UK Flag Institute Spring Meeting 2010: Part II

The second speaker at the UK Spring Institute Spring 2010 meeting was David Goldie of the Royal Navy, BSc MSM. His presentation was titled Command Warrant Officer (Surface Ships).

Goldie joined the Royal Navy in 1975 as a radar operator. Officer Goldie was decorated for service in the Falklands Islands and former Yugoslavia campaigns. Currently Goldie is a part of command to a surface fleet with over 18000 seamen under his chair. His physical stature matches harmoniously with his outstanding service record. His imposing military presence is matched with a polite and friendly British temperament, as a proverbial modern knight in a shiny new suit.

Coloured letter E

command excellence awards
that the US ships gets to wear

Goldie's presentation focused upon command excellence awards that ship crews could attain. There was a comparative study between the US Navy which painted stripes on ships of different colours. If you ever see the letter 'E' with various colours on the side of ship it means that it has been awarded bragging rights for being efficient and in top ship shape.

Capricorn in it's Chimeric form
Another focal point of Goldie's discussion was of the mythical hippocampus, which has become an icon of Royal Aircraft Carriers. The hippocampus is similar to Capricorn which in its chimera form is a goat upfront and a fish in the back.





But the hippocampus is a horse upfront and fish in the back. Probably the most famous of these fanciful

mammalian-fish hybrids is the mermaid or siren which is usually a human female up top with a fish tail body for the lower half.

However the hippocampus of the British Navy is a winged horse-fish. The flying seahorse is a harmonious icon of an aircraft carrier. It is the union of an animal that can swim, fly, and gallop in to war: the winged hippocampus.


Learn more about the UK Royal Navy at Her Majesty's Youtube Site Here:
www.youtube.com/user/TheRoyalNavy#p/a/u/1/rvRn997hI3g