In the fall of 1969 I was a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve and the long-serving pilot of the initially, all-British atomic submarine, HMS Valiant (SSN 02) around then on an obligingness visit and berthed in the inward bowl of La Spezia Harbor on Italy's west drift. HMS Valiant was the second atomic vessel in the Royal Navy, the first being the submarine HMS Dreadnought (SSN01) which had an American S5N reactor. Because of some misconception with Vice-Admiral Herman Rickover, America rejected further to supply submarine pressurized water reactors to Britain thus we needed to manufacture our own. HMS Valiant was along these lines all British and was given an exceptionally progressed and noiseless 80 megawatt reactor and turbine drive unit, components of the outline of which were, incomprehensibly, later replicated by the US Navy for their submarines.
Following three weeks of strenuous activities with NATO warships in the Mediterranean, all quick to increase significant and uncommon involvement in following an atomic submarine, we docked in the inward bowl of the port of La Spezia. Similar to the custom amid affability visits, the nearby dignitaries and senior Italian maritime officers were welcome to an official wardroom party. That night I was doing 'meet and welcome' obligation on the packaging of the submarine for the gathering being held in the control room. A to some degree grizzled Italian Vice Admiral came up the temples, saluted the quarterdeck and drew nearer me as I remained in my best uniform (with sword) by the portal down to the gathering.
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