The Bilge Pumps

Today it's just two naval history geeks, and so it is a two-parter as Alex and Drach wrestle with RapidRazorback's question: what bits of history do we think have been forgotten that need to be remembered?

We've made it to Episode 18 and this will be the first time a crewmate is missing from the  Bilge Pumps crew. So be prepared to be very afraid because this could be long, this could go down rabbit holes, we could start out discussing history and end up debating sci-fi...Honestly, the only people more scared than you of what this could be is Drach and Alex themselves. But still, for you, they did it! 

So after all that what is Episode 18 about? Well, the #Bilgepumps team after being so topical for so many weeks, is continuing this by asking what history has been forgotten that shouldn't be. Come listen and see how long Alex manages to contain himself from discussing HMS Unicorn! 

#Bilgepumps is a still newish series and new avenue, although it may no longer have the new car smell, in fact more of pineapple/irn bru smell, with the faint whiff of cork– but we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump Crew (with #Bilgepump) at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

We've made it to Episode 17 and the Bilge Pumps crew have been joined this week by the exceptional Prof. Sal Mercogliano (@mercoglianos), who is joining us to discuss pod propulsion, incremental manning, and all sorts of other fun and interesting things which could be coming to a national navy near you just as soon as they pay proper attention to the merchant navy. 

Sal is the History Professor at Campbell University, an Adjunct USMMA, a prolific maritime historian, a merchant mariner, Captain-Northwest Harnett VFD, and an all-around brilliant passionate advocate for the sea and maritime security. 

So after all that what is Episode 17 about? Well the #Bilgepumps team are being topical of course, what can be learned from things like the RMS Queen Mary or the Rolls Royce Experiments in uncrewed ships, the real question is will Alex or Drach crack the first bad joke or pun? #Bilgepumps is still a new series and new avenue, and although possibly no longer having the new car smell, we are getting the impression that it's liked. But now we need you. Do you have suggestions for topics? Comments on how we could improve? Or most importantly, ideas for artwork, then please either tweet them to us the Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps) at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Dr. Matt Carter, our special guest, is a maritime archaeologist and the Research Director for the Major Projects Foundation. He is an International Fellow of the Explorers Club and has worked on and led maritime archaeological projects in 12 different countries. Matt describes himself as passionate about combining his archaeological training and commercial and technical diving qualifications to investigate potentially polluting wrecks throughout the Pacific – a very worthy cause indeed.

So after all that, what is Episode 16 about? Well the #Bilgepumps team is being topical of course, so with all the problems of underwater archeology and potential disaster relief, the real question is will Alex or Drach crack the first bad joke or pun?

#Bilgepumps is a still newish series and new avenue, although it may no longer have the new car smell, in fact more of pineapple/irn bru smell, with the faint whiff of cork– but we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

By Alex Clarke

We've made it to Episode 15 and the Bilgepumps crew have been joined by the one, the only, Laughton Chair of Naval History from King's College London's War Studies Department, Professor Andrew Lambert. Or as Alex has called him since he supervised his PhD, Prof!

We are joined by him for an extended show that can best be described as what would happen if you sat four naval history geeks down in a room and gave them endless drinks, snacks, and told them to figure out who was the best admiral of all time for future leaders to model themselves on. Although we're not in the same room, not even the same time zone, and definitely not the same continent. Alongside our love of naval history, one of us boxes with springy creatures and fights daily battles with ravenous wildlife, another builds model railways, the third's Australian, and the special guest literally lives next door to an archive.

So after all that what is Episode 15 about? Well the #Bilgepumps team is being topical of course, so with all the problems of modern leadership and the changing world, who is the admiral from the past that best provides a template? Hornby? Cunningham? Nelson? The crew asks the Professor who literally wrote the book on admirals.

#Bilgepumps is a still newish series and new avenue, although it may no longer have the new car smell, in fact more of pineapple and irn bru smell, with the faint whiff of cork, but we're getting the impression it's liked. So we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork tweeted to us the Bilge Pumps crew (with #Bilgepump) at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

We've made it to Episode 14 and no Russian ships have broken apart on us, although apparently their floating docks are now their biggest threat, and we did warn them in Episode 13. Well, as that is the norm, here is Bilge Pumps as we three regular naval geeks of easy listening disposition do call it.

Today we are joined by the highly esteemed CDR Salamander for a two-part show that can best be described as what would happen if you sat four naval history geeks down in a room and gave them endless drinks, snacks, and told them to fix what was wrong with navies today. Although, we're not in the same room, not even the same time zone, and definitely not the same continent. Alongside our love of naval history, one of us boxes with springy creatures and fights daily battles with ravenous wildlife, another builds model railways, the third's Australian, and the special guest hobby farms something the size of most UK dairy farms.

So after all that what is Episode 14 about? Well the #Bilgepumps team is being topical, so the Chinese fleet is massive, ever growing – more as an employment mechanism than a sensible strategy, but how does the west counter that? CDR Salamander joins us to help divine the answer.

