Oscar, the Bismarcks Cat

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Karl234
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Oscar, the Bismarcks Cat

#1

Post by Karl234 » 21 Jan 2005, 16:25

There is a story about a cat named Oscar. It should sailed on Bismarck, then was rescued by Destroyer Cossack and when Cossack sunk the cat was moving on Ark Royal. After Ark Royal sunk Oscar was given to Gibraltar Habour-Bureau. In 1955 the cat finished his life in Belfast.

Is that a true story???

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Ome_Joop
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#2

Post by Ome_Joop » 24 Jan 2005, 01:54



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Karl234
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#3

Post by Karl234 » 24 Jan 2005, 02:11

So it`s true or not?

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Ome_Joop
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#4

Post by Ome_Joop » 24 Jan 2005, 02:26

I've heard it before so i think it is true and even the Royal Navy think it is true so it must be!

varjag
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#5

Post by varjag » 24 Jan 2005, 12:44

I have to say that I find it hard to believe that story - if HMS COSSACK had saved a feline BISMARCK survivor and incorporated it in COSSACK's crew there would almost certainly have been some minor log-entry and news-item of Oscar's defection to join the British cause. Of such I have never heard.

rahbert
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#6

Post by rahbert » 12 Mar 2007, 20:51

I wonder what rating a ship's cat would normally have on a warship?

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#7

Post by ChristopherPerrien » 12 Mar 2007, 23:12

What is also strange about this, is cats have been often been considered "good luck" to have on ships as they use to be a quite important item on a ship as they killed rats.
I believe the tale, a picture proves that he existed.

And that was one tough dam cat.
According to the Royal Navy records; "Oscar, the Bismarck's cat, finished his days at the Home for Sailors in Belfast" in 1955

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#8

Post by varjag » 17 Mar 2007, 02:48

rahbert wrote:I wonder what rating a ship's cat would normally have on a warship?
I think 'Able Seacat' Oscar would be appropriate :wink:

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#9

Post by panzerkrieg » 29 Mar 2007, 00:38

they had time to save a cat ?? yet only saved 100 or so sailors

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#10

Post by varjag » 29 Mar 2007, 13:02

panzerkrieg wrote:they had time to save a cat ?? yet only saved 100 or so sailors
But - a cat has nine lives - a sailor, only one :( Besides, who - can resist saving a living thing from the ocean?, Varjag

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Deutsch Boy
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#11

Post by Deutsch Boy » 29 Mar 2007, 22:31

panzerkrieg wrote:they had time to save a cat ?? yet only saved 100 or so sailors
Supposedly the British cancelled the rescue mission of the Bismarcks crew because of bitter feelings after the sinking of Hood.

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NASAFAN101
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#12

Post by NASAFAN101 » 30 Mar 2007, 02:26

bitter or not, I knew feeling were running high, I just felt they should have tryed to save everyone. The sub. that was there was looking for the war log and didn't have torpedos, so why run you know!
NIKKI

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#13

Post by JonS » 30 Mar 2007, 03:01

OMG :roll:

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NASAFAN101
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#14

Post by NASAFAN101 » 30 Mar 2007, 05:04

hi guys i'm back!
Nikki

varjag
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#15

Post by varjag » 30 Mar 2007, 13:29

Deutsch Boy wrote:
panzerkrieg wrote:they had time to save a cat ?? yet only saved 100 or so sailors
Supposedly the British cancelled the rescue mission of the Bismarcks crew because of bitter feelings after the sinking of Hood.
I have no doubt that the Brits 'cut short' looking for Bismarck survivors. But the conditions in the North Atlantic in late May are also very cold - and the heavy 'slosh' of the ocean at the time would make survival - unlikely. Given the condition of Bismarck when she turned turtle and went down - makes it unlikely that more than 300-400 survivors ended up in the Atlantic, the rest went down with their ship, Varjag

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