On 21 October 1969, HMS Eagle (Captain J.D. Treacher, RN) was off Cyprus exercising Joint Operations. Since entering the Mediterranean in early September, we had been trailed by a succession of Soviet destroyers, usually a SAM Kotlin. The ship’s company christened her/ him ‘Sam the Kotlin’ as they grew familiar with our shadow. The fixed wing squadrons were fully engaged in the exercise, but 826 Squadron, the ASW Wessexs, had to amuse themselves, which no doubt led to the idea of sending a bottle of whisky over to ‘Sam the Kotlin’ at tot-time to commemorate Trafalgar. Fig. 1: HMS Eagle. On arr…
