lean to the outside of the turn. "Boats" on the other hand "heel" or lean to the inside of the turn. It has to do with the way they are constructed and how they sit in the water and wether the center of gravity is below or above the freeboard. This can be checked on Wikipedia under "ship" sub category "nomenclature".
Ive been on Alliance and also Ocelot which is at Chatham. Ocelot was the type of later quieter diesel/electric Oberon class subs that the Commodore was talking about. They did exercises during the cold war with US surface fleet and often evaded detection by skirting underwater ledges staying in very close then popping up in the middle of the fleet to their surprise and consternation.
