Sweden and Finland has applied to become members of NATO. This is a major move, both for Sweden since the country has been neutral since the Napoleonic wars and Finland that was blocked from joining by the Soviet union. To celebrate this I'm posting a photo of two Norwegian border jaegers, a light infantry unit that patrols the border to Russia, at the Three Realm Beacon (my own attempt at translating Treriksrøysa). Treriksrøysa is the point where the borders of Norway, Sweden and Finland meet.
According to the report, the British army was training recruits in Ukraine for some years. Now it is seen as too dangerous to do that. It mentioned that recruits are being killed by Russian attacks while they are training, so the reason to bring them to the UK is that.
They certainly have given the Russians a bloody nose. I hope the war is over before long as there will be no winners, only losers. By that I mean the many casualties.
War is always a tragedy, so in that sense there are only losers. But if the Ukrainians manages to throw the the invaders out and keep their democracy that'll be victory. It will also be a victory for the rest of Europe because new the world knows Russia is weaker than most people thought and the West is strongest and more united than people thought. As a result Putin will probably have to put om the backburner any plans he might have had to expand Russia even more. This war has certainly made the Baltic states safer.
I agree about the situation over all, it is terrible many innocent people will suffer in the process and those involved will be scarred for ever by what they see and do. It is always a big price to pay.
There is an annual championship for Norwegian military and police skipets. Nothing unusual there, but you'll never guess what the prestigious the first prize is.
It's can of Coke! 🤣
This is a great country.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
That's very welcome news and interesting too. I didn't realise that the borders between Norway, Sweden and Finland all converged like that. If Putin's war in Ukraine was designed to drive a wedge between countries he has certainly achieved the opposite; a coming together of democratic forces in Western and Eastern Europe.
The Royal Marine Commandoes are going to establish a new center for their Arctic operations called Camp Viking. This camp vil be in Øverbygd in Northern Norway, the very camp where I spent most of my national service. Øverbygd and Skjold (Shield) Garnison was back then in know for its bad food and being a God-forsaken, but more importantly girl-forsaken place very few conscripts wanted to go. Today the food is probably better and the Norwegian armed forces has conscription for both boys and girls, so any RM members should only despair to a moderate degree ...
Øverbygd is north of most of Finland:
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,757Chief of Staff
Princess Ingrid Alexandra, third in line for the Norwegian throne, will do her national service in the same battalion I served in back in the day. Go, combat engineers! 😁
COMBAT ENGINEERS! For heavens sake, why not some cozy "air conditioned" branch? She's going to come out looking like a hairless orangutan with those stretched arms!! Poor thing.... 😥
"I mean, she almost kills bond...with her ass."
-Mr Arlington Beech
The Princess isn't afraid of doing real work. Last summer she worked washing the dishes at an Oslo restaurant and this autumn she will work as an assistant at a school. Her national service starts in January.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
It sounds like a few people in the British monarchy could do with taking a leaf out of her book then, and humble themselves in the service of the nation. I'm not naming any names, of course.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Comments
Thanks, 0073, you learn something new every day.
Sweden and Finland has applied to become members of NATO. This is a major move, both for Sweden since the country has been neutral since the Napoleonic wars and Finland that was blocked from joining by the Soviet union. To celebrate this I'm posting a photo of two Norwegian border jaegers, a light infantry unit that patrols the border to Russia, at the Three Realm Beacon (my own attempt at translating Treriksrøysa). Treriksrøysa is the point where the borders of Norway, Sweden and Finland meet.
Nice!
-Mr Arlington Beech
The photo that will destroy Putin's weekend: USS Kearsarge In Stockholm harbour.
Would've been nice to have been on Stockholm cruise this weekend.
Could've gotten nice shots of the deck of the USS Kearsarge from the Viking Line cruise liner with a telephoto lens.
-Mr Arlington Beech
I'm sure the ship has been in harbours before, offering good photo oportunities. The political implications of this visit are far more important.
