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Coog
02-25-2012, 19:59
In which Nation's Navy, big or small, would you have served during the Napoleonic Era? For me, it has to be the U.S. Navy.

The Royal Hajj
02-25-2012, 22:26
I think it would have to be Britain... so much longer to serve and a lot more action!

David Manley
02-25-2012, 23:51
I think my avatar says it all :)

(and actually I kind of do already :) )

Comte de Brueys
02-26-2012, 02:14
France, no doubt. :cool:

Anav
02-26-2012, 05:56
I will go with the US Navy....Its worked for me this long.....Lots of chance for promotion......

csadn
02-26-2012, 13:29
Does "pirate" count as "Other"? Since I doubt there's a reputable navy which would have the likes of me.... :)

David Manley
02-26-2012, 13:42
Does "pirate" count as "Other"? Since I doubt there's a reputable navy which would have the likes of me.... :)

You know, the more I think about it the more I reckon a pirate version as "first release" would have made a lot of sense :D

Coog
02-26-2012, 15:34
Does "pirate" count as "Other"? Since I doubt there's a reputable navy which would have the likes of me.... :)

I guess it would. You would be "nationless," owing allegiance to no one. While not quite as active as in the 17th and 18th centuries, they were still around during the Napoleonic Era (and even today) causing problems for other nations.

Blackrose
02-26-2012, 16:18
I voted "Other" as privateers don't serve in a navy. Now, for which nation I'd serve with, well who's paying the most? ;)
Karl

csadn
02-27-2012, 13:48
I guess it would. You would be "nationless," owing allegiance to no one. While not quite as active as in the 17th and 18th centuries, they were still around during the Napoleonic Era (and even today) causing problems for other nations.

Well, since the game is oriented towards stand-up fights than "cutting-out operations" and generally making life difficult for the home front, I figure "pirate" is the best I can manage.

"Evening, gentlemen -- welcome aboard HMS _Disreputable_." >;)

Anav
02-28-2012, 15:33
beware the Pirate wannabe's.....The US Navy knows how to deal with pirates.1042

csadn
02-28-2012, 17:55
beware the Pirate wannabe's.....The US Navy knows how to deal with pirates.

Well, as most of Europe was convinced the US Navy wasn't much better than a pirate organization to start with.... ;)

Anav
02-28-2012, 17:57
They were tought a lesson too. Or started asking us for help.

Berthier
03-02-2012, 00:58
Other for me too, not that I want to be a pirate either. I think my particular skills would be better served in the Admiralty or equivalent of other nations. I mean going to sea, scurvy, great heights swinging in 10 metre arcs 50 metres above the sea in ocean swells, being flogged and blasted with lead and splinters, living with a few hundred other gents in very close proximity...sounds like a really great time but I'm sure I could serve better on land and contribute much more to the fight...

Gunner
03-02-2012, 10:57
Since the Duchy of Warsaw didn't have a navy, I guess I would have served on a French ship:confused: (Out side chance on a Russian ship):confused:.
My vote went to France.

Bligh
03-02-2012, 12:15
Had to go with my own Nation, although having Dutch relations I nearly went with other. I have always fancied defending my fleet against French Cavalry.

1067

Rob.

Gunner
03-02-2012, 13:36
Had to go with my own Nation, although having Dutch relations I nearly went with other. I have always fancied defending my fleet against French Cavalry.

1067

Rob.

When the ice melts, you're in big trouble.

Bligh
03-02-2012, 13:45
In actual fact it was the other way round. the cavalry rode across the ice and captured the Dutch Fleet intact. If the ice had melted they could have sailed away.
Rob.

Gunner
03-02-2012, 14:28
In actual fact it was the other way round. the cavalry rode across the ice and captured the Dutch Fleet intact. If the ice had melted they could have sailed away.
Rob.

I stand corrected. I must learn to read instead of just looking at the pictures.

Churruca
03-03-2012, 12:28
I would served in Spanish Navy because is my country, but I have to say it's really hard fighting under terrible and incompetent big bosses. That fact, on the other hand, makes me admire great Spanish military leaders that defeated Vernon and Nelson, like Blas de Lezo or Gutiérrez.

