Jim Perks – Once in a lifetime chance to see warships up close through the periscope

You do sweat a lot on a traditional Periscope and it’s hot and the Control Room is crowded. Apart from the fact that it’s a bloody interesting spectator sport, ‘cos you get some of the crew coming in and you know, rubbernecking over the top, seeing a couple of runs.

You try and allow that as much as you can, and in between runs you try and have them have a look through the Periscope, ‘cos they’re never going to see a Warship that close. And of course, it’s fun.

Once you realise you can do it and you understand what you’re looking at and you understand this is probably the only time you’re going to see two or three Warships charging at you, getting really close, you know, 1200 yards, that is close. That fills your Periscope up.