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Ofi-sale mate: Ocioner 1. 2010

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Ieet FocusWELL, that's summer over for anotheryear (cheer up, in201 1 it falls on a Saturday...).

And right about now the men and women of the Royal Navyshould be returning to duty after August leave.

if they had it, of course: several thousand Senior Servicepersonnel remained deplo ed over thesummer.

There was no let—up nor, sadly, end to sacrifice) for 40commando in Afghanistan (see opposite).

There was no let-up in the war against pirates (waged byHMS Horthumberland— see right — soon to be joined by HMSMontrose — see page 4) or in maritime security operations in theGulf (carried out by HMS Somerset — see page 6).

There was no let-up in work around the Falklands,where HMSclyde and HMS Portland took part in an exercise with air andground forces, beforethe latter ship made for South Georgia (seepages 22-23 for some stunning imagery); Portland will soon bereturning home as HMS Gloucester’: South Atlantic-boundtoreplaceher (see page 4).

There was no let-up for HMS chlddlngfold which changed anengine despite 50’C heat (see page 7).

And there was no let-up for the Silent Service; aside from theconstant bomber on patrol, HMS Talent remains east of Suez,while HMS Tireless deployed to join her (see page 5).

And finally, summer is the busiest time of year for the boatsof the University Royal Naval Units who use the educationalrecess to immerse their students in the full Senior Serviceexperience (see pages 18- 19).

That said, there was a flurry of ships returning to the UKfor summer leave: HMS Ohatham’s anti-piracy patrol is done,as is HMS St Albans' work in the Gulf, while the bulk ofvessels committed to Exercise Auriga — Ark Royal. Liverpool,Sutherland and Albion — are all back in Blighty. Only HMSOcean is not among them; she’s staying across the Atlantic forthe next month or so (see pages 4-5).

Also in home waters HMS Echo visited Dublin (see page 6),HMS Atherstone made for Manchester (see page 8) and HMSTurbug)ent enjoyed some fine dining... for a good cause (seepage .

HMS Severn offers us an insight into the generally-unappreciated (and always smelly)work of the Fishery ProtectionSquadron (see pages 24-25).

All three of the Navy's major public events this summer havebeen blessed with good/excellent weather. After Yeovilton AirDay last month, this time it's the turn of culdrose Air Day andPortsmouth Navy Days which between them pulled in nearly50,000 visitors (see page 10).

Ten times that figure apparently saw HMS Westminster,which headed to Sunderland to take part in an air-sea display atthe town's waterfront (see right).

While the ‘capital ship’ was showing off for the public, HMSRichmond was entertaining new Defence Secretary Dr Liam Foxahead of the looming shake-up of the military (see page 5).

Talking of demonstrations. sailors from HMS Diamond visitedRAF Coningsby to join in dogfights with their affiliatedAir Forcesquadron (see page 13).

Diamond's main armament will be theSea Viper missile whichis all-but operational after a successful salvo launch against adrone target in the Med (see page 7).

Also on the technological front, subrnariners can now learn thelay-out of a T-boat using a 3D computer simulation. SubSafe2(see page 9).

_ _This technology lark’s all well and good, but it’s nothingwithout Jack. And you don't get more Jack than Britain's bestsea dog, W01 Nigel Jones (see page 8).

HMS MontroseHMS Gloucester

HMS Sabre/Scimita

HMS ClydeRFA Black Rover

HMS Portland

HMS TalentHMS TirelessHMS NorthumberlandHMS SomersetHMS EnterpriseHMS ChiddingtoldHMS MiddletonHMS PembrokeHMS GrimsbyRFA BayleafRFA Lyme BayRFA Cardigan Bay

Plus one ballistic missilesubmarineon patrol somewhere beneaththe Seven Seas

Up and Mackem

Sunderland International Air Show a vintage Curtiss P40 fighter follows theFLYING low over HMS Westminster (you'll have to take our word for it...) at

unmistakeable bulbous shape of a P51 Mustang.While Culdrose is celebrating 24,000 visitors

at its air day and senior officers in Portsmouthare chuffed with one thousand more peoplevisiting Navy Days (see page 10). the crew of theType 23 frigate laugh at such figures.

Why? Well. because an estimated half amillion people saw the ‘capital ship‘ at theseafront air show.

The frigate was lined up to take part in ashowcase of combined RN. RM and FleetAir Arm ‘talent’ with a live-action displayoff Souter Point.

