Anti personnel/pirate gratings at the stern (security grilles)

[Thomas Hypher]

Hi everyone,

The grating at the stern appear to have been installed between October 2004 and summer 2006 (they were not present during summer 2005). Does anyone (Michael?) have more information regarding this? Were they installed during her last Cunard drydocking in April 2006?

Evidenced by two of my Dad's photos, July/August 2006:

QE2 Northern Odyssey cruise, July/August 2006 by Thomas Hypher, on Flickr

and October 2004:

Dad's QE2 Mediterranean cruise digital photos, October 2004 by Thomas Hypher, on Flickr


with a cameo appearance by a 9 year old me!


Thomas

[Trevor Harris]

I hated these. They look like someone took them off of a grill.

[Brandon Sterkel]

Those grates were installed for additional security following the terror bombings in London in the summer of 2005.

[Rod]

To be honest, somewhat pointless, as the SBS showed on an exercise once.
If they were put on for pirates, same story. Any good pirate worth his salt could throw a grappling hook that high.

[Rob Lightbody]

This forum is getting too big even for me!  We had a lengthy discussion about this in the past, but I can't currently find the topic!  (shows how essential it is to give topics really good clear names!).

Your photos are very clear.  They should have been painted black, even on the "white" deck, it would have made them be less apparent.

Were crew reassured that they appeared, or (as I think I would feel) - feel a bit trapped behind them!

[Andy Holloway]

To be honest, somewhat pointless, as the SBS showed on an exercise once.
If they were put on for pirates, same story. Any good pirate worth his salt could throw a grappling hook that high.

Far too many posts from people who know nothing about Ship Security. As the saying goes, if you know nothing, don't open your mouth and confirm to the world that you know nothing! Let them still think you do know something!

These grids are on ALL ships and ARE a very good deterrent believe me.

The ship is not going to be stationary waiting for pirates to attack, she's gonig to be underway and i challenge ANYONE to  board QE2 via the aft mooring deck, where the grills are, while she is underway and making 20/23 knots.  The wake she creates at that type of speed would be
enough to turn any boat over and throw the crew into a very dangerous vortex of swirling water, created by the propellers. 

When QM2 was running her 3 'Crew/Cunard families & friends' cruises prior to naming week, we had a planned 'assault' by 'UK Special Forces' and, even with the ship 'co-operating' by travelling in a straight line at a fairly low speed, they still found it very difficult boarding, and that was without the grill in position and using their high tech kit!

I challenge anyone to throw a 5lb grappling hook 35 ft into the air and forward about 100ft from a rubber boat chasing a 60,000 ton liner at 20 knots, if you can do that then you're wasted in being a pirate and would be the Olympic & World record holder at shot & hammer!

[Twynkle]

Far too many posts from people who know nothing about Ship Security. As the saying goes, if you know nothing, don't open your mouth and confirm to the world that you know nothing! Let them still think you do know something!

These grids are on ALL ships and ARE a very good deterrent believe me.

The ship is not going to be stationary waiting for pirates to attack, she's gonig to be underway and i challenge ANYONE to  board QE2 via the aft mooring deck, where the grills are, while she is underway and making 20/23 knots.  The wake she creates at that type of speed would be
enough to turn any boat over and throw the crew into a very dangerous vortex of swirling water, created by the propellers. 

When QM2 was running her 3 'Crew/Cunard families & friends' cruises prior to naming week, we had a planned 'assault' by 'UK Special Forces' and, even with the ship 'co-operating' by travelling in a straight line at a fairly low speed, they still found it very difficult boarding, and that was without the grill in position and using their high tech kit!

I challenge anyone to throw a 5lb grappling hook 35 ft into the air and forward about 100ft from a rubber boat chasing a 60,000 ton liner at 20 knots, if you can do that then you're wasted in being a pirate and would be the Olympic & World record holder at shot & hammer!

Hi Andy - Couldn't agree with you more!
Our time on board QM2 in the middle east was a good learning experience!
(Strafing / grenades then was one of the main subjects of conversation, officer and crew-wise)
Drills etc aplenty!
And - "anti"-anything - including personnel, this was not a term that could ever be associated with QE2 - her speed was Everything!

Rob - maybe this was the topic that you were thinking of?
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,3963.msg42360.html#msg42360

[Thomas Hypher]

Most of these gratings appear to have been removed on her in Dubai, since they're no longer needed. She did not have them in photos my Dad took of her in June 2005 which makes sense as that was before the 7/7 London bombings.

[Rob Lightbody]

Most of these gratings appear to have been removed on her in Dubai, since they're no longer needed. She did not have them in photos my Dad took of her in June 2005 which makes sense as that was before the 7/7 London bombings.

There were still there in August... https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,7479.msg87482.html#msg87482

[Lynda Bradford]

I have checked information that Michael had given me on refits and see details of Pirate Screens noted in the document detailing the 2005 refurbishments:

The aft (open) mooring decks on Two and Three Decks were fitted with Pirate Screens in order to protect the ship from pirates and deter stowaways. Work started in October and continued into November. The addition altered the aft appearance of QE2.

[Trevor Harris]

Qe2 would have outrun any small craft, unlike other ships.

[Thomas Hypher]

There were still there in August... https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,7479.msg87482.html#msg87482

Some have been removed, under the aft mooring deck.

[Andy Holloway]

Another thing i remembered later on was that, should a pirate ever manage to get his grappling hook onto the grill and climb up the rope how is he gonig to get through the grill onto the aft mooring deck? Just climbing up 35 feet of rope would be difficult enough on land, let alone with some sailor pointing a fire hose at you and drenching you with 15 bar of salt water!

[Rod]

I still stand by what I posted before. We were doing about 12 knots, granted, in the Solent. But the SBS seemed to have no problem. Whether they used ropes, ladders or what I have no idea.. There was no  opposition from the crew though.

[Andy Holloway]

I would think that it was more of a 'technique' training exercise than a full on 'attack', after all it's not every day these 'lads' get to practice their skills on a real life Ocean Liner!