Bligh
03-03-2012, 12:49
I would served in Spanish Navy because is my country, but I have to say it's really hard fighting under terrible and incompetent big bosses. That fact, on the other hand, makes me admire great Spanish military leaders that defeated Vernon and Nelson, like Blas de Lezo or Gutiérrez.

Yhe great thing about these Squadrons is that they will be under your command, and can be as good as you can make them, which is why my Frigate will be keeping well away from your 74's.
Bligh.

Churruca
03-03-2012, 12:53
You're absolutely right! That's the good thing of these kind of games. There are only pilots or commanders with planes and ships. There aren't terrible politicians, kings, etc. above you

csadn
03-03-2012, 17:20
You're absolutely right! That's the good thing of these kind of games. There are only pilots or commanders with planes and ships. There aren't terrible politicians, kings, etc. above you

For crying out loud: *DON'T* give game designers ideas! Can you imagine the cosmic nightmare which would be games like this with period politics?

"OK, I have my fleet together, and -- what's that?"
"Oh, just a card saying half your fleet is unavailable due to your captains being of the opposing political party."
"*FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUU--*!"

Churruca
03-03-2012, 17:33
"Oh, just a card saying half your fleet is unavailable due to your captains being of the opposing political party."

And that's only ONE of a lot of possiblities. I don't know About other countries of that period, but here we had corruption, incompetence, economic mismanagement... Ups! Wait a moment! 200 years and... it`s the same! :p

David Manley
03-03-2012, 23:22
Vik, insert the name of the armed force, big business or other organisation of your choice and you sum up quite nicely where we all are right now :D

David Manley
03-03-2012, 23:23
For crying out loud: *DON'T* give game designers ideas! Can you imagine the cosmic nightmare which would be games like this with period politics?

LOL, done that (and been on the receiving end of that) in the past. The joys of campaign games with people who really get into the period settings!

Killick
03-27-2012, 00:34
I voted US Navy they were a supprise package!

Churruca
03-27-2012, 08:28
I wonder who has voted for Spain apart from me... :confused:

Capn Duff
03-28-2012, 07:41
I went with my own country, although living in Bristol I may not have had much of a choice with the press gangs about :(

Capt P
03-28-2012, 18:03
Mates as with many of you my home country US.

rrrreubanks
03-29-2012, 11:19
Pirate is such an ugly word....how about privateer with an eye to self-interests?

Re: games that allow you to control your own fleets irrespective of how they played historically? That's why I couldn't keep my gaming buddies playing Trafalgar rules....darned Spanish and French had the gall to keep winning!

Old Salt
07-19-2012, 06:39
Britain. Being a good colonial what else could one do.

Bligh
07-19-2012, 09:53
Looks as if our chief protagonists are going to be Britain and the U.S.of A. once we have brushed those pesky French aside.
Bligh.

csadn
07-19-2012, 15:42
Looks as if our chief protagonists are going to be Britain and the U.S.of A. once we have brushed those pesky French aside.
Bligh.

So what else is new? >;)

Gunner
07-19-2012, 15:50
Looks as if our chief protagonists are going to be Britain and the U.S.of A. once we have brushed those pesky French aside.
Bligh.

For this time period, the U.S. needs those " pesky French ".

schoon
07-23-2012, 14:50
I voted "Other" as I would have to serve in my ancestors' navy of the Netherlands!

Diamondback
07-23-2012, 23:06
I would have been a licensed privateer under American flag... with the biggest, best-armed ship I could beg, borrow, or claim as a prize.

Anybody else remember the PC game [i]Sid Meier's Pirates![i]? That one was easy... get some upgrades and take out Henry Morgan first, move your ops to his ship, get it upgraded and you become the Playground Bully of the Caribbean.

csadn
07-24-2012, 14:01
Anybody else remember the PC game [i]Sid Meier's Pirates![i]?

Yes -- mainly due to the fact that every time I would get into a fight with a "name" NPC, the game would crash (I suspect the game designers never anticipated a player whose preferred method of dealing with "name" NPCs was "stand at a distance and pound the s*** out of him with artillery. But then, I also doubt they anticipated someone taking on a 122-gun Galleon with a 2-gun Pinnace, and *winning*. >:) )

Diamondback
07-24-2012, 14:43
LOL, Chris... before I found Morgan a viable target, my preferred tactic was to Grape and Chain the living dogcrap out of 'em, and keep trying to circle around on their stern. Dead crew plus no sails = unable to resist and a nice fat prize... the only quarry to succesfully elude capture by the renamed Ace of Spades under my command was a Ship of the Line, ironically the prize I wanted most.

