The Scrap Iron Flotilla - Australian Destroyers in the Mediterranean

[@Drachinifel]

Pinned post for Q&A :)

[@edwarddunne2758]

What made the 4.5"/45 Mk 6 gun mount as seen on the Daring class destroyers such a good gun mount that it was seen on the majority of Royal Navy ships up until the late 1960's?

[@Knight6831]

What sort of ships were 5.5" Guns intended to be used against? and Was weight the reason Hood got 5.5" Guns?

[@Knight6831]

Why was IJN Takao not repaired by the British and taken as a war trophy?

[@ratboi9770]

Did canada ever have a Battle Cruiser or Battleships and how many were planned but the idea was scrapped?

[@Knight6831]

@@ratboi9770 there were plans for a Canadian built version of the QE-Class Super-Dreads known as the Arcadia Sub-Class and it seems 3 were planned

[@TheLesserWeevil]

I can't believe how a one-man channel can put out so much quality content. You're a superhuman Drach. Massive respect and keep it up. From a colonial Down Under. P.S. Dear UNSW: Please fire whoever is coughing during interviews.

[@khaelamensha3624]

I may be viewed as a fleeing frog by some but I do share your point of view! 😉😂

[@PalleRasmussen]

The guy coughing is one of the veterans.

[@Around_blax_dont_relax]

@@PalleRasmussen "tell that living piece of history to cease his involuntary bodily function, of which the cause i know not"

[@kentvesser9484]

You might enjoy the work of Othais at C&Rsenal as well. Another lone man doing an incredible job regarding well researched firearms history and engineering.

[@TheLesserWeevil]

@@PalleRasmussen If that is true, I wish to rescind my previous comment and instead declare that I am a massive wanker.

[@thursty4836]

Camping under the Southern Cross, listening to the rain fall, learning more about some true Aussie heros. Thanks for keeping their memories alive.

[@khaelamensha3624]

Taking a long lunch break to learn about Aussie heroes. Regards from France

[@mastathrash5609]

Easily one of his best put together wednesday vids of recent 👍

[@riverraven7359]

Britain is always happy to hear the Australians are joining our side, makes life a LOT worse for whoever we are scrapping with. (Canada and New Zealand too but this isn't their story)

[@sadwingsraging3044]

I hope I get to see the Southern Cross some day.

[@Benepene]

Life is good afterall

[@18robsmith]

Vendetta - a glorious name for a small ship with a bad case of anger. Then crew it with Australians.....

[@merafirewing6591]

*DOOM music intensifies*

[@sugarnads]

😂😂👍🏿

[@1987palerider]

@@merafirewing6591 Rip and tear

[@airplanemaniacgaming7877]

@@merafirewing6591 _Meathook intensifies_

[@mrmodelmaker9767]

As an Australian I’ve been waiting for this one!

[@contrapunctusrex2499]

m8 sameo!

[@davidwhite6878]

Too right mate!

[@DanielA-sk8oh]

Same!!!

[@aaronleverton4221]

"Eight knots a fortnight" is, from now on, going to be my go-to description of "not fast".

[@bullettube9863]

It's so important and wonderful to hear veterans tell their stories now, for one day they will be gone but their stories will last forever.

[@mflashhist500]

Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Drach!!! I have been waiting with bated breath for this episode! More Angry Aussies taking on the Empire’s Enemies! The story of the Scrap Iron Flotilla is one very important to Australia’s naval heritage. A sad footnote was the loss of Hector MacDonald Laws Waller as Captain of HMAS Perth in the battle of Sunda Strait, he surely would have reached great heights in the service of our country.

[@matthewgustafson5225]

I really love the part were Signalman guy explains about his time using the Lewis Gun against an Italian Ship or the one where he talks about the "Take this box and pass it to your Mate" chant, its story's like that I would put in a book about these men, its fascinating the bravery of these men who fought in the 2nd world war and the stories they tell on how they survived.

[@tracenjez]

Thank you so much for this. Australian naval history usually talks about HMAS Sydney & the Pacific war. It was great to hear about the smaller ships in a lesser talked about theatre

[@andrewarmstrong7254]

The last time I was this early, HMAS Sydney hadn't shot at anything yet.

