Thursday, January 18, 2024

Updates

Well.  We are coming out of a deep freeze.  Election year in the states to our south (and a good chance of an election here federally).  The picture above was taken when we lived in the north, completely normal conditions in Yellowknife in Dec-Feb timeframe...
I looked at this blog several times over the past year, intending to post something, but work-life seemed to get in the way.
This, fortunately, is the slower time of the year.  
I received a new Bible for Christmas, which is a blessing (and a little bit of a loss as my notes and jottings are in the old one), this blessing is due to everything looking new.
I am passing through the Psalms and I came upon AIN a couple of days back.
Psalm 119:121-128;
I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.  
Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and the word of thy righteousness.
Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.  
I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
I'm not sure how many times I have read this passage.  5? 10?  I know I 'checked' it off in my old Bible for three times, almost 15 years back...
I have worked in positions that involve 'judgement' to some limited degree.  Soldier, military, civilian and firearms instructor, bylaw enforcement, health and safety consulting.
This passage struck me.  


 

Friday, December 9, 2022

Captain (acting) Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen VC 5 November 1940

 I'm not much of a poetry person.  I am sharing this as a opener to a man I just recently read about.  He did his duty, he lead his crew (and they fought for him and country).  Courageous men.



"THE SAGA OF THE JERVIS BAY 1940

In memory of HMS Jervis Bay

R. David Burns

 

On the fifth of November and convoy near forty

slow moving and scattered, no escorts to call,

a liner, a steamer, Jervis Bay, you recall

not armoured, light gun, no challenge at all,

sea was quite rough and light cloudy sky

masthead shouts "Smoke, port beam, there a nigh"


Captain Fegen now sensing a serious plight

of forty slow children, their chances are slight

For the Hun's fast cruiser the Admiral Scheer

is reported in region and dangerously near

will make short meal, with its twenty mile gun

this surely must be a win for the Hun!


"Tis not well today, just listen, my crew

There's one thing only and that we must do.

We'll challenge that monster in spite of her power,

that convoy is his if we fail at this hour.

Give me steam, speed and smoke, immediate I say

we'll make him take notice of our ship here today"


'Put a light at the masthead and he will say, ''Well.

This ship means business there's more it must tell

she may be a kind of small surface raider

But I'll soon put an end to this impudent stranger ".

"You Convoy scatter, as fast as you can,

stay clear of my bow, I'm full speed to a man

 

Thus spoke Captain Fegen of Jervis the Bay

as he turned the old ship to the path of the Scheer

the crew understood first blast must be near

but not a man flinched, their duty was clear

men down below and men up on deck

will fight to the death with that fast growing speck


The engines of Jervis just roared and shook

but eighteen� knots was not in the book

then all at once the punishment came

a shattering crash that shook her old frame,

Her uppers and bridge though torn might still stay

but that won't finish Old Jervis that day


Her engines roared still, onward she pressed

no shot nor shell had stopped to arrest

her hull held intact just thirty shots more,

and flames up on deck then started to roar.

Slowly, more slowly old Jervis came to

Ship, Captain, Seamen done all they could do.


At last and too late the Hun cruiser turned

to seek the convoy it'd earlier� spurned

but the darkening night had closed right in

and the convoy dispersed so Fegen's great win

saved thirty five ships, three thousand men.

Mere couple of ships was all Scheer's gain


Brave Captain Fegen's, Warrior Crew

achieved a win, so rare with so few

'cause of his shorter range guns, so cruel,

was unable to fire in defense in this duel

But Lo, there's more on this saga that night

A Swedish brave Captain returned to the site


While Jervis still burning, and burning bright

Plucked sixty five men of Jervis's crew

from a seaman�s death, lonely, and few.

As for their Captain like Nelson we're told

died at this moment of triumph, so bold

had committed himself to country and God


Now all of you mothers, fathers and sons

of a crew in that smaller ship that night

be proud, so proud, how bravely to fight

in a battle so hopeless, seemed at first sight

that all would be lost under cold oceans spray

But instead it was won by that proud Jervis Bay


What did the Hun High Command just say

in talk of th' escape of this convoy prey?

Was it caused by a big armed ship? But nay

T�was captain and crew of our Jervis Bay.

