Former Iranian hostage Arthur Batchelor is facing criticism after the Royal Navy navigator apparently staged a mock execution in pictures printed by several Sunday tabloids.

The 20-year-old is slammed by several publications for making light of his ordeal in the pictures, which were reportedly taken while he was on a recent night out at a Plymouth nightclub to celebrate his freedom.

In one of the images Mr Batchelor is seen laughing as a friend directs two fingers at his head and pretends to shoot him.

A second picture shows the seaman's head being held back with a toy rifle.

Both images came to light after being posted on the website of Jesters nightclub.

The Mail on Sunday describes the photos as a "tasteless" re-enactment of Mr Batchelor's 13-day captivity in Iran, where he was imprisoned along with 14 other Royal Navy personnel after Tehran accused the sailors of trespassing into Iranian waters - a charge refuted by the British government.

The News of the World adds to the criticism, accusing Mr Batchelor of being responsible for a "shameful" insult to Britain's military personnel serving in Iraq.

However, a Royal Navy spokesperson told BBC News that the sailor was "just letting his hair down" following his "traumatic" experience.

"This was in his own time and we do not police navy personnel in their own time," the spokesperson said.

Mr Batchelor apologised earlier this month after attracting criticism for his decision to sell his story to the Daily Mirror.

The sailor from HMS Cornwall revealed details of his time in Iranian captivity along with fellow crew member Faye Turney, 25, before defence secretary Des Browne reneged on an earlier decision and ruled that further such interviews would not be permitted.

The sound of a bell toiling brought midshipman John Andrews out of a thoughtful frame of mind he had been standing on the quarter deck and had been staring into the black night when the bell had first rung. Hurrying forward he came upon the cooper standing next to the bell. What's the meaning of this? Asked John Andrews
I have some hot soup for the watch on duty sir said the cooper William Williams captains orders he continued.

It was not strictly according to navy rules but captain Brody had been known to bend the rules to make the men happy if would help to keep up moral. This was just another instance of it. John Andrews had served in the ship now for three and a half years and was used to the captain's ways but still a bell toiling in the middle of the night had to be investigated. He would have been failing in his duty if he had not he returned to the quarterdeck and made an entry that the duty watch had received some refreshments on the captains orders.

The ship had been at sea now for three months on blockade duty off the French coast and everybody was sick of it nothing ever happened they would sail a hundred miles to the south then wear the ship and sail a hundred miles to the north. Nothing changed the same piece of sea gray green water with a distant coast always either on the port or starboard bow.

John Andrews listened to the sound of the yards banging in the wind the sounds of the timbers creaking as they did in every ship of war in His majesty's service. For a while in the previous year there had been a short piece with France and John Andrews had gone home to see his parents. The village had not changed while he was away there was the usual number of men who did not return because of the war and of course there were the few broken men. Who were no longer of service to the crown who sat about in the local inn recounting there moments of glory and telling how they had lost an arm or a leg but nothing had really changed. England had been at war for as long as John Andrews could remember

When the war started again it was a relief to midshipman John Andrews to go back to his ship which he considered his home, he was not alone in considering HMS Bulldog as his home. Every man jack aboard considered the old 74, as home with its gun-decks painted red so that blood would not be so noticeable in the heat of battle. The gun-decks became a place of terror during battle here men had lived taking their meals and sleeping on hammocks slung between the guns. In the time of battle the decks were swept clean of all the paraphernalia of home and became places of horror as the great guns roared and fired. When the enemy returned fire there would be a smashing of wood and a ball would enter the deck and cut men in half upset guns and kill and blood would flow from the scruples down the sides of the ship.

Captain Brody knew how to get the best out of men he knew when to be firm and enforce discipline and he knew when to bend the rules and for this the men loved him. John Andrews had once more began to muse on the life aboard the old ship when his attention was arrested by the sudden flickering of a ships light off the port side of the ship. Calling aloft he asked You man in the nest tell me do you see the light on our port bow" Aye I do sir but it is not a ship it seems to be a small fishing boat making out to deep water.

Right helmsman bring her up a quarter and set her to met with our visitor he said writing a note his quickly handed it to a seaman and told him to inform the ships first officer who had gone below about half an hour earlier to talk with the captain. Lieutenant Jamerson was not long in coming on deck Well Mr. John Andrews I see that we are going to have a visitor he said nodding towards the light that even now they were fast approaching. Aye sir it would seem so said the younger man.

When the boat was alongside a man jumped for the main chains and began climbing towards the deck. The act of jumping from a boat to the side of the ship in choppy water was not easy and had to be undertaken with a great amount of courage and ability also the timing had to be correct. Because if one fell between the two vessels serious injury could and often did occur.

