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Robert Lock

@robertlock.bsky.social
1.1K followers 358 following 774 posts

Amateur Naval History enthusiast . Often found digging into odd corners of WW2 Naval History - very slowly writing book on Hertfordshire's Navy

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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The Swedish-Swiss Commission: Managed by Swedish and Swiss personnel under leaders like Paul Mohn and Emil Sandström, neutral Swedish-flagged ships (painted white with large Red Cross emblems) carried Canadian wheat and South American supplies directly into ports like Piraeus.
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Organizations like the Greek War Relief Association in North America and influential diaspora leaders pressured Washington and London to ease their strict food blockades
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The Great Famine was a period of mass starvation during the Axis occupation of Greece (1941–1944), during World War II. The local population suffered greatly during this period, while the Axis powers initiated a policy of large-scale plunder. Requisitions, together with a blockade by the Allies.
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The group campaigned for food supplies to be sent through an allied naval blockade to starving women and children in enemy-occupied Greece during the Second World War.
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Oxfam started in 1942 as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief in Britain to help starving citizens in occupied Greece during World War II
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Its the Time Travellers and the nazi super weapon isn't it !!
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
@dreadships.bsky.social The French Submarine Mariotte apparently built on the principal that you can never have too much conning tower . en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_... The caption in the first photo says Mariotte sinks gloriously. Which is a odd word to choose .
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Here's a cute historical cat story
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Big Brother for Cats - googled Endemol contact details
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Do you remember this film ?
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
This is the Pre Dreadnought Battleship HMS Dreadnought almost the Pre Dreadnought HMS Fury but her name was changed.
HMS Dreadnought was an ironclad turret ship built for the Royal Navy during the 1870s. Construction was halted less than a year after it began and she was redesigned to improve her stability and buoyancy. Upon completion in 1879, the ship was placed in reserve until she was commissioned in 1884 for service with the Mediterranean Fleet. Upon her return 10 years later, she became a coast guard ship in Ireland for two years. The ship then became a depot ship in 1897 before she was reclassified as a second-class battleship in 1900. Dreadnought participated in the annual fleet manoeuvres for the next two years before she became a training ship in 1902. The ship was taken out of service three years later and sold for scrap in 1908.
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Do newspapers deliberately make mistakes now to power engagement and clicks This is the link photo and next to it is the first paragraph of the article. I know they leave out locations to get you to click . But this seems deeply cynical .
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
USS Monitor says hello
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
The ASW trawlers were operated by a WRNS officer, 1st Officer Audrey Parker. I think she was the only Wren officer to be given an operational job. She sat at the next table to mine in the office, and we worked together in perfect harmony. She really knew about ships. From Escort by D Rayner
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
So a group of Zebras are called a Dazzle so which came first . Is the camouflage named after the Zebras or the group of Zebras named after the camouflage. @dreadships.bsky.social
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
So that's where the design ins piration for the BT tower came from
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Voltaire while not known as a Poet did write poetry and also had his own 20th century Battleship
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Bear with me .....has anyone checked Sylvester Stallone's Diary . "My name is Harry Kane"
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Strong Astrotrain Vibes
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
This week I learned we had an HMS Urtica which is basically posh for HMS Stinging Nettle - mayhap we were running low on the good names
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
I'd like to recommend the Felixstowe Fury mostly because the name sounds like a very localised Vigilante/ Wrestler
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Empire Stevedore was an approximately 750 GRT cargo ship which was built as Kriegtransporter KT 3. Taken over at Hamburg in October 1949 by the Royal Engineers. To Marchwood, Hampshire in 1950 for use as a stevedore training ship, replacing Empire Flamian.
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
On a related note . The British Ship Research Association woke up one day and decided to strap some jet engines to the hull of a Victorian Paddle Steamer
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Invisible cars for Spies - let's think this through . You have not factored in other road users To Q from Finance We have been unable to get ongoing insurance cover for your Aston Martin "Vanish " In road trials other road users hit 14 times while in motion and 47 times while parked
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
WAAF flight mechanics and Royal Air Force (RAF) mechanics work together on a Bristol Beaufighter Mark VI plane at the Operational Training Unit, Cranfield, Bedfordshire. © IWM. CH13693.
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Thanks to @rogerlitwiller.bsky.social we have this pic and blog entry to remind us of importance of Logistics in Operation Neptune
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
One for Blackadder fans
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
She also was before her loss rocking 2 very different camouflages on different sides .
The last pattern was designed by Prof. Dakin and appears to have been applied in Nov 1941.  The Starboard side was painted in a pattern using Light Grey  (MS4A or 507C)  and Very Dark Grey ( MS1).  The intention of the design was to confuse the enemy as to her inclination and which way she was actually steaming.