No matter, what history it reports today,

their glory will stay on my walls for aye .

 

My Father, Lieutenant Wallace Burns, had met Captain Fegen at some time before the sinking of his ship, and his loss hit my Father very hard. If this note and poem serves as any compensation for those in the family lines of Captain and Crew, I will be very pleased.

R. David Burns,413 Palmetto Drive, Greer South Carolina 29651"

 


He and his crew were basically on a 'liner', a freight/passenger ship.  Up against an actual cruiser, a 'pocket battleship'.  

The following is from the attached link:  https://www.thurles.info/2021/11/01/capt-e-s-fogarty-fegen-vc-a-forgotten-tipperary-hero/

"History of HMS JERVIS BAY.
The HMS Jervis Bay was built originally as a passenger ship; its purpose, to carry emigrants to Australia. With WWII beaconing, it was taken over by the Admiralty in August 1939. She was fitted with seven 6-inch guns, dating from the turn of the century, which were distributed around her decks and was repainted grey. Now, lightly armed and riding high in the water, her crew would refer to her as so many other such refurbished ships, as an “Admiralty-made coffin.”.

Her role was designated as that of an ocean escort ship, to guard Atlantic convoys. The British Admiralty were well aware that Germany in the First World War, had frequently employed armed liners, for raiding allied ships and in the Second World War, against such similar liners the HMS Jervis Bay would have had an equal chance of a successful defence, but was no match against an armoured ship.

On the November 5th 1940 in the Atlantic, Captain Fogarty Fegen, was commanding the HMS Jervis Bay, while escorting 38 merchantmen, when they were attacked by the German Pocket Battleship ‘Admiral Scheer‘, commanded by Admiral Captain Theodor Krancke; latter commanding all German naval forces in Western Europe.

History of ADMIRAL SCHEER.

The Admiral Scheer was a Deutschland-class heavy cruiser (often termed a pocket battleship) which served with the Kriegsmarine (War Navy) of Nazi Germany, during World War II. [The vessel was named after Admiral Reinhard Scheer, German commander in the Battle of Jutland.]
She was built at the Reichsmarinewerft shipyard in Wilhelmshaven, in June 1931 and was completed by November 1934. Originally classified as an armoured ship (Panzerschiff) by the Reichsmarine, in February 1940 the Germans reclassified the remaining two other ships of this class as ‘heavy cruisers’.

The ‘Admiral Scheer’ had slipped through the Denmark Strait and into the open Atlantic on the night of October 31st, on her first combat offensive of WWII. Now hunting in the North Atlantic, her radio intercept equipment quickly identified convoy HX-84, as being in the surrounding sea area. An on board seaplane (Heinkel He 60) launched from a catapult on the ‘Admiral Scheer’, eventually located the HX-84 convoy on the morning of November 5th, some 144 km, (90 mls) from their then North Atlantic position.

Sometime in the late afternoon a lookout on board the ‘SS Rangitiki’, latter the tallest of the convoy ships, observed the mast of the Admiral Scheer on the horizon. At about 4:45pm Capt. Fogarty Fegen sounded action stations and began accelerating his ship out of its convoy position; to head toward the Admiral Scheer, firing the ship’s 6-inch guns, while aware he was well out of range of the enemy craft.

It was only Admiral Scheer’s third salvo that struck the Jervis Bay’s bridge, knocking out her rangefinder, wireless, and fire-control equipment, while also killing several officers and crewmen in the blast. Captain Fegen’s left arm was very badly injured in the strike.

Darkness was falling as Admiral Krancke continued to train his big guns on the Jervis Bay, with each salvo launching two and a half tons of ordnance at the stricken vessel. Admiral Krancke knew he needed to quickly sink Jervis Bay in order that he would have sufficient time to attack the rest of the convoy.

However, Jervis Bay continued steaming towards Admiral Scheer while firing her guns, until her steering gear was knocked out. Nevertheless, the heroic actions of the Jervis Bay had now saved most of the convoy, but Capt. Fegen’s actions would cost him his life and that of his ship.

With Captain Fegen now dead, Lt. Cmdr. George Roe, in assumed command, ordered the remaining crew members to abandon ship. Most of the surviving Jervis Bay crew simply jumped into the icy, sub-Arctic sea, some making it to existing rafts, while others made do with what debris they could find floating on the water’s surface.