[@paulamos8970]

Really informative as usual Drach, the additional interviews with former crew members added that personal touch 👍🏻 😀

[@markspiers64]

Thanks mate .great show ..made me proud to be an Aussie ,,and a tear to my eye listening to those blokes ,,,good on them

[@historydoesntrepeatitselfb7818]

Listening in from Melbourne mate, cheers for keeping there memories alive

[@Bill3528]

This was brilliant Drach. The RAN is a bit under appreciated given the exploits of the army at places like Tobruk. Great to hear the RAN is having its story told in such wonderful detail and with such affection. Lest we forget.

[@paulwallis7586]

For those wondering, those guys are exactly what the WW2 Australian ex-service guys were like. Grew up surrounded by them. My old man travelled on Waterhen from Mersa Matruh. (A "mersa" is a very deep draught area almost literally right next to the shore.)

[@Wolfeson28]

17:19 So THAT must be how Seymour ended up on HMS Lion at Jutland! Thank you for putting together such an amazing video. I could keep listening to McDonald's storytelling in particular all day.

[@f1b0nacc1sequence7]

Exceptionally good. In a difficult week, you made my day....

[@ukaszgornowicz4770]

Iam in total impress of your materials. Jestem pod wielkimi wrażeniem oglądając Twoje materiały! Wielki fan!

[@Nick-rs5if]

Salute from Sweden, mates. Admiral Nelson would be proud!

[@taccovert4]

Only thought I had was "Why wasn't Admiral Cunningham made Viscount Matapan in the same vein of St. Vincent"

[@verysilentmouse]

So much joy seeing the spirit of Aussie sailors enthusastically being aggressive.

[@BWNSPTV]

‘Oh..we thought that was great!'...'We’re going into have a bash at ‘em!…great!'…'We spent an hour and a half going in, out and around bashing anything we could see!' 🇦🇺Legends!

[@bushyfromoz8834]

Oh my God!!! I have waited for this forever!!!!

[@wazza33racer]

Aussies, would call them, the "beer can flotilla". I had the distinguished honor of having a father in law, who was ex royal navy ( HMAS Slinger) and despite an age gap of 50 years, we got on very well, and I am very much in his debt, of friendship. Despite losing 3 brothers in WW2, he had a strong respect for the germans, and said "never forget it took the whole world to beat them........twice".

[@richardmcgowan1651]

Great video with the interviews. Its always great hearing first hand accounts.

[@randomlegionary9399]

Hearing from these veterans was most defiently my favourite part.

[@1987palerider]

My only question is how Voyager went from being in the Mediterranean circa 1940s to the Delta Quadrant in the 24th century

[@sugarnads]

Aussie secret shit 🤫

[@audeamus1180]

🤣 Good one, Brett. 🤣

[@aussiejezza]

Don't ask about its "encounter" with HMAS Melbourne

[@notshapedforsportivetricks2912]

This is what happens when you let a woman navigate.

[@jtpenman]

Brilliant. Well done. Be proud.

[@67Stang]

I had the pleasure of talking with an Australian WWII Navy Vet a few years ago. I was surprised how much he did not like the British. He was very mad about being sent to the Med for escort duties. He felt the British has written Australia off as a lost and had abandon them to the Japanese. He loved the Americans which he felt had saved his Country. It was an interesting prospective I had not even considered until I talked with him.

[@loonatticat]

As an American, I speak and understand English. My Australian is hit or miss. I could have used subtitles and/or supplemental text to summarize the key points of the Aussie interviews. (Some more than others.) Bless those blokes.

[@nurgle11]

Turn on auto generated subtitles if you need them (and Drach links the interview transcripts which will be precise).... Oh and just to press a point home we speak English in Australia (as do New Zealanders, Republic of Ireland, Caribbean Islands, Malawi, Uganda etc) what you are having trouble with is the Australian accents of men in their late 70's, 80's :D

[@Dave_Sisson]

@@nurgle11 To be fair, the United States is a fairly insular country they don't have the tradition of travelling all over the world in their youth like Australians do. So you can't expect an American to be used to understanding even the accents of other English speaking countries. In Europe, the Australians usally cope fairly well without help but the Americans tend to have difficulty. So don't be too hard on "Seppoes" as Australians call them, dealing with unusuual accents is not something they are used to.

[@catherder6698]

Thank you very much for this. I think I requested this about a year or so ago.

[@ketchman8299]

OUTSTANDING video Sir! I await the next.

[@russellnixon9981]

Thoughly enjoyed this, could we have more on the evacuation of Crete and the battel of Learos.

[@sadwingsraging3044]

👏👏👏👏👏👍 Well done all the way around to everybody involved in the making of this video. Well done.

[@GreatGhastly_]

There needs to be a movie made about these guys, absolute gentlemen.

