Peter Rhodes on dogs in hotels, moisturisers for men and why an aircraft carrier isn't sailing
Big warships do not operate alone. They need support vessels to keep them fuelled and armed for the fray.
According to reports at the weekend, the Royal Navy's massive new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is unable to sail to the Red Sea because its support ship, Fort Victoria, is in a shipyard in Liverpool with only a skeleton crew.
This not only conjures an image of the Jolly Roger flag but also tells a sorry story of the recruiting crisis weakening all the armed forces. We want an army, navy and air force to be proud of – but the kids aren't interested.