Captain Olander of the Stureholm, impressed by the courage shown by Captain Fegen and Jervis Bay, called his ship’s crew together and proposed they return to the scene to search for possible survivors. The crew of this Swedish ship agreed, and the freighter returned to the battle scene, where it was able to pull just 68 men of Jervis Bay’s crew (of the 266 man crew) from the freezing sea, (three of same died after being rescued and were buried at sea that night).

Stureholm then returned to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, considering it the safer of two options; arriving back there on November 12th.

The remaining 38 ships of the convoy, which had taken advantage of the time the Jervis Bay had bought for them, had scattered. With Jervis Bay sunk the ‘Admiral Scheer’ continued in search of the now scattered convoy ships managed to sink only five of them.

Note: – Names of Officers of ‘H.M.S. Jervis Bay’, are hereunder coloured in Purple denoting those known ‘Killed’, while names coloured in Red denote those as ‘Missing, Presumed Killed’.
Back row left to rightGunner E.R. Stannard, Lieut. Richard Shackleton, Surgeon-Lieut. H.St.J. Hiley, Paymaster Lieut. A.W. Stott, Lieut. Hugh Williamson (chief radio officer), Lieut. A.H.W. Bartle, Lieut. Norman E. Wood, Lieut. Walter Hill, Lieut.-Commdr. George L. Roe, Lieut. H.G.B. Moss, Paymaster Lieut. J.G. Sargeant.
Middle row left to rightPaymaster Commdr. E.W. White, Lieut. Commdr. K.M. Morrison, Commdr. J.A.P. Blackburn, D.S.C., Capt. E.S. Fogarty Fegen , V.C., Engineer Commdr. J.H.G. Chappell, Lieut. Commdr. A.W. Driscoll.
Front rowleft to right – Wireless Operator Donald Curry, Midshn. Owens, Midshn. Ronald A.G. Butler, Midshn. C.C.T. Latch, Midshn. W.B. Thistleton.Other senior officers of the vessel, including Surgeon Lieut. Commdr. T.G. Evans, Lieut. Dudlet J.H. Bigg, and Sub-Lt. Guy Byam-Corstiaens,

 

In one of Winston Churchill’s War Time Speeches entitled. “Forward, Till the Whole Task is Done”,communicated on May 13th, 1945. he states: –
“When I think of these days I think also of other episodes and personalities. I think of Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde, VC, or Lance-Corporal Connally, VC, and Captain Fegen, VC, and other Irish heroes that I could easily recite, and then I must confess that bitterness by Britain against the Irish race dies in my heart.”

 

The war ended for the Admiral Scheer in April 1945, when she was capsized in about 50 feet of water during a 300-plane air raid at Kiel harbour, on the southwestern coast of the Baltic Sea.

Captain Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen was recommended for the Victoria Cross by Britain’s King George VI, who was said to be “stirred deeply” by Fegen’s sacrifice. “When [Captain Fegen] attacked by the Admiral Scheer,” wrote King George VI in his diary, “he knew he was going to certain death.” The medal was awarded to Fegen’s sister, Miss M.C. Fegen, by His Majesty King George VI, at an investiture at Buckingham Palace, in June of 1941.

A citation for Capt. Fegen’s Victoria Cross was published in the London Gazette on November 22nd 1940.

It read: – “The King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Victoria Cross to the late Commander (acting Captain) Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen, Royal Navy, for valour in challenging hopeless odds and giving his life to save the many ships it was his duty to protect”.

 

 Memorials can be found to Captain Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen at; Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent, UK (Marker: 34. 1); on a sundial, at Hamilton, Bermuda; on a 4 meter high Column in the Hospital grounds at St John, New Brunswick, Canada, the Seaman’s Institute, Wellington, New Zealand and on a little known Naval Memorial headstone the walled-in old graveyard, beside the ivy covered, ancient ruins of a Church in Drom, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. His body was lost at sea never to be located and thus he remains listed as ‘Missing, Presumed Killed’."

The only words I can say is "they did their duty".

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Remember

Yesterday was Remembrance Day here (was called Armistice Day at one time long past).  For some reason even this day can be controversial.  There are some who argue that the day is to remember those who lost their lives, others who claim that it is a day to honor those who served.  Even some who argue (quite convincingly though I disagree) that it should be a general holiday...