[@michaelowens772]

More like Scrappy Iron ready for a fight ! Thanks Drach !

[@bigsarge2085]

What amazing experiences these men had!

[@davy1458]

I love these interviews of the old ww2 veterens

[@NAP789]

First hand accounts are so valuable, thanks for the narration

[@vaughanmayberry8513]

Thanks for this one Drach and compliments on your delivery. Easier to follow. - from an Australian.

[@scottgiles7546]

So few comments on such a moving post. I suppose it might be as there is little to say after the veterans spoke so clearly of the events and their part in it. Finding those interviews was finding a treasure, which you shared.

[@chrisbrent7487]

I was thinking the other day "when is Drach going to do the Scrap Iron Flotilla?". My thoughts have been answered.

[@bearcatracing007]

This ones getting saved in favourites!

[@stevekohl5351]

I noticed that an Australian signalman was interviewed. My father, Lorraine (Lou) F. Kohl, served as a Sgmn 2nd on the USS Melette, APA 156, in the central Pacific.

[@rcwagon]

Awesome things I did not know. Thank you!

[@camrsr5463]

That was very cool.

[@popefang]

Nice!

[@Kaebuki]

The most fascinating part of the Scrap Iron Flotilla to me was how they almost none of their crew died. According to Wikipedia, only HMAS Vampire lost crew, that being the commander and 8 other crew-members (rest in peace). The other two that were sunk escaped with no casualties. This was despite the fact that all three took hits from bombs.

[@caseynocher2158]

Simply fascinating, thank you!

[@merafirewing6591]

This is pretty interesting.

[@blu___1612]

thanking you very much

[@buckduane1991]

The Germans called them “Scrap”, the Italians saw them as “Scrapers”, but the Aussies proved they were neither one nor the other but something else entirely: Scrappy, just like they themselves are.

[@carlcarlton764]

Re: Scrap Iron Flotilla Do we have primary German sources confirming this? One group of DD arriving in a sea that would be a peaceful backwater for many more months attracting this much attention. Otoh, there wasn't much going one elsewhere.

[@daveg2104]

It's normally stated as being German propaganda. And the Reich Minister of Propaganda was known for his sarcasm, apparently. In a media release (maybe he gave speech somewhere too) for the 80th anniversary of the Siege of Tobruk in 2021, the Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, Andrew Gee, stated that "William ‘Lord Haw Haw’ Joyce labelled the Allied defenders of Tobruk ‘as being like rats underground' " and that "a Royal Australian Navy destroyer group, dubbed the ‘scrap iron flotilla' by the (party who's name I won't use, in case KZbin deletes the comment), "provided the only link to the outside world and became known as the ‘Tobruk Ferry’ service".

[@45641560456405640563]

Get into 'em lads!

[@silverload3622]

Vampire has got to be the coolest name for a ship

[@simonf8902]

With consideration this is Drac,s finest hour.

[@DougthebearRichards]

As usual for Australians - the HMAS Waterhen got the nickname "The Chook".

[@duskhunter3803]

Brilliant.

[@MammothPaige]

That was great

[@rileyernst9086]

To modify a Iserali proverb i once saw in a movie. The ships are iron, the crews make them steel.

[@richardbennett1856]

Fantastic Tribute to a heap of leftover Scraps.

[@Cato-the-Antipodean]

24:15 "...a couple of other battleships; very old; they travelled at about 8 knots a fortnight, one of them; Ramillies". I grew up listening to war stories from Aussie WW2 vets and they always had a funny quip on hand.

[@fluffly3606]

If I did the math right, 8 nmi per fortnight is about 1.2 cm or half an inch per second

[@bigships]

@@fluffly3606 😂😂😂

[@SennaAugustus]

They (Ramillies and Royal Sovereign especially) were so slow that they never made it into the battle (Calabria/Punta Stilo), and only Malaya managed to get off a few salvoes.

[@SaintlyAussie]

I'm sure when Drach is in the States they will address him as Drach. Us Aussies will probably just call him Bill.

[@rictusmetallicus]

He's Bruce from the naval department

[@nl-oc9ew]

@@rictusmetallicus g'day Bruce!

[@the13inquisitor59]

@@rictusmetallicus It'll be this.

[@popefang]

Good evening ladies and Bruces

[@thatsme9875]

@@popefang touche !!

[@philipjooste9075]

Hey Drach, as a follow on (and tribute to the South African Navy in its centennial year) you might want to consider an episode on the exploits of the "Little Ships" of the SA Naval Forces in the Mediterranean (and elsewhere) during WW2.