7eat51
02-09-2013, 23:30
The United States, with the likes of Isaac Hull.

Jack Aubrey
02-12-2013, 03:29
France, no doubt. :cool:

WHAT???

Prussia, of course !............;)

Jack Aubrey
02-12-2013, 03:30
and here my ship : Fregatte Thetis, 1897
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Bundesarchiv_Bild134-B0335%2C_Fregatte_%22Thetis%22_vor_Anker.jpg/220px-Bundesarchiv_Bild134-B0335%2C_Fregatte_%22Thetis%22_vor_Anker.jpg

OmegaLazarus
03-13-2013, 13:17
You're absolutely right! That's the good thing of these kind of games. There are only pilots or commanders with planes and ships. There aren't terrible politicians, kings, etc. above you

This is why I like games. Exercise your skill without interference.

I went with U.S. since it is my country, however, I would have sailed for Napoleon if he asked (and I wasn't needed in the Artillery on land). :)

OmegaLazarus
03-13-2013, 13:19
The United States, with the likes of Isaac Hull.

Ah, yes. Isaac Hull, inventor of the hull. Ships sank so quickly before his brilliant innovation came along.

RichardPF
03-13-2013, 14:01
The United States, with the likes of Isaac Hull.

Thanks! I had not recognized your avatar image.

RichardPF
03-13-2013, 14:03
I voted other.
I guess I have too much entrepreneur in me.

7eat51
03-13-2013, 19:04
Thanks! I had not recognized your avatar image.

The more I read about him, the more I respect him. I don't think I could have chosen a better avatar.

Coog
03-13-2013, 19:13
Steve (Anav) had one of the best for a while as his avatar, Edward Preble. Without him Isaac Hull, Stephen Decatur, William Bainbridge, Charles Stewart, Thomas Macdonough, James Lawrence, and David Porter probably would not all have turned out to be the commanders they were.

Devsdoc
03-13-2013, 23:58
I think Russian, its navy was big and if it lost a ship just build a new one. The sea life of a Russian ship was short around 10 years, but they built ships like Ford builds cars. So lose a ship! Use the same model just give it a new name.
Rory

Watchdog
03-14-2013, 08:21
Austrian Imperial Navy for me.:cool:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Austria-Hungary-flag-1869-1914-naval-1786-1869-merchant.svg/648px-Austria-Hungary-flag-1869-1914-naval-1786-1869-merchant.svg.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Austrian_navy_c1820.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austro-Hungarian_Navy

7eat51
03-14-2013, 12:52
I think Russian, its navy was big and if it lost a ship just build a new one. The sea life of a Russian ship was short around 10 years, but they built ships like Ford builds cars. So lose a ship! Use the same model just give it a new name.
Rory

In case you are unaware, there is a game coming out on the Russian fleet. It is part of the Flying Colors series:
http://www.gmtgames.com/p-427-blue-cross-white-ensign.aspx

Gunner
03-14-2013, 13:42
In case you are unaware, there is a game coming out on the Russian fleet. It is part of the Flying Colors series:
http://www.gmtgames.com/p-427-blue-cross-white-ensign.aspx


The Imperial Fleets against the Turks and Swedes:cool:. Gotta have it, if only for the scenarios.

Thanks for the heads up Eric.

Gunner
03-14-2013, 14:05
In case you are unaware, there is a game coming out on the Russian fleet. It is part of the Flying Colors series:
http://www.gmtgames.com/p-427-blue-cross-white-ensign.aspx

In case anyone else likes this game, GMT Games needs 500 orders before it's produced. Right now it stands at 382 + mine = 383.

pward
04-14-2013, 13:56
US... I'm a us citizens so it is only natural, put me on the Constitution or Enterprise please!

CHolgren
04-24-2013, 07:19
Hard one, at one time the Holgrens were Earls of Gotland Sweden. But, with a Dutch explorer in the family who discovered the Cape Horn I would have to go with the Netherlands.

