British divers John Volanthen, left, and Richard “Rick” Stanton, talk with Thai rescue personnel at the Tham Luang cave area on Tuesday.
Posted on 07/10/2018 11:28:41 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
LONDON — We all have hobbies we enjoy.
Rick Stanton’s just happens to be scuba diving into cold, lightless, claustrophobic, dangerous caves.
Stanton and his diving partner, John Volanthen, have been identified in the British media as the two British divers who first discovered the 12 children and soccer coach trapped in a cavern in northern Thailand.
In the dramatic video footage of the moment when the divers reach the group, nine days after they disappeared, a diver with a British accent is heard talking to the group.
“How many of you? Thirteen? Brilliant,” he says, as a beam from his flashlight shines on the children, possibly the first light they have seen in days. When asked by the group if they will be leaving the cave, the diver says: “No, not today, not today. There’s two of us. You’ll have to dive.”
The elite British divers are said to be among over 1,000 people assisting in the rescue mission, which is far from over as rescuers face formidable challenges in getting the group out. Officials have said that the rescue operation could take months.
Those who know Stanton and Volanthen say that if anyone was going to find the Thai soccer team, it was them. They were not surprised that officials in Thailand ultimately asked them to help with the rescue, along with a third British diver, Robert Harper.
“I said from the outset, if anybody is going to find these kids, it will be these two divers, who are arguably the best in the world,” Andy Eavis, a spokesman for the British Caving Association, told The Washington Post.
“Compared to what Rick and John are normally doing, this is extremely easy diving, the only complication was the flow of the water,” he said,
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Heroes, these guys.
I didn’t realize England still allowed their kind around.
Oh, they’re there. They’re just not allowed to run things.
These men are heroes, they've spent their lives preparing for and rescuing people no one else could!
These are the men our boys should hold as examples, not the take-a-knees.
There you go again, those damn white guys saving the world one more tine
Oh, they’re there. They’re just not allowed to run things.
I went into a public-’ouse to get a pint o’ beer,
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:
O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but ‘adn’t none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-’alls,
But when it comes to fightin’, Lord! they’ll shove me in the stalls!
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, wait outside”;
But it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide,
The troopship’s on the tide, my boys, the troopship’s on the tide,
O it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide.
Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.
Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, ‘ow’s yer soul?”
But it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll.
We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;
While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, fall be’ind”,
But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind,
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,
O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind.
You talk o’ better food for us, an’ schools, an’ fires, an’ all:
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”
But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country” when the guns begin to shoot;
An’ it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please;
An’ Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool — you bet that Tommy sees!
They should receive a Knighthood, immediately. Someone should get a petition going.
They look utterly ordinary ... you would think them nothing unusual, if you passed them on the street.
Appearances can be deceiving ...
Queen Elizabeth needs to confer some kind of official honor on those guys.
Give the remaining normal Brits something to be rightly proud of.
Hadn’t yet read as far down as yours - hearty agreement !
“...kind of official honor on those guys...”
At leaset one of them is already an “MBE” and they’ll probably get something from Thailand.
They are incredibly courageous and skilled, plus they do it for free.
But the snowflakes who loathe and denounce them will always rush to them when the going gets rough.
I could not agree more, FRiend, and will forever loathe any who, for whatever reason, would seek to disavow or marginalize such MEN.
Beautiful poem.
Today was the flyover celebrating the centennial of the RAF. This afternoon, some of them were in the air. :-)
Most likely directly from the new King.
“Why is this so under-reported?”
They’re white.
You are right! More white guys acting like they are heroes. How dare they do that? Too much testosterone among those scuba divers. /s
Amen!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.