|
Lovesick sailors have forced Royal Navy chiefs to overturn a ban on surfing the net while onboard ship after complaints that the decision to block access to dating websites was ruining their chances of finding romance online.
Sailors regularly use armed forces dating sites to find partners and arrange dates for when they return on shore leave, encouraged by the Navy's policy enabling off-duty officers to surf the web while serving on warships around the world.
But sailors who tried to log on looking for love earlier this week found that access to 'heavy bandwidth' sites -- those that feature lots of images -- had been blocked.
Sailors who use UniformDating.com, an online dating site for members of the armed forces and emergency services, immediately complained to the top brass. Within 24 hours the Royal Navy relented on the ban and has given sailors permission to carry on surfing.
One officer currently serving onboard HMS Nottingham said: "With sailors and other members of the armed forces spending so much of their time deployed these days, sites like Uniform Dating give us a better chance of meeting someone who understands the armed forces lifestyle.
"At least common sense has prevailed here. When you are at sea on long deployments, you look forward to checking your emails and any personal messages you've received from the site -- it makes life a bit more bearable."
Satellite internet access was fitted to all warships as a part of the 'balancing of lives' program to give sea-going sailors a chance to access the internet in their free time.
Royal Navy spokesman Commander Mark Durkin confirmed that the online dating site had been exempted from the ban: "In line with our 'balancing of lives' program, the Royal Navy continues to do everything that it can to enhance the conditions of service for sailors deployed away from home."
Geoff Hyams, Managing Director of UniformDating.com, said the Royal Navy's decision to overturn its policy in less than 24 hours had underlined the important role the internet plays in the lives of serving members of the armed forces. "We have members from all sectors of the armed forces using Uniform Dating, and for those serving abroad in areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan, sites such as ours play an invaluable role in bringing a little bit of normality into their lives," said Hyams.
"We've already seen a number of marriages resulting from relationships that were made through the site, and the growing numbers of armed forces and emergency services personnel who've joined UniformDating.com to find a partner shows that people are increasing turning to the web for friendship and romance.
"The Royal Navy should be congratulated for acting so quickly to overturn the original ban."
| 