Just after the gates closed on NavyDays in Portsmouth,Westminster madefor the land of Mackems. On her wayto Wearside, the frigate hosted twopilots, a senior aircraftsman and a flightsergeant from the RAF for an air defenceexercise involving a Typhoon jet.

The result (naturally) was: splash one Typhoonas the 23's Seawoll missile system downed the£45m fighter.

Theoretically,of course.Before the two-day seafront airshow. there

were various demonstrations. events andfunctions to host in the Port of Sunderland.

Local firefighters came on board the frigate tosee how the ship's company deal with blazes insuch a restricted environment; potential juniorrates. officer candidates and RNA veterans weregiven tours of the ship; and local media werealso welcomed aboard.

The ship hosted a cocktail party in the hangar,the guest of honour being Flag Officer ScotlandNorthern England and Northern Ireland RearAdmiral Martin Alabaster.

More than 100 guests attended. including

recipients of theElizabethCross - awarded to thenext of kin of Service personnel killedsince WW2— the Mayor of Durham and local dignitaries.

As well as good food and plenty of cocktails.the crew organised stances throughout the ship.

Proceedings closed with a ceremonial sunseton the flight deck next to Westminster‘s

Merlin.The helicopter, or Navy 502 as she is

known on board. was to play a central roleat theairshow.

With thousands of people on thewaterfront, Westminster placed herselfless than a mile offshore, White Ensignsflying, ready to launch her Merlin. twoPacific 24 seaboats and Royal Marines

boarding for the planned demonstration:a pirate interception.

Once the final demonstration had concludedWestminster‘s crew could enjoy the airshow.

"Being only one kilometre from the beachmeant that every aircraft passed over the ship,"said Lt Cdr Richie O'Rourke, Westminster‘slogistics officer.

'‘In fact the Red Arrows, Dutch F16 andTyphoon made a particular point of ‘buzzing’very close to their Royal Navy colleagues — muchto our delight.“

Aside from her official presence in Sunderland,the visit allowed the ship's company to enjoytheir first run ashore in a non-naval port since heryear long refit in Devonport ended in April.

The North-East is renowned for its hospitalityto visiting sailors; Westminster‘s crew, we’vebeen told, found Sunderland lived up toexpectations.

Picture: Lt Cdr Richie O'Rourke

Hot pipingwhere it'spiping hot'I‘()0'I'IN(i stars... AB ‘ll’.\-lcHale and LS Colman (withbeard) sound the bus-un‘s callwith aplomb (you‘ll have to takeiiur \\‘nt‘Cl for it as we can't bringyou sound...) as :1 piping contestaboard H.\iS Northumberlandreaches its climax.

The ri::1soi1?\\"e|1(.Il’O(A\'\"\V')‘Dann_\"'l‘omsreckoned theceremonial standards of pipingthe bosun's call aboard theType23 — currently in the middlenfa sex-'en—mimtli anti-piracypatrol east of Suez — neededreinvigorziting.

It‘s;ttr;1ditionthat is nolonger taught to exant standardin basic training... so the seniorrating decided to put the skills iii‘Nurthumberlar1d'sjunior sailorspiping Cm’! the H¢l’l(l‘.is the Stilland (,'ari'_l' ()1: and other standardfare to the test.

The result: :1 piping contestfor all the ship‘s warlhre branchjunior rates. After some experttraining from CPO ' ‘ruins, thesailors piped a\\'a_\‘_

'l‘he_\-' were eventuallywhittleddown until AB .\lcH;tle wasdeemed the best (after :1 ‘pipeoft"). For his efforts he received:1 solid brass bnsun‘s Call from.\'orthumberland'-5CO CdrPaddy Allen.

Normal service (and improvedpipes) has now resumed aboardthe [')e\'unpnrt—h:ised frigate.

Picture: LA(Pnol) Caroline Davies

navy news I www.navynews.co.uk I NEWSDESK 023 9272 4163 I ADVERTISING023 9272 5062 I BUSINESS 023 9272 0494

O 40 Commandos SgtOperating Base Jacksonin Sangin

Picture: LA(Phol) Si Elhell. 40 Cdo

NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBER2010 3

GLOBAL REACHflLee Pegg leads a nighttimepatrol from Fonvard

Testing SOII|iBI‘iII9 t0 the BXIPBIIIBlTH Kajaki now inAmerican hands.the bitterly-

contested town of Sanginis thelast crucible of effortin Helmand Province forthe Royal Marines of 40Commando.