Cmmdre
04-24-2013, 07:40
In case you are unaware, there is a game coming out on the Russian fleet. It is part of the Flying Colors series:
http://www.gmtgames.com/p-427-blue-cross-white-ensign.aspx
Thank you for the link Eric. Looks like an interesting scenario based game. :happy:

GreenLaborMike
04-24-2013, 07:53
If the Hungarians had a navy (and not just a pleasure boat on Lake Balaton), then I'd probably serve on it. But otherwise it's the US for me.

Coyote
04-29-2013, 11:12
I had to vote "other" since I would consider it an honor to serve in McHale's Navy.

Churruca
04-29-2013, 15:10
I had to vote "other" since I would consider it an honor to serve in McHale's Navy.

I have read McHale was in US Navy, after all.

Diamondback
04-29-2013, 16:13
I had to vote "other" since I would consider it an honor to serve in McHale's Navy.
Which one, Quinton the Elder (played by Ernest Borgnine) or his son Quinton the Younger (played by Tom Arnold)? LOL

Point of canon continuity, showing the movie wasn't a remake... in the movie, Arnold's McHale refers to Borgnine's character as "Dad", who then asks "How's MY old boat?"--which establishes at least intent of a continuity link and acknowledgment of something that came before, a refreshing change from craptastic TV-to-film ripoffs like The A-Team. (I PITY DA FOO who thought those jokers could measure up to Peppard, Schultz, Benedict and Mr. T!)

Coyote
04-29-2013, 17:03
I have read McHale was in US Navy, after all.

"Technically" yes, but it was always more of a private enterprise, to be sure.

Coog
04-29-2013, 17:09
"Technically" yes, but it was always more of a private enterprise, to be sure.

I think Vik is referring to the actor that played McHale, Ernest Borgnine. Here's a link for more about him:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Borgnine

Churruca
04-30-2013, 03:02
I think Vik is referring to the actor that played McHale, Ernest Borgnine. Here's a link for more about him:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Borgnine
I was talking about the character. I knew Borgnine was serving in the Pacific theatre during WWII, but here in Spain we didn't know McHale TV series.
I searched yesterday about it and read it was based in that war theatre.

Coog
04-30-2013, 05:51
I was talking about the character. I knew Borgnine was serving in the Pacific theatre during WWII, but here in Spain we didn't know McHale TV series.
I searched yesterday about it and read it was based in that war theatre.

During the last season of the show, it was moved from the Pacific theater to the Mediterranean and Italy.

Пилот
02-23-2014, 16:04
I completely misread title...

So, it would be Shaykashi (Tchkaikisten) on Danube river.

Gunner
02-23-2014, 16:08
Infantry :beer:

That's automatic when your ship sinks.:beer:

John Paul
02-24-2014, 02:06
Pirate is such an ugly word....how about privateer with an eye to self-interests?

Re: games that allow you to control your own fleets irrespective of how they played historically? That's why I couldn't keep my gaming buddies playing Trafalgar rules....darned Spanish and French had the gall to keep winning!

You did, of course actually put the British ships on the table when the game started didn't you?!!!!! :beer:

John Paul
02-24-2014, 02:19
I definitely would be in the good ol' U.S. Navy!! Besides I already spent 22 years in it, so prior experience would have given me fore knowledge of it's short comings and pit falls!! :happy::beer::beer::beer:

Пилот
02-24-2014, 06:38
That's automatic when your ship sinks.:beer:

Join the floating infantry! :happy:

I somehow read it "Where did you serve", missing few keywords in title :embarass:

Gunner
02-24-2014, 09:08
I thought it was just your sense of humor.:beer:

Пилот
02-24-2014, 11:42
Well, at least it sounded funny :beer:

KeithS
02-28-2014, 06:00
I guess it would be British, possibly for patriotic reasons but mostly because I worked in Portsmouth for a while in my younger days and during that period I was to be found not infrequently in a harbour side pub, The Still and West (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/The+Still+%26+West/@50.7921946,-1.1093405,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x48745d876c0a99bb:0x37c0774f2a7549ff) if memory serves drinking Gales Ales (http://www.fullers.co.uk/rte.asp?id=216) :beer::drinks::dazed:. Therefore I would probably have been bopped over the head at some time and pressed aboard one of HM Ships :help::shock:, although I'm not sure what use they would have found for a computer programmer. :question:

