A bit of black humour
Published:
January 18, 2012 at 1:55pm
There’s a spoof quote doing the rounds in London.
“There are 3 things I like about being on an Italian cruise ship. First, their cuisine is unsurpassed. Second, their service is superb. And then, in time of emergency, there is none of this nonsense about women and children first.”
– Winston Churchill
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Reply to antonia willis Click here to cancel reply
In emergency evacuations of Italian cruise ships, the Captain leads by example.
Apparently this is a real quote not a spoof. At least that is what some websites claim, but it is a bit hard to verify the authenticity.
[Daphne – I didn’t think there were Italian cruise ships at the time, or even the concept of taking a commercial cruise – still less somebody like Churchill, who had access to private yachts (the real thing, that is), paying to go on one.]
There were ocean liners mostly operating the North Atlantic Route and the Italia Line had at least two ships pre WWII.
True that. Also it is a bit hard to imagine Churchill going on an ITALIAN ship in that era.
The quote is also attributed to a certain Noel Coward: “I only travel on Italian ships; in the event of sinking, there’s none of that ‘women and children first’ nonsense!”.
The one I came across was attributed to Noel Coward.
Some more black humour
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=209798289114069&set=a.205729969520901.47828.205275409566357&type=1&theater
It seems that “women and children first” didn’t apply at all for the Concordia case.
Due to their reluctant involvment in the 1991 Gulf War, the government of Italy (a nation not known for their bravado), replaced half of their fighter-jet fleet with Harrier jets, because they were the only ones that could fly backwards.
God knows I look askance at Italy, but how about a joke on Maltese “reluctant involvement” in various wars?
It’s similar to the old saying about Italian armoured vehicles during World War II: 5 gears in total, 4 reverse and 1 forward (crawl).
Which could explain why German SS were astonished when a light infantry division preferred to face 8th army British tanks with grenades and molotov cocktails. The incident reinforced Patton’s disdain for Monty.
Ever heard of the Andrea Doria’s Calamai?
Lovely. Almost Winnie but not quite.
The real point is that on Italian liners, in an emergency, you get catapulted into a lifeboat.
Don’t ask me how. Ask Schettino.
State of the art.
“coraggio – fuggiamo”
Naughty H.P. Baxxter – give the lovely Maltese a break: that G.C. was well earned!! :)