Submarines and Injuns
The story of the Canadian navy taking a RN submarine that proceeded to almost destroy itself reminds me of a story of a similar incident.
Once upon a time, the WWII boat (submarines are called ‘boats’ not ’subs’) HMS Totem was presented with a real totem pole by a Canadian tribe when visiting Halifax in Nova Scotia. They were told the totem would protect it. As Totem wasn’t sunk like most other T-boats, it seems to have worked. However, the RN was told that if the totem was removed, disaster would ensue.
In 1967 Totem was sold to the Israeli navy and renamed IS Dakar. The totem was removed and in the Med, on the way to Haifa, Dakar mysteriously disappeared.
Moral of the story: don’t go near a bloody submarine.
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