The town of 16,000 orso inhabitants, 22 milesdownstream the Helmand Riverfrom Kajaki and the dam Britishforces helped to protect, will behanded over to US forces laterthisyear.

It has been the scene ofregular — and ferocious — clashesbetween Taleban and Britishforces since thesummerof 2005,includinga ten-monthseige overthewinter of 2006-07.

The ‘district centre’ - a veryrough equivalent of a markettown — was an insurgentstronghold and remains a focalpoint of theiractivity,hence whyit accounts for one third of allBritish deaths in Afghanistan.

But away from the starkcasualty figures and bleakreports in the mainstream

Five years ago he was asergeant with the Mobile AirOperations Team. The hub ofBritish operations then, the FireSupport Group (FSG) building— an imposing brick buildingwith a tower and surroundedby sandbags — was a magnetfor enemy attacks. its rooftopconstantly under fire.

Half a decade later. the FSGremains an imposing structure.surrounded by sandbags.annoured vehicles parked up inthe compound.

But the rooftop is no longersubjected to regular enemyfire and the vista from it haschanged considerably says thenow captain. back in town with40 Commando.

He said: ‘‘In 2005 the securityoutside of the forward operatingbase was practically non-existent.

As soldiers. we couldn'tgo outside the FOB for beingattacked - and occasionally wewere attacked inside the F08.

"Since then. due to theprogress thatwe've made. we’vemanaged to push the bubble ofsecurity out from this location

in Sangin — be they securitystructures and military bases,or properties for the civilianpopulace - while a rarely-usedcrossing on the Helmand River(it was dominated by insurgents)is much busier now it's

government agencies; beyondthat is the economic zone, thebazaar and surroundings; andbeyondthatfour suburbs basedaround Afghan National Annypatrol bases. The whole area

now covers aroundsafeguarded by Afghan gé three square miles.police. who provide Grants were offereda security check on "_ to traders to encouragepeople moving in and :_f- them to open shopsout of Sangin. LL; and stalls in thebazaar.

“Now the local .q,‘lf°.-3 There are now upwardscommunity have the ’,f.'§é5_;,’} of 800 traders in Sanginfreedom to have what is ($3.! selling everything from

'40a normal life — which is ;§ — daily necessities towhat everyone wants V mobilephones,satelliteanyway. dishes and cars.

“They can go shopping. some four dozenmove around free from schools have sprung up andintimidation from the Taleban five free government-run clinicsbecauseof thesecurity provided have been opened.by the Afghan and internationalforces.” said Capt Adams.

Troops. says the RoyalMarinesofficer. can onlyachieveso much.

“The stabilisationforce is themain effort really. They’re thepeople who are going to bringgovernance to this area.” headds.

At the heart of ‘new

"Economically and sociallythe lives of Afghans here arechanging for the better on amonthly basis," explained PhilWeatherill, a civil engineerserving as an adviser in Sangin.

“It has taken a long time toget to this state and there havebeen, and will continue to be.challenges along the way but Ihonestly believe that slowly the

media, theSangin of 2010 is notthe Sangin of 2005. Ask CaptMarty Adams RM.

itself."Buildings have sprung up

and beyondthecentre of Sanginand governmentSangin’ is a series of zones:‘governance’. home to a school

and non-

people of Sangin are beginningto be won over."

And then you’re reminded

that however much progressthere's been, this is not a safeland. There is no such thingas aroutine patrol.

Lt JackAnrude of 40 Cdo wason patrol with Afghan troopsaround Sangin, chatting withlocals as he went.

“As we approached the localmosque. the usual pattern oflife was missing and there wasalready a sense that somethingsuspicious was happening fromwithin the compound wa||s." hesaid.

“We were trying to speak toone of the village elders whenan insurgent suddenly appearedbehinda gate and fired about 30rounds at us with an AK47 rifle."

Those rounds wounded theRM officer - he was shot in theright arm. with shrapnel strikinghis legs while his helmet sparedhim head injuries — and twocomrades; an Afghan soldierreceived five bullet wounds,a soldier searching for home-made bombs was shot in theankle.

Over the next four and a halfhours. the commando ensuredhis patrol reached safety - andthe injured Afghan soldier wasevacuatedto hospital.

“I was too busy concentrating

on the incident and getting mylads out alive to give my injurymuch thought. It was onlyafterwards, on reflection. thatI realised how dangerous thesituation was and that I wasactuallyquite scared.

