Britain's submariners, often the unsung heroes of the depths, have won recognition - from the Royal Mail.
A set of stamps has been released commemorating the submarine service.
They were launched yesterday at Eden Camp, the wartime museum set in a former prisoner-of-war camp near Malton.
About 20 veteran submariners gathered to inspect the stamps and reminisce about their experiences beneath the waves.
They included Jack Waterworth, 76, of Ripon, who served on board the submarine Strongbow in the Far East and went through some dramatic experiences.
He told how, on one occasion, his submarine lay on the seabed for 15 hours to avoid detection, with everyone lying on the deck to avoid making a sound. "We were wondering if we would ever surface again," he said.
On another occasion, his boat was so badly damaged that it was given up for lost until it managed to get to a friendly harbour a fortnight later.
Royal Mail said the stamps were celebrating the most significant developments in the history of the unique service. "Our aim is to capture the immense power, heroism and endurance of submarines."
Updated: 12:16 Wednesday, April 11, 2001
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