Naval Flag Signaller
The naval flag signaller waits with rolled flags to pass messages with semaphore
Huddled against the North Sea cold in his hooded duffel coat and sea boots, he is a vital link between ships at sea as he passes messages from one ship to another using signals generated by hand-held yellow-and-red semaphore flags. Each letter of phrase of the message is formed by the signaller holding flags, and his arms, in specific arrangements.
Tradition dies hard in the navies of Britain and its Empire so, despite the availability of wireless technology, the RN still practised passing messages via semaphore throughout the Great War.
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On this day
On this day
3 June
1942 — Battle of MIDWAY began. This decisive victory by the US Navy over the Japanese Navy shifted the balance of sea power in the Pacific and forced Japan to abandon plans to attack New Caledonia, Fiji and Samoa. Japanese losses were 4 aircraft carriers, 1 cruiser, 248 aircraft, and over 3,000 sailors. American losses were 1 aircraft carrier, 1 destroyer, 150 aircraft, and 307 men
1944 — 78 Squadron, RAAF, carried out the last major air combat by the RAAF in WW2, off BIAK Island, New Guinea. 10 enemy planes were shot down for the loss of one Australian plane and pilot
1969 — HMAS MELBOURNE collided with USS FRANK E EVANS in the South China Sea. EVANS was cut in half and 74 of her crew were killed