[@45641560456405640563]

Yes that's a good topic idea.

[@captain61games49]

As an Australian who just got their little bit of glory I approve this message

[@davidmuller8084]

@@captain61games49 Thanks, very gallant of you! Fwiw, it is not recorded in the official history of HMAS Voyager that following the sinking (by mine) of the A/S Whaler HMSAS Southern Floe off Tobruk on 11Feb 1941, the sole survivor was saved by her crew.

[@A-world-of-My-Own]

Good shout the SA Naval `heritage trust would be a good reference, and the the Natal U boat kill in the North Sea for the elsewhere. Re`; At the end of the war, South Africa received three Loch Class frigates: HMSAS Good Hope, HMSAS Natal (Loch Cree K 10) and HMSAS Transvaal. HMSAS Natal achieved a war record when she sank the German submarine U714 whilst still on trials off St Abb’s Head on 14 March 1945. Good work Aussies.

[@neilwilson5785]

Great idea

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

Proposed idea to sink the Graf Spee: rush in and torpedo spam her Godspeed, you crazy Aussies

[@inyobill]

I suspect that, as you impliy, the Graf Spee would have been in extremis.

[@kevintemple245]

Worked for Taffy 3's escorts.

[@eligedzelman5127]

I mean, speed and torps are destroyers kind of thing. You just need to be really brave

[@aitorbleda8267]

I think it would have probably worked

[@Aelxi]

No surprise since Aussies been fighting monsters/kaijus in a regular basis.

[@Dave_Sisson]

After the war the Australians built their own Daring class destroyers and named them Vendetta, Vampire and Voyager. Another vessel was named Stuart and a shore installation was named Waterhen. So the names of those ships were carried on.

[@rosiehawtrey]

Hopefully more useful than the extant Darings, godawful things that they are.

[@mariuspontmercy2736]

Even if the Daring class is best remembered today for the HMAS Voyager becoming one of the victims of HMAS Melbourne's habit of cutting her own escorting destroyers clean in half.

[@aaronleverton4221]

@@mariuspontmercy2736 Hardly her fault that her escorts repeatedly played chicken with her.

[@sgrb387]

The Vampire was also preserved as a museum ship, she's docked at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney Beautiful ship too, really well preserved

[@YaMomsOyster]

We need a V class once again.

[@VeraTR909]

'We threw everything but the anchor at at them...' when referring to Anti-air made me burst out laughing. Great video and awesome stories.

[@janwitts2688]

Scrap iron.. meanwhile germany spends 5 times the cost per unit to make uber destroyers that are of limited utility... Slow clap

[@KPen3750]

Only the Australians would think “oh I’m gonna be bombed, great time for a photo” and yell at the planes to get closer.

[@Paludion]

"- Now look at this beaut' !!"

[@firestorm165]

Saving this one for the 25th of April. If you know why, you know

[@kevintemple245]

Because it's my birthday?

[@IanSinclair77]

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!!!

[@peanut1412]

Lest we Forget

[@Dave_Sisson]

25th of April is Liberation Day on South Georgia. It's a public holiday for the few dozen people that live there. ... But it is also ANZAC day in Aust & NZ.

[@riverraven7359]

Admiral Cunningham pulling stealth 100 on his own crew 😂 edit: the joy of a signals man getting to shoot at something...😂😂😂

[@mpersad]

Wonderful to hear these veterans recollections of these historic events - it's great to know that these oral histories have been recorded for posterity.

[@sixstringedthing]

Miserable wet night in Sydney, could do with some real rum but this will have to do. The History Guild project sounds interesting, thanks for calling them out mate.

[@robertstone9988]

Miserable wet gloomy rainy day here in Indiana as well.

[@admDanRyan]

Been rainy in the dry season here in the Philippines too...

[@roybennett9284]

Been hammering down here on Wollongong,but now the rain has gone to bed... getting Rey for tomorrow...Mr d if it wasn't for your Channel then the virus would have won...a trip back in time is sometimes better than a holiday.

[@bearcatracing007]

25°c and clear beautiful night here in Cairns 😀😅

[@Princeofbelka]

Suns up in a Sydney!!!! It’s still fucking raining

[@issacsmith3169]

After quitting my job and feeling shit. This is definitely going to make me feel 1000% better.

[@kevintemple245]

Good luck, man. Hope you find a better job soon.

