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MICHAEL (Mike) CURTIS EX ROYAL NAVY SUBMARINE OFFICER, A1 TRUST (TORNADO) SUPPORTER 

 

Michael (Mike) Curtis is an ex Royal Navy Submariner Officer, who having joined straight from school as an Apprentice, served in the Surface Fleet on board Frigates and Destroyers before embarking on a career in Submarines after promotion to Officer. His Submarine operational career was with Diesel Electric Submarines, he has been to sea on Nuclear Submarines as a Trials Officer. Having joined his first Submarine as the Electrical Officer, a fundamental shift in engineering policy through-out the Royal Navy saw him converting to a Weapons Engineer Officer (WEO) and a more tactical role.

On leaving the Royal Navy, his career switched to the commercial world including; a manufacturing company, working for the defence research industry and running his own consultancy. He now spends his time as a guest speaker on-board cruise ships and to shore based clubs on a variety of subjects. Other interests include; supporting the A1 trust (builders of the Tornado Steam engine), model railways, gardening and green bowling. 

 

TOPICS: 

 

1.     World of Submarines.

        1.History of Boats. Early experimentation to Nuclear age

        2.Of Men and Machines. Training Submariners, building Submarines

        3.Sundodgers and Soapdodgers. Life on board

        4.Silent Strike. Propulsion, weapons and defence

        5.Looking and Listening. Sensors and data collection

        6.Ready for Sea. Repair and maintenance, watch keeping

 

 2.  The Russian Convoys

       1.   Beginnings Why Russian convoys came into being

       2.   Tactics and Conditions. Forming and protecting convoys

       3.   Tragedies and Triumphs. PQ17, Tirpitz and Scharnhorst loss

       4.   Turning the Tide. Red Army resurgence

 

3.    Mediterranean, The Small Sea. 

 

             Ancient Mediterranean:

       1.   Cradle of Civilisation. Creation of the continents, the birth and rebirth of the Mediterranean sea,               arrival of early humans and early civilisation.

 

       2.   Age of Empires. The early empires; Persia, Greece, Egypt - early conflicts, the worship of Gods,                      lasting monuments.

 

       3.   Quest for Power. The later empires – Carthage and Rome, battle for supremacy in the                                    Mediterranean basin, growth of Roman dominance.

 

                  4.   End of Antiquity. Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, the Roman Emperors, early Christianity,                            migration of the barbarian armies, decline of Rome. 

 

·           Modern Mediterranean

       5.  The Middle Ages. Roman legacy, North Africa and conquest of Iberia, age of Islam, Eastern Roman               Empire

 

       6.  Renaissance. Rise of Venice, Great Schism in the Christian Church, Holy Warfare - The Crusades,                 The Ottomans, Renaissance

 

       7.  Early Modern. The Mediterranean Islands, The Spanish Habsburgs, Religious upheaval, French                     domination, Revolution

 

       8.  World at War. Napoleonic wars, the scramble for Africa, 2 World Wars, Israel and Suez, peace?

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