"Without trying to sound toocliched I didn't feel scared at thetime, I didn't have time for that.as things were happening so_quickly — the training just kickedin."

Which only tells part of thestory. for the officer carried hisshot Afghan colleague up a hillat one point. shrugging off hisown injuries.

It was. says 40's CO Lt ColPaul James, “an extraordinaryactof courage and he did all thatwhile he was wounded."

It is not untypical.“What the guys are going

through here, it's quite humblingto see how the young lads aretaking it on." Lt Col Jamesadded.

'‘It‘s very frustrating at timesbut the guys are excelling andit’s testing their soldiering to theextreme."

that test ofThankfully.soldiering only has weeks to go;40's tour-of-duty in Helmanddraws to a close next month.

‘To call you a friend was an absolute privilege...’ DRAWDOWN in Sangin or not.the conflict there continues totake a bitter toll of the men of 40Commando.

The latest fatal casualty wasacting Cpl Adam ‘Ads’ Brownof Alpha Company who diedinstantly following a blast whileon patrol near Sangin.

The 25-year-old newlywed -

he only tied the knot with hischildhood sweetheart Amy inDecember— hailed from Burtle inSomerset and had served all overthe globe during his six years inthe orps.

Since 2007 he had specialisedas a signaller and it was in that

capacity that he headed out toHelmand in April for his secondtour-of-duty in Afghanistan.

“Always a hero in my eyes andI am so proud of you." his widowpaid tribute.

“I will treasure the perfectmemories I have of our lifetogether. always.

“You are a true inspiration to allwho knew you and you made methe proudest woman in theworldwhen I became your wife. I loveyou now. always and forever."

Maj Sean Brady. OfficerCommanding Alpha Coy, saidthe acting NCO was “the man towhom you would turn” in tricky

situations in Sangin—which meanthe was "loved and respected byall of us."

He added: “It was evident fromthe moment that I met him thathe had a glittering career aheadof him.

"He was a true leader whopossessed that vital abilityto beable to remain calm whateverchallenge he was presented with.

“It was this aura that heprojected which gave strengthto those around him, his courageallowed others to find theirs."

He continued: “The job we dois hard and at times unforgiving,however the struggles are made

worthit by having had theprivilegeto serve alongside Adam and it isclear that we are better men forhaving done so."

Cpl Andrew Lock, sectioncommander, 3 Troop, said Adswas “withouta shadow of a doubtthe best marine we have had atPatrol Base Almas.

"Ads always found it amus-ing that I was a size 7 boot. andhe was a size 12; his boots cannever be filled."

He continued "He was verycalm and someone I could rely onin a sticky situation.

"You could see from hispersonality thathe was a content

man and very much at peacewithhis life."

And from Mne Andy Hall ofAlpha Coy’s Fire SupportGroup, this very personaltribute to a departedcomrade:

“You had time for any-one and brought moraleto everyone you met.

I always saw you asa credit to the Corps. aninspiration to me and allwho met you.

“I always lookedup to you and to callyou a friend was anabsolute privilege."

-l NAVY I\'I;'\‘s"'S, Sl;'l"I‘l;'.\-1131-IR2010

' III) Ill 8 900 V8 l‘0Ill IIS...

A \‘\‘.’.=Wl-I for loved ones aboard HMS Montrose as she departsDevonport ‘bound for pirate-packed seas east of Suez.

'\V-"l1ile most of the Fleet was gathering in home waters for summerleave, not so theType 23 frigate or, for that matter, veteran destroyerHMS (iloucester; both vessels deployed for foreign shores last month.

.\lontrose is making for the Horn of Africa and Smnali Basin tojoin a NA’l‘0—led task group on maritime security and anti—piracyoperations.

It's the frigate‘s first tour of duty since :1 nine-monthrefit in Rosythand nearly a year of working up (which ended with a rather jollyfamilies’ clay shortly before deployment to thank loved ones for theirsupport during the demanding training period -- and for the supportthey'llgive during the six or so months tltat .\lontrose is away).

As for the Fighting G, well it’s as if 200‘) is being rcpeated.Thcdestroyer left Portsmouth last summer for a stint in the Iialklands...and left Pompey this summer bound for the same destination.

After a winter of maintenance following her 2009 South Atlanticexertions, the destroyer spent the spring preparing for the repeatmission, including a test tiring of her Sea Dart missiles and a spot ofOperational Sea Training off Plymouth for which the ship celebratingher 25th birthday this month won a ‘very satisfactory‘ endorsementfrom FOST (who don’t hand out such grades will_v—nill_v).

