Tintin Forums

But it was a Merchant ship, you'd keep it as far away from a warzone as possible.
Not if you're shipping oil. Merchant navy ships would be convoyed by the Royal Navy for safety, especially if they were entering a warzone.
In the 1939 Black Gold we have already seen the presence of His Majesty's Royal Navy operating and controlling the area.
Oil is the essential commodity and seems to be a contempary theme.

Would Haddock be in charge of an oil tanker though?
Rik

It seems unlikely that the Admiralty would enlist Haddock (who doesn't appear to regularly command ships, so would be some kind of reserve) to come and captain an oil tanker, and if so they certainly wouldn't let him disappear off to save Tintin, abandoning his ship.
The ships we have seen Haddock command have been a cargo ship (if he was really commanding it), and two expedition ships. The slave ship in Red Sea Sharks wasn't really granted to him to command.

It would be more likely he was given command of a supply ship, which may have been sunk or been captured, bringing Haddock into dangerous territory, then he escaped and found out about Tintin.
Perhaps he was even held in the same place as Tintin, then rushed off to get reinforcements?

It would be more likely he was given command of a supply ship, which may have been sunk or been captured, bringing haddock into dangerous territory, then he escaped and found out about Tintin. Perhaps he was even held in the same place as Tintin, then rushed off to get reinforcements.

I think this would be more unlikely than Captain Haddock being in charge of an oil tanker. As for the Captain not being allowed to jump ship, why not. If he knew his friend was in trouble im sure he would allow himself to go seeing as he would be in charge.

My dad was in the Merchant Navy and he would be placed on all different ships from Oil tankers to Bananna Ships.

Point taken.

Jumping ship though? Surely admiralty would have had some stern words with him about that? Once Tintin is recued and all is safe, he doesn't rush off again.

Maybe he was on leave in port. It is feasible that he could of had a few days leave from his weeks on the ocean. Maybe he was relaxing in an officers mess, smoking his pipe and glugging back the whiskey, when he heard some gossip from the british soldiers that captured Tintin (1939 edition). Then again maybe this is getting a little far fetched.

IN the 1939 edition Haddock wouldn't have known Tinitn, as he wasn't in the series. Though there are still British soldiers in the 1949 version (I think that's the second of the three). To be consistant with the current version I think another idea would be needed, prhaps even one that can trnalsate back to the 1949 version. Anyway does it fit the 'very complicated yet simple' arguement Haddock gives tintin?

Hmm yeah, I thought my British soldier theory was quite believeable, but obviously it does not tally with the recent version. Do you think Herge had an idea himself??? or do you think he had his tounge in his cheek with the 'very complicated yet simple' argument. Im sure we would find the answer in a book that hasnt been translated into English!

I reckon Herge didn't have an idea (see the similar Haddock in Black Gold thread), hence the weak explaination in the book, which I agree is a very tongue in cheek way of handling it. Hence this thread trying to find a good reason. I think the Thompson Twins adventure was the only actual Tintin spinoff (a.f.a.i.k.).

What TT adventure spinoff?

Rik