#Bilgepumps is a still newish series and new avenue, although it may no longer have the new car smell, in fact more of pineapple and irn bru smell, with the faint whiff of cork, but we're getting the impression it's liked. So we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork tweeted to us the Bilge Pumps crew (with #Bilgepump) at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

We've made it to Episode 14 and no Russian ships have broken apart on us, although apparently their floating docks are now their biggest threat, and we did warn them in Episode 13. Well, as that is the norm, here is Bilge Pumps as we three regular naval geeks of easy listening disposition do call it.

Today we are joined by the highly esteemed CDR Salamander for a two-part show that can best be described as what would happen if you sat four naval history geeks down in a room and gave them endless drinks, snacks, and told them to fix what was wrong with navies today. Although, we're not in the same room, not even the same time zone, and definitely not the same continent. Alongside our love of naval history, one of us boxes with springy creatures and fights daily battles with ravenous wildlife, another builds model railways, the third's Australian, and the special guest hobby farms something the size of most UK dairy farms.

So after all that what is Episode 14 about? Well the #Bilgepumps team is being topical, so the Chinese fleet is massive, ever growing – more as an employment mechanism than a sensible strategy, but how does the west counter that? CDR Salamander joins us to help divine the answer.

#Bilgepumps is a still newish series and new avenue, although it may no longer have the new car smell, in fact more of pineapple and irn bru smell, with the faint whiff of cork, but we're getting the impression it's liked. So we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork tweeted to us the Bilge Pumps crew (with #Bilgepump) at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

By golly gumdrops it is Episode 13! Where has time gone? And you are still listening to us? Well, as that is the case, here is Bilge Pumps, as we three regular naval geeks of easy listening disposition do call it. It is a show that can best be described as what would happen if you sat three naval history geeks down in a room and gave them endless drinks and snacks, although we are not in the same room, not even the same time zone, and definitely not the same continent. In addition to our love of naval history, one of us boxes with springy creatures and fights daily battles with ravenous wildlife, another builds model railways, and the third is Australian.

So, what is Episode 13 about? Well the #Bilgepumps team is being topical, so of course it is mostly about it being Episode 13 and what that number means to us, why sailors are superstitious, and why the Russians should be really careful where they build ships.

#Bilgepumps is a new series and new avenue, although it may no longer have the new car smell, in fact more of pineapple/irn bru smell, with the faint whiff of cork– but we are getting the impression it is liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork. Please either tweet them to us the Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepump) at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Hoots and hoorays, it’s yet another historically informed maritime current events podcast inbound! Or Bilge Pumps as we three regular naval geeks of easy listening disposition call it. To put it another way, imagine three naval historians having a chat while sitting by the dock on the bay, watching the tide roll away, but it’s done by Skype, recorded, there is no water around, and honestly none of us are really that patient.

So what is Episode 12 all about? Well the #Bilgepumps team is being topical, and this time it is all viewer suggestions and requests. This time we discuss modularity, Turkey and Greece, and Beirut. And in next week's episode we will have CDR Salamander to talk about the future of escort design.

#Bilgepumps is still a new series and new avenue, and although possibly no longer having the new car smell, we are getting the impression that it's liked. But now we need you. Do you have suggestions for topics? Comments on how we could improve? Or most importantly, ideas for artwork, then please either tweet them to us the Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepump) at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Hoots and hoorays, it’s yet another historically informed maritime current events podcast inbound! Or Bilge Pumps as we three regular naval geeks of easy listening disposition call it. To put it another way, imagine three naval historians having a chat while riding down main street in the Old West whilst watching gangs posture from rival saloons, but it’s done by Skype, recorded, there are no horses, and honestly two of us have enough trouble with temperatures over 30 degrees (Celsius).

So what is episode 11 about? Well, the #Bilgepumps team is being topical. This time it is China, Taiwan, and what could or can be done, should something (the worst thing) happen...

#Bilgepumps is still a new series and new avenue, and although possibly no longer having the new car smell, we are getting the impression that it's liked. But now we need you. Do you have suggestions for topics? Comments on how we could improve? Or most importantly, ideas for artwork, then please either tweet them to us the Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepump) at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

It’s yet another historically informed maritime current events podcast inbound! Or Bilge Pumps as we three naval geeks of Youtube and Twitter call it. As an explanation, well pretty much imagine three naval historians having a chat while sitting in a Discworld dwarfish pub, but without the rat, possibly some ketchup, plus it’s done by Skype and recorded...

So what is episode 10 about? Well, the #Bilgepumps team are responding to the listeners. You wanted to hear about small navies, we did small navies, you wanted to hear about what that thoroughly Modern Nation Elbonia should be equipped with by her traitorous leadership, so you will hear it here first.

#Bilgepumps is still a new series and new avenue, and although possibly no longer having the new car smell, we are getting the impression that it's liked. But now we need you. Do you have suggestions for topics? Comments on how we could improve? Or most importantly, ideas for artwork, then please either tweet them to us the Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepump) at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).