Aside from relieving IIMS Portland and safeguarding the Falklrtntisand South Georgia. Gloucester will pop across to Brazil and Chile andtake part in naval exercises with South Aiiierictin navies.

The Fighting (i will also be llying the Ilag for the RN and the Britishdefence industry at Expo l\'avale in Valparaiso. Chile. at the end ofNovember; it‘s :1 gatheringof warships, leading defence firms, senioroflicers. analysts and maritinte experts.

Gloucester won‘t be back in the Solent till .\larch, so numerousmembers of the ship‘s company celebrated (Ihristmas belore thedestroyer sailed.

“Once we leave our focus has to be on operations but the supportthat we get front our families is so important to helping us carr_v on,"said CO Cdr David George.

“We all made the most of precious time with them in the last fewweeks. As much as they are thinkingofus, we'll be hoping that theykeep safe and sotind too, and we'll continue to stay in totich throughletters, phone calls and emails." PICIUICI LA|Phot] Dan Hooper, FRPU west

The Rural :\lav_i,’ 8: Royal MarinesChildren's" FundRegistered Charity No. 1075015

PATRON: HER MAJESTYTHE QUEENThe RN 8: RM Childrens is a National Charity

based in Portsmouth.We care for childrenof men and women who have served or are

serving in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.Originally set up as an orphanage. Monique Batcman

or Iaurcne SmithRN & RM Children's Fund31 l Twyford AvenuePortsmoutliP02. SRNTeleplionez023 9263 9534Fax: 023 9267 7574Email: rnchildrené?/btconnect.com

we now assist children with a widerange of needs and at times offamilycrisis.

Applicationscan be made at anytime. Those seeking assistancecan contact the oflice direct for an

application form:—

YOU wait for months onend for a warship to comehome...

and then six arrive in :1 matterof days.

As befits the .\'a\-'y‘s traditionalsummer leave period, 21 sizeableproportimt of the deployedreturned home to cheers. tears,smiles, waves and, if they werelucky, even a glimpse of sunshine.

The bulk of the Iixercise Aurigatask force completed their exer-tions in the United States andCttnadci, I-I.\'lS St Alhans broughtthe curtain down on six monthsin the Gulf and HMS Chatham'sseven—tnonth pirate~busting stintoil‘ the Ilorn of.~\t‘rica ended.

Hundreds of families andfriends and a Royal Marinesband were waiting for the latter inDevonport.

'lhe'l‘ype22 served as llags-hipfor Cdre Steve Chick and his\".>\'I‘O Standing .\-laritinie Groupstaff and led Operation OceanShield (as the name suggests thetask is to safeguard shipping andgrapple pirates),

‘Up and At ‘Em' disarmetlone pirate group in the Gulf ofAden, destroyed two skiffs afterintercepting a bunch of suspectedpirates off 'I'an7.:tnia and v incompany with USS Cole —

destroyed a ‘ilotilla‘of three piratecraft in the Indian Ocean.

The ship's I._\'nx flight from 813.\lAS saved the lives ofall 2'5 soulsaboard the stricken .\lV DubaiMoon after a cyclone hit her.

And .\ledical Officer Surg I.tSarah Droog provided urgentmedical treatment to :1 seriously-ill crew meniber of it l.iheri:in—registered tanker off Oman; hewas subsequently ‘nteeli-vaced‘(medically evacuated) using(Ihatham's Lynx.

"This was exactly thekind of challenge that Ijoined the Royal .\'avy toexpericiicef‘ said ex-deepI£'l'(\V"E) Daniel John,enjoying his first taste oflife as :1 skimmer.

"C|i:ttlian1‘s my firstsurface unit after five yearsas a submariner, and thouglt Ienjoyed the fresh air and sunshine,as ever, I am looking forward togetting home and spending timewith my familyand friends.“

Such sentiments.understantlably, were echoed b_vhis 250+ shipmates.

"'l'his was an especially‘ hardcleployment for me because, forthe first time when away on a shipI had a girlfriend to come backto, so I missed her at lot," said ET.‘-\lan\VI’orit1alcl,who spied his otherhalf Kerrie W-"right and her sonAidan waiting for him as Chathamreturned.