My thoughts?

I served so folks could do what they wished.  In school it should be a day of remembrance, an opportunity to teach a little bit of history, like any other important day in our nations history.  Not 'pro' or 'anti' war, just a recollection of men (though primarily, there were also women) who stepped up (some forced, remember conscription, but they didn't run to Canada) and served. 

There is a saying which I do agree with to some degree: "Some gave a little, some gave all".

Anyone who signed up, was conscripted, or just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time served.

Hence: Remembrance Day.  The soldiers, sailors, airmen that we never knew, who died in horrifying conditions, in mud, water or night skies.  The man that marched towards 'ground center' during nuclear tests who died from some unexpected cancer decades later.  The person who stood guard over some none de-script location, day after day, for months.

The person who trained and then spent years viewing a screen, watching for a threat that (praise God) never materialized.  The soldier who trained hard, missed birthdays, girlfriends, opportunities, family gatherings but never left Canada.The hockey coach, scout leader, swim coach who spent hours and days helping some young person achieve something, anything.

The (primarily) women who kept the family running at home, fearing a knock on the door...

The kids who grew up without (primarily) dad at home.  And of course (now to a smaller degree becoming common) missing their mom.

All who served.  We all have someone to remember.  The moment of silence is to remember the lost, and respect to those who have lost, or are being silent in remembrance. 

It doesn't have to be one day, one hour, one moment, once a year.  I try to remember every day.




Saturday, October 22, 2022

our far-flung battle line...

 

God of our fathers, known of old,
  Lord of our far-flung battle line,
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
  Dominion over palm and pine —
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies;
  The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
  An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

Far-called, our navies melt away;
  On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
  Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
  Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
  Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
  In reeking tube and iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
  And, guarding, calls not Thee to guard;
For frantic boast and foolish word—
Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!


Rudyard Kipling 

1897

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

That's not how its done...

 https://twitter.com/i/status/1562318893816852480

 In case time erases the link.  It is of a young lady 'playing' with a semi-auto pistol.  She almost blows her own head off.  Careless, stupid.  She should purchase a lottery ticket...

Monday, August 1, 2022






 A couple of months since I have spoken on here.  Been fairly busy with my new position.  We did go to the Morris Stampede last weekend.  Spent most of our time in the rodeo grounds, also stepped out to watch the Manitoba Mounted Firearms guys (and gals).  Was pretty impressive.  The bell at the end is a kind of neglected point in the village of Rosebank.  I thought it was much older, nope, just overgrown.  Folks get busy I guess.  The other picture is just south of Highway 1 heading south from St. Francois Xavier.  Very flat.  I like Manitoba.

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

flubbed...

 and tired a lot lately.  Reading The Word, weather has been kinda cool until today.  Flooding, but not too bad.  Work has started to pick up.  New job on horizon.  Barb has been sick.  Grand-kids are growing, and priceless.  Finished Mom's estate, waiting for tax man.  Haven't been to the range in a while (cold and now wet so road is mushy).  

Life is good.  God is in control.  I am content.



Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Humiliation

Jeremiah 3:25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God. 

Why is humiliation hiding in the Christians life?  I look into my Bible and I see that all of our sin is a disgrace to our Lord.  "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:" (Genesis 1:26(a)

We are made in the actual image of God.  Understanding that the original created human has suffered by the fall.  The image is still there.  Satan hates God.

Thursday, March 17, 2022

New job

 Took on a new position.  Will be a little more busy.  So my already sporadic posting may decrease.  It has been truly interesting to see the comments on my social media links that involve retired and serving soldiers.  More interest in things of the Lord and His Word.

Pray I always have time for this and not get distracted into the weeds of cares of this world.

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Stay out of current politics... why?

 I like to study history.  I was a soldier for coming on twenty five years, a cadet, then an infantryman.  Absolutely loved and hated it, at the same time.  Which I am sure any infantryman would fully understand.

Had the fortune, or misfortune depending on how you look at it I guess, of having lived through a couple of events that will end up in the obscure corners of history books.  I'm not famous, no hero, didn't do anything 'great'.  Just happened to serve along side some great men.  Fortunate.