Devsdoc
02-28-2014, 17:30
I guess it would be British, possibly for patriotic reasons but mostly because I worked in Portsmouth for a while in my younger days and during that period I was to be found not infrequently in a harbour side pub, The Still and West (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/The+Still+%26+West/@50.7921946,-1.1093405,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x48745d876c0a99bb:0x37c0774f2a7549ff) if memory serves drinking Gales Ales (http://www.fullers.co.uk/rte.asp?id=216) :beer::drinks::dazed:. Therefore I would probably have been bopped over the head at some time and pressed aboard one of HM Ships :help::shock:, although I'm not sure what use they would have found for a computer programmer. :question:

Ships Master or Purser :thumbsup: I to have sat out-side that pub, whiching the world (ships) go by. Looking into the harbour at the masts of H.M.S Victory and The Warrior, thinking how it would have looked 200 plus years ago. :beer: :sleep: :minis::minis:
Be Safe
Rory

KeithS
03-01-2014, 10:24
Yes a great place to sit on a warm summer's evening :beer:, many years since I've been there and I'm hoping that it hasn't changed too much, which I expect is a slightly forlorn hope :hmmm:. Still I can at least hope that it hasn't changed for the worse :thumbsup:.

Bionic Wookie
03-05-2014, 17:08
My family came to the US from Scotland. Hence, I would have probably been in the British Navy. My people are from Strathclyde, right on the border (Cheviots). My ancestors were cattle thieves and fought with the Bonnie Prince at Culloden. Funny, right about that same time the family emigrated to the US!

Mahan
02-20-2015, 13:52
Swedish Navy, in the 17th Century. Not very successful, I know, but a h*ll lot of action :happy:

Naharaht
02-26-2015, 08:20
Being British and living in Nelson's county, it has to be the Royal Navy.

Union Jack
03-30-2016, 16:28
Swiss navy.

Gunner
03-30-2016, 17:39
Swiss navy.

Ha, Ha. Too late, I just bid on their entire fleet and I didn't see any other bids. :beer:

Devsdoc
03-30-2016, 19:17
Lots of water in and around Switzerland.
They do not have a navy, but do have a Boat-Service. Small armed Cutters and lots of Zodiac's. It has the biggest standing army in Europe. If Switzerland was to go on a war footing Switzerland becomes one big fort with 600,000 troops yes 600,000 defending it. The lakes bits too! All Swiss males between 18-35 must get to there battalion stations within 24 hours. All 35-45 must go to there home and man all the bunkers etc, in there area. All the bunkers are working and armed. Most of the motor-ways can be made into runways and tunnels (Lots of Tunnels in Switzerland) are made to turn into hangers. Tank-traps chris-cross all of the country-side All Swiss men have weapons and kit at home ready to go. They do a 18 weeks training the first time they go, then 3 weeks each year. The older men do 2 weeks each year until 40 then 2 weeks each 2 years. The Israeli's base there arm forces on the Swiss army. It works O.K. for them! A little side note. They think that around 10% of the males will not show-up within the 24 hours or not at all. That is still over half million armed and trained troops to defend the not so flat land.
Be safe, I would not knock the 6 million Swiss!
Rory
P.S. All Swiss homes/blocks of flats have fall-out bunkers built into them by law. All schools have bunkers too. They can be all made into underground hospitals, H.Q.'s or safe places for the people to go too. They all know what to do. It's a little bit like an ants-nest.

Gunner
03-30-2016, 20:27
You just pointed out the reason why no one messes with Switzerland's neutrality.:drinks:

Devsdoc
03-31-2016, 17:31
You just pointed out the reason why no one messes with Switzerland's neutrality.:drinks:
Ed,
I lived in Switzerland in the 70's & 80's for 9 years. It was a whole lot different life-style than England. Lots say the Swiss are stuck-up and no fun. I had a very nice time there. I would go back to live there tomorrow.
It is not a country, more like your place. It is lots of small Cantons like states that work as one. But all are different. In 1 Canton you pay car tax by engine C.C. In another it's the size of the car. They are not Swiss. There are no Swiss Citizens, only Citizens of each Canton. It also works using 4 different languages. I sometimes do not understand how it all works! But it does work. And yes! Don't mess with the Swiss!
Be safe
Rory

Comte de Brueys
04-01-2016, 02:43
You just pointed out the reason why no one messes with Switzerland's neutrality.:drinks:

Question is, who cares for 600.000 men defending mountains, cows & lakes? :wink:

You do not need a 1st rate on the Lac Léman, you need it in Toulon or Portsmouth.

