Monday, 22 July 2013

More Naval Battles

While on holiday in Whitby last week I sloped off for a day to meet up with fellow blogger Stephen Beat. A jolly chat about toys was the main business of the day but as he lives not far from Peasholme Park in Scarborough we were overcome by the need to see the naval battle which has taken place there daily for 80+ years.  The ships are 20+ feet long (so I couldn't get any in the car...) and are 'driven' by their captains.
In the olden days the 'baddies' were of course the Germans.  Now, we have a generic enemy with a big bad battleship and a submarine who attack convoys.  Not German at all then...

My thanks for SB for allowing me to steal his photos - there are more on his Milgeek blog. 
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16 comments:

  1. Rob Young22 July 2013 at 22:16

    Booked a few days in Scarborough over the summer - haven't seen the Naval battle since I was a kid, so hope to then. Not sure about the daily though - back then it was alternate weekends - it shared with a wild west show.

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  2. Geordie an Exiled FoG22 July 2013 at 23:19

    I remember it well and loved it
    It was the highlight of my family day trips to Scarborough

    It was thrilling to see HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles come sweeping round the island at full sped to confront the Graf Spee after it had savaged the Jervis Bay

    Not forgetting the planes from Ark crippling the U-Boat after it hit the merchantmen

    The explosions were loud too

    If given half a chance I'll take the family this year

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  3. Anonymous23 July 2013 at 01:58

    Neat.

    We have this in the U.S. Not as big; but they shoot.

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  4. tradgardmastare23 July 2013 at 08:40

    I went to Scarborough quite a lot as a child in the 1960s and loved the naval battle.Great to see it is still going strong.Holidayed near Robin Hood's bay last year should have gone...
    I also love the walk as a boy through the park illuminated by candles/nightlights,does anyone remember that?

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  5. joppy23 July 2013 at 09:09

    Also, check out the Potrsmouth model boat club site, www.pmbdt.co.uk/GALLERY.html for pictures and videos of their manned Victorian battleship display and sailing warship battle. IIRC one of the Victorian ships was offered on e-bay a while ago for £1800, don't know if there were any takers.

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  6. Milgeek23 July 2013 at 10:43

    Glad you enjoyed it Tim...

    Funniest part was when the commentator got himself tongue-tied when he had to explain what it was that the Ajax, Exeter and Achilles were famous for...Without mentioning 'The Germans'! LOL

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  7. Paul23 July 2013 at 12:50

    Nice!

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  8. Wg Cdr Luddite23 July 2013 at 19:00

    Excellent !

    Saw my first one about 46 years ago and still love it.

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  9. Tim Gow24 July 2013 at 09:48

    Xaltotun of Python
    I think it's on daily during the summer - it was a Thursday afternoon when I went.

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  10. Tim Gow24 July 2013 at 09:48

    Geordie
    It's not called the Graf Spee anymore, but why not cheer for the baddies anyway?

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  11. Tim Gow24 July 2013 at 09:51

    SAROE
    That looks good - and you still have a named enemy!

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  12. Tim Gow24 July 2013 at 09:52

    Tradgardmastare
    I went a few years ago for the first time since c1972. It pissed with rain then too... Happily last week it was scorching hot.

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  13. Tim Gow24 July 2013 at 09:54

    Joppy
    At that price I'll stick with my 1/1200 scale toys!

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  14. Tim Gow24 July 2013 at 09:56

    Stephen Beat
    Is it wrong that I was quietly hoping the 'enemy' would win this time?

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  15. Tim Gow24 July 2013 at 09:56

    Paul
    These models are too big even for your table!

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  16. Tim Gow24 July 2013 at 09:57

    Wg Cdr Luddite
    I was confident this would bring a nostalgic tear to your eye!

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