[@issacsmith3169]

@@kevintemple245 im lucky that I have another job already (working as a contractor to a airline) but the one I quit I worked for 5 years with so just feels really werid and shit

[@kmech3rd]

Good luck bro. I'm inches from walking away from a 21 year job in the machine trades b/c of management idiocy. Hope you land soft.

[@khaelamensha3624]

Well after a Drach video and five rum glasses, we all see the world from a wiser point of view 😂

[@alphachad4631]

Haha nice one I quit my job today as well hey

[@edwinlamont4187]

I've read that the 10th flotilla was also called the "Western Desert Light Flotilla" or WDLF. Also coined by the Australian crews as We Die Like Flies!

[@Chironex_Fleckeri]

Lmao . Australians have been legendary shitposters for generations, I see.

[@scottyfox6376]

Laconic humour..

[@AnimeSunglasses]

...note to self: beware of Australian flies.

[@the13inquisitor59]

@@AnimeSunglasses They will try and carry you away in summer, so... yeah.

[@normantrewin2708]

@@AnimeSunglasses Australia is a wonderful country, let's face it 15 billion blow flies can't be wrong!

[@thomaswhitelake]

Thank you so very much for this! My great uncle Arthur McMaster, RSM from 6th Division AIF was pulled off Greece by HMAS Voyager. His company narrowly escaped the stukas in the hills and on that beach. He almost drowned after pushing a lighter full of men off a sand bar while wearing his greatcoat. He said that he thought he was done when a hand plunged into the water, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him aboard. He was very thankful for the courage of the crew of Voyager, who he said ceaselessly entered danger to save our boys. As a kid I spent a lot of time with he and his mates from the war. I miss their dry humour, matter of factness and quiet warmth, the inclusion of the interviews brought them back to life for me for a bit. Many thanks!!

[@petercastles5978]

Mate you are so lucky to have this history. My uncle Jim swam off either Greece or Crete and climbed up the side of a NZ destroyer. God bless those blokes in the Navy. Uncle Jim was destroyed by it all in reality. They were thrown into a crap show with no hope . Jim disappeared and is lying dead here in Oz somewhere.

[@thomaswhitelake]

@@petercastles5978 Yes Peter, a lot of sadness is made by war. Like your uncle Jim, my grandad, Dan, Arthur's half brother was ruined by it. I never got to know him. Mum said that he would dive to the ground shaking if a car backfired on the street. PTSD is a very nasty and real thing! After the war, mum at age 13 and her older brother had to leave school to support the family. They were all fractured by World War II. In the late 80s and early 90s, I used to meet up with Macca (uncle Arthur) and the boys from his company on the first Monday of every month, at the pub. They would drink like fish and reminisce with jokes, laughter and very colourful language. Then every now an then someone would say 'remember when' such and such... The table would go silent and nothing more would be said until the subject had changed. Memories of the fallen! I'm sorry for your family's loss of uncle Jim. May this beautiful land of ours hold him in peace. Take care mate! Thank you for your reply.

[@airplanemaniacgaming7877]

@@thomaswhitelake Your Great Uncle and his mates gave the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe, and a slight bit of the Kriegsmarine a nice little bit of the Australian Spirit: Stubborn as a mule, pesky as a Cane Toad, and kick like a 'roo. That is how I see the Aussie contributions to the war effort. Greetings to a fellow Commonwealth countryman, and may the memories and spirits of those who have since passed be forever remembered by those who try. -a dumbass up north in Canuckistan

[@draco84oz]

The Scrap Iron Flotilla - a badge of honour on par with the Rats of Tobruk…and the guys who served on it sound like typical Aussie larrikins! Thank you for this, Drach! The names of the Scrap Iron Flotilla were later reused for the Daring-class destroyers that were built in the 50s - this is where the HMAS Vampire that is on display at the Australian Naval Museum in Sydney comes from. BTW - HMAS Waterhen is currently the name of an RAN base in Sydney harbour, home to the Navy’s mine clearance divers.

[@glenchapman3899]

The Rats Of Tobruk actually made little badges for themselves, out of downed German aircraft. Pro level trolling lol

[@comentedonakeyboard]

Fortunately for the Aussies the Emus never joyned the Axis.

[@bearcatracing007]

We eat them now so technically we did beat them 😅

[@comentedonakeyboard]

@@bearcatracing007 i guess they should have signed the Geneva convention 😂

[@the13inquisitor59]

@@comentedonakeyboard Best part is, they’re pretty damn tasty.