Bligh
04-01-2016, 03:24
Question is, who cares for 600.000 men defending mountains, cows & lakes? :wink:



The Gnomes of Zurich probably do Sven.:moneygone:
Rob.:wink:

Comte de Brueys
04-01-2016, 04:14
So those men prevent a British invasion to keep the British pound more stable? :question:

(You can use our highways... :wink:)

Bligh
04-01-2016, 04:28
I suppose that is one way of looking at it Sven, and thanks for the offer of the use of your Autobahn but we are having difficulty sailing up it.:wink:
Rob.

Devsdoc
04-01-2016, 11:08
Sorry I came a little off thread. We all poke fun at the Swiss navy. And think of Switzerland as the land of cows, lakes, mountains and money. It does not shout about itself, so I must. In the time of the Napoleonic Wars the Cantons were a part of Austria. But some of the Cantons liked Napoleon and some do not. 2 Regiments from Bern where stationed in the West India's fighting with the British. So one could have Swiss troops on British ships landing on French/Spanish/Dutch islands in the West India's. They did sail from Portsmouth!!!!!!
Be safe
Rory

David Manley
04-01-2016, 11:28
In the 1990s the Swiss merchant navy was one of the bigger mercantile fleets in the world.

Devsdoc
04-01-2016, 20:13
In the 1990s the Swiss merchant navy was one of the bigger mercantile fleets in the world.

That I did not know. Thanks David
Be safe
Rory

Comte de Brueys
04-02-2016, 02:40
Swiss Troops fought for Napoleon, too.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schweizerregimenter_im_Russlandfeldzug_1812


... In the time of the Napoleonic Wars the Cantons were a part of Austria...

...and that's definetely wrong.:wink:

The Swiss was an independent country, had to give some country parts to France during the Napoloenic Age but regain those teritories during the Wiener Kongress in 1815.

Let's do not overrate the importance of the Swiss during the Napoleonic age. (...and nobody should be annoyed if a snobbish French 1st rate captain backbites about minor Allies.)

Those valleys were hard to occupy, but if you're surrounded by European main powers you have to make concessions, like those Cantons did to Napoleon. (..and they welcomed the spirit of Enlightenment that French troops brought to Europe.)


In the 1990s the Swiss merchant navy was one of the bigger mercantile fleets in the world.

I guess that has something to do with taxation. :wink:



By the way: I saw some ships under the Swiss flag on tuesday.

TexaS
04-03-2016, 02:00
Try to tack in that channel... :shock:

I would guess not much wind in any case, it being so low down.

There's your autobahn, Bligh!

Bligh
04-03-2016, 03:04
Try to tack in that channel... :shock:

I would guess not much wind in any case, it being so low down.

There's your autobahn, Bligh!

Looks like a plateway to me, but with double tracks! Very up market.

21547



Bligh.

KDz
04-15-2016, 07:47
Responding to a query from the thread title, I choose Britain :salute: Although historically my nation was allied with France and he took part in almost all Napoleon campaigns.
Well..., this is the result of a large influence of great literature Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester. :wink:

Bligh
04-15-2016, 08:21
I always loved the Polish Lancers in my Napoleonic army Kamil.
Those uniforms were magnificent.
Rob.

KDz
04-15-2016, 10:47
Yeap, we have a long of cavalry tradition.
In Napoleonic wars Polish Lancers (Ułani) was one of three non french units in Imperial Guard.

HMS Goliath
10-02-2017, 21:59
Well, in the real world I'm an American however in the day most of my family was still in Scotland.
Royal Navy all the way! Besides, I learned recently that a distant cousin of mine was Captain of the Marines aboard HMS Victory under Nelson.