I put my trust and faith in Jesus Christ my last year serving.  I was posted outside of an infantry unit my last couple of years.  My last tour was as the Operations Officer and Senior Instructor for a para-military unit in Canada's north (this post is not about them, I'm sure you can find out who they are).  It was a very challenging position, and quite an education.

I believe the Lord was very patient with me over my life.  I read of folks who turn down His saving grace and that's it.  They're done.  But the Lord worked on me for quite some period of time, before I recognized my actual state as a helpless sinner.  A sinner who was in need of the work completed by His Son at Calvary.  I am reminded by the life of King David, who was outrageous in his turn to sin, and yet still confessed turned back and sought His Lord.  Please, I am not claiming to be as great as such.  Yet I firmly believe that our Bible gives us examples no matter how low in our statue or high that we can emulate in our Christian walk.  Davids fall and recovery is one.

I find that when I read through my Bible, the parts I personally enjoy the most are the history books.  I know from others testimony that some like the poetry books, some like the prophecy.  For me, history.  I look at the world I am living in as walking through a history lesson.  I must always remind my self.  That other's don't think as such, and may miss things I find relevant, just as they cannot understand my apparent or real lack of empathy for what they see.

So why no politics?  Simple.  The thing about history and the study of same, is we are looking back.  As time passes, we can either get more information as to what happened (i.e. release of the Soviet archives) or even less information (the destruction of great libraries by thugs and barbarians, or governments who hold onto archival information for multiple decades or even - rarely - destroy it).  Politics is current, it happens around us, we are looking forward, and as a result what we actually know about the past reporting; is usually extremely inaccurate.  

People lie, even Christians inflate their actions, we are sinners.  Also, though hard to understand, people have incomplete memories or even cases where they feel so strongly on something, that becomes a "truth" to them, though provably false.  This is very much something pushed in our current times "my truth - your truth".  A great trick of Satan to keep us divided and away from the truth.  Sometimes even the truth can be a lie (if told in a manner to deceive or mislead).  It is our job as Christians to stand by the truth, and yet remember that these unsaved folks are not our enemies.

This has been common in every ruling class throughout history.  Some will even try to justify it by the Bible passages that allow deceptive practices during war.  There have been some leaders that have been honest, but I am pretty sure we could count them up on two hands, and the ones who were not overthrown or assassinated on one hand...

Even as we live through things, we have a distorted view of what is actually going on.  It doesn't mean that what we see is inaccurate, just maybe not enough information to fully explain the event.  And of course, then you run into those who gain power by the misinformation or attempt to discredit (the supposed contradictions of the four Gospels anyone?).

So, though I don't care of the politician who (supposedly) wrote it, the title to the book 'Living History' always kind of lines up with my view.  And because the history that we are living through, has not been reviewed, archived and studied.  We, like when we were standing near some historical event, may be missing a large part of the actual story.

Praise God for His patience with me, prior to salvation and since.  

Years I spend in vanity and pride
Caring not my Lord was crucified
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary
Mercy there was great and grace was free
Pardon there was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary
 
By Gods words at last my sin I learned
Then I tremble at the law I'd spurned
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary
O the love that drew salvation's plan
O the grace that brought it down to man
O the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary
 
Mercy there was great and grace was free
Pardon there was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary
Oh and now I've given to Jesus everything
Now I gladly own Him as my King
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary
 
Mercy there was great and grace was free
Pardon there was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary
Mercy there was great and grace was free
At Calvary
Calvary...
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybac87HfB2M

Friday, March 11, 2022

Telegenic Charismatic Leaders

 


Am I the only one who feels like I need to check my wallet when I run into or see one of these types on the video?  I prefer not to make our leaders or other countries into hero's.  They always fall short.

The latest, Ukraine fellow, makes me think of the fellow from the "Left Behind" movies from the early aughts.

Is it just me (of course you must take into account the photo above is designed to give the game away, in the movie, he could be quite charming)?


And doubly, I realize, that he is the current flavour of the month.  So there are some, who may be triggered into anger just by this question being asked.  My only question to them and you is, is there a similarity?


Updates

Well.  We are coming out of a deep freeze.  Election year in the states to our south (and a good chance of an election here federally).  The...