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Prince Philip has died aged 99, Buckingham Palace announces

waz

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Breaking news.
RIP.
 
Condolences 💐 to Her Royal Highness the Queen and the rest of the Royal family

k
 
Although Prince Philip has many more infamous moments, the Duke of Edinburgh saved the lives of two men during his naval career in World War II.

In January 1945, Prince Philip helped save the lives of two men while operating the ship ‘Whelp’, after their plane was hit by Japanese fighters.

The duke immediately activated search and rescue system and directed the vessel at full speed towards the spot where the bomber had gone down.

The two men struggled in vain to inflate their life raft, and after 20 minutes in the sea they saw the ‘Whelp’ approaching.

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Hargreaves was a yeoman aboard the destroyer HMS Wallace on which Philip, son of Prince Andrew of Greece, had been appointed first lieutenant - second-in-command - at the age of 21. In July 1943, engaged in the Allied landings in Sicily, the ship came under repeated bombardment at dead of night and its crew realised that they would probably lose their lives.

It was then Philip conjured up a plan to throw overboard a wooden raft with smoke floats that would create the illusion of debris ablaze on the water. As he hoped, the German plane was fooled into attacking the raft while the Wallace sailed to safety under cover of darkness.

Hargreaves recalled the terrifying events of that night on the website: 'It was obvious that we were the target for tonight and they would not stop until we had suffered a fatal hit.
It was for all the world like being blindfolded and trying to evade an enemy whose only problem was getting his aim right. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that a direct hit was inevitable.

'There was no question but to accept that on the next run or the one after that we had little chance of survival. I had been through so much that the feeling of anger and frustration was as great as the fear I and everyone else felt.

'It was less than five minutes after the aircraft had departed and - if the previous space in time was approximately the same - we had about 20 minutes to come up with something. We couldn't steam far in that time, not even far enough to make the aircraft think we had moved.'

He continued: 'The first lieutenant [Philip] went into hurried conversation with the captain, and the next thing a wooden raft was being put together on deck. Within five minutes they launched a raft over the side - at each end was fastened a smoke float. When it hit the water the smoke floats were activated and billowing clouds of smoke interspersed with small bursts of flame gave a convincing imitation of flaming debris in the water.

'The captain ordered full ahead and we steamed away from the raft for a good five minutes and then he ordered the engines stopped. The tell-tale wake subsided and we lay there quietly in the soft darkness and cursed the stars, or at least I did. Quite some time went by until we heard aircraft engines approaching.

'The sound of the aircraft grew louder until I thought it was directly overhead and I screwed up my shoulders in anticipation of the bombs. The next thing was the scream of the bombs, but at some distance. The ruse had worked and the aircraft was bombing the raft. I suppose he was under the impression that he had hit us in his last attack and was now finishing the job.

'We lay there waiting for him to leave, which he did, and, in view of the solitary attacks so well spaced apart, we were convinced he would not return. It had been marvellously quick thinking, conveyed to a willing team and put into action as if rehearsed.'

Speaking from his home in Westport in Ontario, Canada, Hargreaves told The Observer: 'Prince Philip saved our lives that night. I suppose there might have been a few survivors, but certainly the ship would have been sunk. He was always very courageous and resourceful and thought very quickly. You would say to yourself "What the hell are we going to do now?" and Philip would come up with something.'


 
May he rest is peace

Shocking but understandable. He wasnt well for a long time and coming in and out of the hospital for various reasons

He was 99... Probably the most unluckiest prince who never became a king and had to live like a Prince despite his wife being the Queen
 
Queen is also 94 years old. And we both have birthday on the same day.

Should she live for a further 3 years and change she will be the longest reigning monarch in known history. Although with her husband gone, she may go soon after from the heart break.

Operation “Fourth Bridge” is underway (the plan for Philip’s death)

RIP Philip. You have completed your duty to your Queen.
 
May Prince Phillip Rest in Peace served his wife and the crown with honesty and full dedication. Has many attributes to his credit, although born to Greek Royalty in CORFU, a stronghold for the branch of Free Masons called BULLDOG. His secrets have gone with him, hopefully some historian might unfold them later.
 
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