Rum Ration
the Navy Network

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A reserved welcome to RR,

Researchers, Journos & writers trawling here and at ARRSE often get short thrift, especially when they never return to update contributors on their progress so please be warned in advance*.

Originally Posted by tomjames

Hi all.

First of all I'd like to say that I'm not a member of the armed forces, though I have tremendous respect for everything that you do.

I'm a writer, commissioned on behalf of a small production company to write a treatment for story about the crew of an astute-style class of RN submarine, focusing on a handful of characters from a junior rating to the XO and captain, their interactions and the conflict that potential female crew could bring.

Such prejudice indicates your bent towards a juicy storyline/subplot which only tends to negate your opening statement. See the discussions and the Ist Sea Lord's dit at Post #10 here:
Guardian: "Women To Serve On RN Submarines From 2013"


My research so far has involved various sources (I'm reluctant to contact the MoD at this early stage) however I am very interested in hearing from former/submariners about their recruitment, time at sea, their stories and views.

I'm not looking for state secrets - but would love to get a feel for life on a sub and an idea of the protocol involved and camaraderie experienced - as well as get a few questions answered.

RRs archive in this Submariner's Forum holds about 66 pages of Threads, I'd suggest that you take a little time out to wade through them; there are quite a few gems hidden amongst the inevitable dross but you should walk away with at least some flavour of what you are seeking.

If you have not visited it already see also this site and it's associated Newsletters and Links:

Submariners Association

If this is even possible or sounds like something you might be interested in, please shoot me an email. I'm happy to hear from anyone, and would ideally like to conduct some face-to-face interviews; for which compensation can be offered.

Despite that carrot I regret that my own experiences are far from recent and therefore unlikely to appeal but there are quite a few others here who could fill the bill.

Any additional suggestions with regards to research would be greatly appreciated - I'm looking to create something entertaining, something really authentic and ultimately something that shows the Navy in a positive light.

Thanks

Tom,

As 'a writer' it may increase your *credibility here if you are prepared to offer some links to your previous output(s).

If you hadn't already realised it's worth emphasing that S/M Operations involve intense training for both the individual and the team, beyond which there stretches long periods of dull routine interrupted only occasionally by short bursts of intense activity.

Having said that the small-ship S/M environment is guaranteed to produce a host of characters whose eccentricities are less likely to emerge or be tolerated elsewhere in the Fleet so there is plenty of scope here for an authentic imagination...

Best of luck with your project.

Bob

I have to ask "Is this Emily back in another disguise?"

This could be a golden opportunity for those who failed their Part 3 and wish to vent their spleen, or even those misogynists who don't want wimmin onboard, which is what the OP is aiming for or am I just a cynic?

Originally Posted by WreckerL

This could be a golden opportunity for those who failed their Part 3 and wish to vent their spleen, or even those misogynists who don't want wimmin onboard, which is what the OP is aiming for or am I just a cynic?

You can fail sludgemariners course???? Too much dhobying???

Many fail Froggers, it's a bit more demanding than sticking your head in a bag and thrashing around in the shallows dontcha know (I would put a smiley thing but they don't work on me 'puter at work).

tomjames - I suggest you go into Helensburgh with a pocketful of beer tokens, suss out some submariners, ply them with alcohol and see where it takes you (hopefully it will not be Vale of Leven A&E). Jack tends to let out all sorts of "secrets" when he's had a few. Talking to bomber queens won't be much use, mainly because they know squat, so it may take some time (and money) to get what you want. Otherwise, as already indicated, you could trawl through the submariners forum!

@Bob - thanks for your help, yes I would prefer more recent experiences - I am happy to provide a list of credits just pm me. Please find below, an explanation of conflict.

@Janner - I think this might be an inside joke, but I'm not sure. Sorry to disappoint I'm someone new. Good news is, I think I came to the wrong place so i'll be on my way.

@WreckerL - I wasn't born yesterday, I can recognise a grudge when I see one and it's not helpful to me so I would stop there and then. As for my aims, they're to capture a range of beliefs from submariners. I think women on subs are a great idea, but I'm sure there are people who disagree and hearing why is always interesting and provides a spectrum of opinions. So I guess you are just a cynic, but I would own up to my use of the word conflict being confusing:

Just like "journey" - in the context of a character does not always mean getting on a bus. Conflict, in terms of of a character's conflict can mean anything that suggests a struggle of some kind, physically, emotionally or internally. E.G. A struggle between doing what you need or want and what you must do.

There is conflict in everything you read, watch, do. Without conflict, life is dull and all stories contain it. The best have multiple layers of conflict both external and internal.

In the simplest example: You've been away from your wife/gf/bf for x days - you share close quarters with lots of guys but you're dying to bash one out... can't take one in the shower...do you risk getting caught and humiliated? Or do you continue unabated until the frustration starts affecting your work.

Internal conflict - no women involved.

What if there's a female XO (could this even happen? I don't know) and everyone takes to her like a duck to water. She takes no crap and she does her job...what if everyone loves her but the captain, he was stuck with her because she's a test case, on the surface he's fine with it, but underneath he's old school and thinks she's a joke - and lets her know at every private opportunity - this slow degradation begins to affect her, what if she's in the process of a divorce at the same time? How does she juggle her personal life with her professional life and how does she win her commanding officer's respect?

Conflict - but it's not institutional misogyny on the part of the navy. It's one man's belief -

It's not about prejudice, it's about extracting tales of conflict that already exists and applying them in a different scenario; a mixed crew I would imagine, is going to bring a different dynamic to a situation that already has conflict.

And hours of boredom and routine? That's when the fun stuff happens. I'm not interested in underwater battles every five minutes.

Stories about an engineer spending hours and hours trying to pinpoint the cause of a rattling only to discover it's the chef exacting his sexual frustration by kneading bread like a Nazi. Genius.

Dental surgery in the bomb shop. Excellent.

There's another conflict for you: Guy has a rotten tooth. Too afraid of the dentist (let alone the steward who is also the dentist) to have a go at it, and so struggles through pain (conflict) to keep going until finally his mouth explodes and he has no choice.

You put three or four of those stories together and suddenly that's an episode.

But I was hoping to get a few questions answered - I know the $400 ash tray doesn't exist (pretty sure you don't smoke on board) but what about booze? I've read conflicting sources, some say alcohol is prohibited, but I've seen people downing large glasses of rum to receive their dolphins.

I've seen the TV's in the mess - do you ever catch up on Corrie?
You work in six-hour shifts, but what do you do if you don't sleep?
Have relationships ever broken out on board (even amongst men)?
Is there such a position as a chief engineer?
I've read about people studying to get degrees on board.
Has anyone played pranks?
Has there ever been a drill so realistic that you believe it's real.
Do people ever go to pieces? And what happens if they do?
What's an emergency blow like? And do you ever notice the pitch.
What's it like to lose all track of day and night.
Does the astute's new periscope technology mean there are no longer two (a search and an attack? periscope) how do you use an electro-optic periscope and are the days of peering through it and around over?
Is the diesel engine room really called a donk?

Knowing that you say raise search and not up periscope - stuff like that makes all the difference.

@notafourknotfudgepacker.

Thank you, I guess I came to the wrong place.

This, I'm sure, is a stupid question, but is a bomber the same as a skimmer? Or is it a type of vessel other than a boat?

[If you read all the way to the bottom, congratulations you've won a prize.]

Originally Posted by tomjames

@notafourknotfudgepacker.

Thank you, I guess I came to the wrong place.

No, I think that you have started out at the right place, actually.