The British army are training Ukraine army recruits in England. According to the news they expect to train 10,000 each 120 days!
That's a lot! I should think training Ukrainians to be instructors is the most effective way forward.
According to the report, the British army was training recruits in Ukraine for some years. Now it is seen as too dangerous to do that. It mentioned that recruits are being killed by Russian attacks while they are training, so the reason to bring them to the UK is that.
I see. These Ukrainians have become heroes of mine, as they have for many others.
They certainly have given the Russians a bloody nose. I hope the war is over before long as there will be no winners, only losers. By that I mean the many casualties.
War is always a tragedy, so in that sense there are only losers. But if the Ukrainians manages to throw the the invaders out and keep their democracy that'll be victory. It will also be a victory for the rest of Europe because new the world knows Russia is weaker than most people thought and the West is strongest and more united than people thought. As a result Putin will probably have to put om the backburner any plans he might have had to expand Russia even more. This war has certainly made the Baltic states safer.
I agree about the situation over all, it is terrible many innocent people will suffer in the process and those involved will be scarred for ever by what they see and do. It is always a big price to pay.
I feel for everyone in Ukraine, including the elderly who saw WWII at it's very worst as children and now has to re-live the horrors of war.
There is an annual championship for Norwegian military and police skipets. Nothing unusual there, but you'll never guess what the prestigious the first prize is.
It's can of Coke! 🤣
This is a great country.
That's very welcome news and interesting too. I didn't realise that the borders between Norway, Sweden and Finland all converged like that. If Putin's war in Ukraine was designed to drive a wedge between countries he has certainly achieved the opposite; a coming together of democratic forces in Western and Eastern Europe.
It's a pity that it wasn't Coke Zero. 😉
The British Navy's flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth at harbor in Oslo today.
The Royal Marine Commandoes are going to establish a new center for their Arctic operations called Camp Viking. This camp vil be in Øverbygd in Northern Norway, the very camp where I spent most of my national service. Øverbygd and Skjold (Shield) Garnison was back then in know for its bad food and being a God-forsaken, but more importantly girl-forsaken place very few conscripts wanted to go. Today the food is probably better and the Norwegian armed forces has conscription for both boys and girls, so any RM members should only despair to a moderate degree ...
Øverbygd is north of most of Finland:
I watched it in and out of Portsmouth a few months back…
Princess Ingrid Alexandra, third in line for the Norwegian throne, will do her national service in the same battalion I served in back in the day. Go, combat engineers! 😁
Can non-Norwegian Nationals, sign up for service in the Combat Engineers..?!😍
COMBAT ENGINEERS! For heavens sake, why not some cozy "air conditioned" branch? She's going to come out looking like a hairless orangutan with those stretched arms!! Poor thing.... 😥
-Mr Arlington Beech
I like the thought of the princess becoming a bulldozer driver or maybe she specializes on handling chemical, biological and nuclear warfare. 😂
Greetings from a former combat engineer ...
That is so sexist, you automatically picture her with a broom on her hand! Shame on you!!!
I was more thinking that she could easily handle chores like this:
Which does have some unfortunate effects on ones physique....
-Mr Arlington Beech
I also pictured her behind the wheel of a bulldoozer, so I think it on average evens itself out. I'm a sexist progressive! 😂
While getting long arms is unfortunate, it's good to know our future queen will know how to clear a mine field.
The Princess isn't afraid of doing real work. Last summer she worked washing the dishes at an Oslo restaurant and this autumn she will work as an assistant at a school. Her national service starts in January.
It sounds like a few people in the British monarchy could do with taking a leaf out of her book then, and humble themselves in the service of the nation. I'm not naming any names, of course.
Possibly, but I find the Prince of Wales' service as a rescue helicopter pilot laudable.
Yes, though it wasn't him I had in mind.
I guessed that. I think it's healthy for royals to know normal people and do real jobs.