Once on deck the man was brought before the officers he was appeared to be in great distress and he was seen to be in a hurry to impart his message, in the mean time the boat began once more to pull for the shore.
On arriving on the quarter deck he introduced himself as Johnson a member of his majesty's services abroad which to the officer of the watch was a strange title which they had not previously come across he immediately asked to be taken to the captain.

On been showed into the captains day cabin Johnson said I beg to inform you sir as a matter of the utmost importance that the French are out I have these two days been out in search of a frigate or any other vessel of His Majesty's service. That we must at once carry this news to the admiralty. The man Jamerson to all intents and purpose looked to be utterly exhausted and sank to the floor having imparted this grave news.

Quickly lieutenant Johnson lifted the man to a chair while captain Brody administered some brandy to revive the poor man on recovering himself he explained further as to the detail of the French breaking out. Now that the blockade had been broken captain Broody knew that he would have to report as soon as possible to the admiral who controlled the blockade fleet. So it came about that at just after three in the morning HMS Bulldog turned from her southerly route to the north and put on all sail as to catch up with the fleet that was now about two hundred miles to the north of HMS Bulldogs current position.

It was just on the first dog-watch that midshipman John Andrews was once more on the deck when he chanced to look aloft at the pennant and released that the wind was falling off he duly made the entry in the log. Shortly after five o'clock in the afternoon the wind fell off altogether and the ship came to a halt in her forward progress.

At the start of the second-dog watch the mist began rolling over the ship there was a bit of a swell but nothing serious now the ship was drifting with the current captain Broady had taken the precaution of setting down a sea anchor. He had the men regularly sound the bottom, which was currently at a hundred and twenty fathoms.



At eight-o clock PM midshipman John Andrews happened to be in the crow's nest when he heard a faint noise on the starboard bow much like men rowing a boat with muffles oars. He duly reported this and all hands were summoned to battle stations for the next hour there was an air of expectation among all aboard as the mist drifted across the ship however a sense of weariness began to pervade the ship. At a quarter after nine captain Brody was about to call off the battle stations. When from the mist erupted the sound of gun fire the following moments there was the sound of cannon balls flying between the rigging and the sound as one or two struck home on the tumblehome of the ship side.

The ship came alive midshipman John found himself at his station tween decks commanding the gun captains to hold steady and a wait the order from captain Brody to fire on the up roll. When the order came the guns roared one of the men at the nearest gun been a little slow to move was caught by the recoil of the gun and his face smashed to pulp blood. Running down to the floor as the mans body slumped to the floor some of the mans blood landed on John Andrews face he wiped it off with his sleeve and continued to walk the tween deck. A power boy ran up to him and passed him a note from the captain with instructions.
Grape shot to all your guns said the note accordingly John gave the order and the guns once more roared in furry. The returning fire up set one of the guns and desemated the guns crew body parts flying into the air in the confined space a head of one of the gun crew landed at midshipman's feet he kicked it aside and continued to walk the deck. One had to show no fear in front of the men you had to show that you could stomach this war was hell he thought.

There was a roar as a shot of grape entered through some of the gun ports John suddenly felt very weak looking down he saw that a splinter of wood had struck him just below the elbow and was deeply embedded in his arm. He turned and tried to walk aft but he slipped on blood and fell when he tried to raise himself he found that he was too weak from blood loss things began to fade around him. As he passed out his last memory was of a tremendous explosion and bright light been reflected from the gun ports.
When he awoke he was in a hammock in the orlop deck the pain he felt made him cry out he tried to move but found that he had been strapped down. The pain emanated from the stump of his right arm the surgeon came over and asked him how he felt to which he replied that he felt badly. The surgeon poured some rum into a beaker and put it to John Andrews's lips he drank the strong liquid the pain seemed to lessen. John Andrews's thoughts turned to home and wondered if he would ever walk the hills in his native Devon again he did not feel well at all. The captain came down a while later standing over him the captain said you did very well young man unfortunately you have lost an arm but you did extremely well for one who has never seen battle before. I congratulate you fortunately you will survive and have a tale to tell. Sir interjected John Andrews what happened to the enemy I mean? The captain replied well it would appear that the last round we got off hit there powder the ship exploded I believe that when the men saw you fall they fought even harder in fury at seen an office down well done my boy said captain Brody. Typical though John the captain is always thinking of the welfare of the crew and for this he was thankful as few captains took the time of day to see to the welfare of there crews. But thought John it is good to be alive in the year 1805