The Port side carried no pattern and was painted in two tones of  Dirty Blue-Grey.    The two blues were very similar in tone and look like one color in photos. ( This blue is virtually identical with the Sea Blue worn by the U.S.Navy in 1942) The deck was painted Dark Blue.  This pattern was worn at the time of her loss.

( Aust.Nat Arch. Files C1707/P1 and Series A5954/69 Item 396/7.)
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
HMAS Perth The funnel flaps were fitted while in the West Indies . The idea was that they would break up the outline of the two funnels and so confuse enemy rangefinders. . The flaps were worn until the time of her loss @dreadships.bsky.social
The first pattern was applied at Alexandria on the 27th December 1940.  A competition was held for the design and it was won by AB Ross Birbeck and was often called the "Harbour Bridge" pattern.The colors used were Royal Navy Dark Grey 507A and Light Grey 507C. The deck was painted a dark blue but was painted slightly offset at the bow and the stern to confuse aircraft as to her true course. The tops of the turrets were painted Dark Blue.
( Information courtesy of the late Mr.Ray Parkin who was in charge of painting the design on the forward part of the ship )

           Intermediate patterns.
                                                Late in 1941 PERTH was used to trial a number of Camouflage Patterns. The trials were carried out off Sydney under the supervision of Professor Dakin who designed her last camouflage. A final report was sent to the R.A.N. on 25.11.1941 explaining the merits of  the different patterns worn by PERTH so it appears that the trials took place just prior to this date.
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Darling I've found this Amazing Air BnB for out next holiday. The views are amazing you can See for miles....
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_YF... The reverse can also be true
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
I actually live quite close to former site of one of first primary schools to teach cooking in the UK. See attached some of dishes they tackled
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
womenwhomeantbusiness.com/2021/12/28/e... The amazing story of a lady who built Batchelors Foods and cared for her workers and even tackled the thankless task of improving British Rail Catering @garius.bsky.social
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
I think they were used across multiple ships. I've heard reference to Anton and Bruno for Graf Spee for example. I did also find this reference but haven't been able to find a second source for it. So in WW1 it looks like the system could have been more fluid
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Viper was converted into a crane ship between 1909 and 1910 In 1940, during World War II, the ship was allocated to, Operation Sea Lion. For the planned amphibious assault, Viper was fitted with an experimental ramp to send amphibious Tauchpanzer III tanks ashore;
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine... The Germans in WW2 didn't really carry on any historical naming schemes from German Naval History With one notable exception which are Bremse and Brummer which in English are Horsefly and Bluebottle. Which are names straight out of the RN naming playbook .
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
USN cookbook of Ice-cream flavour from WW2 Pineapple Grape anyone ? #navalhistory
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Robin Don't forget the robins Robin Don't forget the USS Robin
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Fascinating series of photos of sinking of HMS Gurkha. Pics taken from Dutch Destroyer Isaac Sweers
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
I've also found a technically Millenium Falcon
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
This is HMS Star , she was built in 1898 and is a destroyer. So technically the Royal Navy had an Imperial Star Destroyer @dreadships.bsky.social @axe99.bsky.social
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Also Doc was rich , how did he make his money ? Deloreans are not cheap
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
From 1967 to 1975, 15 ships and their crews were trapped in the Suez Canal after the Six-Day War between Israel and Egypt. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_... @dreadships.bsky.social
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
From the first Famous Five book On their way to Kirrin Island, George shows her cousins a shipwreck, explaining it was her great-great-great-grandfather's ship. He had been transporting gold when the ship was wrecked in a storm,
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
The Lucy Ashton bought by the British Shipbuilding Research Association who wanted to test different hull shapes to see what effect they had on the resistance to travel through the water, and on speed fitted with four Rolls-Royce Derwent jet engines the former steamer underwent speed tests
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Robert Lock @robertlock.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
SMS Derflinger raised from the bed of Scapa Flow . She spent the entirety of WW2 floating upside down and in fact spent longer afloat inverted than she did verted .
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