On Saturday, September 28, 2013 2:15:23 PM UTC+8, wrote:
Hi Vic,



I am curious as to the origin of "flank speed".

The concept of 'flank' in that usage dates back to the US Civil War and is recorded as an 'Americanism' or 'US slang' from 1872.

During the Civil War, journalists, civilians and soldiers all picked up the use of flank with its strategic meanings to outflank and attack the flanks, and to defend the flanks. As not used by the generals, 'flank' gained the additional meaning in US English of 'to dodge, to slip by'. Hence the usage recorded in 1872 of: "When the men wished to escape the attention of pickets and guards by slipping past them, they said they flanked them; drill and detail and every irksome duty was flanked, when it could be avoided by some cunning trick. Soon‥the poor farmer was flanked out of his pig and his poultry." (from Schele de Vere, Americanisms.)

And 'flank speed' became a defined USN term - which Bruce nailed correctly - as one quarter more than standard speed or +10 knots. The speed necessary to protect the flanks of a convoy, the speed necessary to outflank a convoy, etc.

Bil