[@comentedonakeyboard]

@@the13inquisitor59 a valuable piece of inteligence

[@dikkekater]

Sees HMAS Vendetta's jull number: D69.... nice

[@Deevo037]

The Australian fighting man, sticking it to global superpowers for over a century.

[@scott2836]

Thank you very, very much Drach. It is great to see these stories get wider distribution and exposure. Hearing accounts directly from the men involved is such a privilege. Thank you as well to the various Australian historical organizations for making their unique stories available to later generations.

[@loonatticat]

One of these Wednesdays, I’m going to bring some Rum to work and dig in properly.

[@jaysonlima7196]

Its cold and rainy here so I'm tucking in with a nice Irish coffee......

[@wester42]

Literally killing time before my Fitness test to join the Royal Australian Navy

[@michaelthompson342]

They marched under the “Scrap Iron Flotilla” banner in Sydney on Anzac Days. God bless them!

[@david__w7964]

Of the extensive body of excellent work which Drach has built over the years, but this might just be the finest example yet. History done very bloody well indeed! Good on the History Guild project too, the accounts from the veterans are fantastic.

[@kilotun8316]

Having worked with some RAN folks in the past, they were just the most wonderful people. Complete professionals when there was business to take care of but once things eased off, they were the first to get the party going. Never had so much fun roasting each other's services/countries but always with the greatest respect.

[@nigelleyland166]

Thankfully someone had the forsight to interview, eye whitness accounts are ofren so rare and often add more to history than any other media. Thanks for this one Mr D, all completely new info to me. Hope you all enjoy your trip accross the pond.

[@janwitts2688]

Yes HMS Carlisle comes with her own fan group...

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

If it's Humpday you know what that means; It is Rum Ration Wednesday! Everyone rejoice and lift up your cup of spirits and enjoy!

[@rosiehawtrey]

The problem with steam lines blowing out is that the steam actually erodes the metal away over time - kind of like a steam cleaner on kitchen goop only much more aggressive. Then the metal just splits. You don't want to be anywhere near it when it does.. If you've ever seen the bad choice scene in Last Crusade...?

[@biscuitninja]

Never underestimate angry Australians at sea....

[@Ricky40369]

That was magnificent. I was riveted to the screen. Cheers to my Australian cousins. God has a special place for them.

[@lilianaadamcewicz8320]

My Dad ex-Italian navy emigrated to Australia in 1952. As part of Italian Navy Association participated many functions with Australian Navy Association. Although they had once been enemies formed a long lasting friendship and even marched on ANZAC day. They all had one thing in common, the love of the sea and they were Sailors. The Italians say “once a sailor always a sailor”. God bless them all!

[@glenchapman3899]

Thats a really common thing to see among former foes. The Africa Corp reunions in Germany often invited surviving veterans from the other 'enemy' nations. I think the same thing holdd. Once a solider always a solider. There is very common ground in griping about the food, the officers, lack of girls etc.

[@airplanemaniacgaming7877]

@@glenchapman3899 a nice example of the fact that at the end of the day, when you peel away the uniform, the nationality, and all the other flashy stuff, it was men fighting their fellow man. Just look at the legend of Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler, two separate men from two separate countries flying two separate types of aircraft who after the war ended and met up later on would become the best of friends. Never forget, we're all human.

[@roykliffen9674]

Lucky no.13 I knew there was some truth in Mad Max.

[@samuelmathis3483]

Love the use of Oral History, I had the pleasure of interviewing several WWII veterans while working with the Veterans History Project. Never heard a dull story no matter what their job was.

[@BuildYourOwnBoat]

Ian is such a wonderful storyteller. I could listen to that man read Ikea instructions.

[@perotekku]

Would be interested in the Allies lesser known, "stopgap" ships. Armed yachts, trawlers, and reactivated WW1 vessels. The last USN and RN ships sunk by U boats were two of these very ships, USS Eagle PE-56, and HMT Ebor Wyke. HMCS Raccoon is another tragic example, sunk within Canadian waters with all hands. Brave little ships, with even braver crews who served bereft of the glory of grander ships.

[@sadtown]

"He wasn't a handsome man, but he was a man's man" If that doesn't describe classic hardworking Aussie bloke's I don't know what does

[@TannithVQ]

I found the humble and matter of fact accounts of these old sailors deeply moving. This was such a great video Drach, even by your lofty standards

[@BlueStarr86]

"Wait.... This is canvas... I'm retarded." - me if I tried hiding on the flag deck like Mr. McDonald did.