0 Whatever happened to the LikelyLads?... All smilesfrom two of HMS SutherIand’sjunior rates as the frigate returns to DevonportPictures: LAlF'hOlS] Steve Johncock. Dan Hooper and Martin Carney. FRPU West...but it’s hello

0 Return of the Saints... Waves and smilesas HMS St Albans arrives back in Portsmouth“There were some highlights

and achievements when weengaged and saw olf the pirates.Kerrie and I are now going onholiday — it will be the bestever.“

For his (CommandingOfficer, (Idr SimonHuntington,quality familytime also beckons... withan extended family.

\‘('aiting for him on thejetty was ten-week-old\‘~"'illiam Huntington (plushis mtim Angela, brother

James and sisters I-Eleanorand ljlizabetli) — the firsttime father and son had met.

“My wife has beenamazing, looking afterthe household and allour young children whilepregnant with \V-'il1iam,“

said Cdr Huntington. “Soshe deserves :1 rest and we

will all go on holiday to theCotswolds and to see family in

;\lorth Wales and Cumbria whereI grew up."

Chatham's C0 w-.isn't the onlycaptain afforded the opportunityof holding his newborn son for thefirst time.]A:'\lliSI’a_\'ne was a mere fortnightold when HMS Sutherland.commanded by his dad (Idr johnPayne, sailed tip the Hamoazcafter four months on the otherside of the Atlantic.

.S‘{iglzil\'older than young MasterPayne is l;"I‘(Ml;‘) Chris Wojcik,one of the inust junior members

of Stitherl:tnd's sliip‘s company;he celebrated his 17th birthdaywhile the Type 23 was £t\Vfl_V withthe Auriga task group.

"I've loved being part ofSutherl-and‘sship's company

I've seen places in theworldI have only dreamed of and

learned :1 great deal fromm_v fellow shipmates,"said the teenager.

His family was amonga "300-strong contingent

who gathered underovercast skies to welcome

HMS Sutherlandhome.

For the RN, the aim of Aurigawas to work otit in the US Navy's‘carrier gymnasium‘ (EasternSeaboard and ranges).

So has the force pumped iron.‘-Yes, says the conintander, Cclre

Simon .-\neon:t. “The East Coast ofthe United States is literally tailor-made to support our needs."

Yes, says .-\rk's CO Capt johnClink: “Flying from the sea iscomplex. exciting and takes -.3great deal of teamwork anti effort.I thinkwe can be justifiablyproudof a job well done.

“Ark's had a successful Tlll-I weather was no better(in fact it was probablyworse) 180 miles away asthe Auriga task groupflagship, HMS Ark Royal,and her trusty escort.HMS Liverpool. returnedto Portsmouth.

Their arrival marked theformal end of Auriga 2010—~ four months of top bombinginvolving British and US MarineCorps jump jets which used Arkas their launch pad.

The final stages of the exercisessaw the carrier group Ark,Liverpool. RFA Fort George andUSS Barry link tip with the UK.-\mphibiousTask Group — Albion,Ocean and RFA Largs Bay plus3 Commtindo Brigade andthe USS Kearsarge AmphibiousReady Group (over 8.000 USsailors and marines) fora l'ulI—s-caleassault exercise involving land, seaand air.

deployment — it's thanksto the hard work of the

ship‘s company that we'veachieved so much. It’sall very lilting for :1 shipwhich is celebrating hersilver jubileethis year.“

Slightly‘ older than Ark(indeed the oldest surface

ship in the Fleet) is I-I.\ISLiverpool, charged with the age-

old duty ofescorting the flagship.It can. at times, mean being

tied to an invisible leash but, saysthe Crazy Red (‘.hicken’s CO CdrOllie I-lutchinson. the veter:tn'l‘_vpe42's made the most of it.

“People who join the RoyalNavy do so for the promise ofgoing to sea. seeing the world andexperiencing a varied and uniquecareer. Liverpool's delivered onthat promise.

“'I‘he last four months havebeen extremely challenging, btitthe_\-"ve also been rewarding and

0 Just in case you'd forgotten the name of the ship you're waiting for, here's a helping hand from somelads on theMighty At 'Emfrom theseenjoyable for everybody on board.That said, there's no substitute forcoming home."

Amen to that.In Devonport, amphibious

flagship HMS Albion sailedback from ‘invading’ the EasternSeaboard plus one hell.

That rather weighty cargocame from one of the great namesin 20th Century naval history,dreadnought HMS Valiant.

The battleship pounded theGerman High Seas Fleet atJutland, helped maul the Italiansat Matapan, was bombed offCrete, supported convoys toMalta, aided the invasions of Sicilyand mainland Italy and finallyfought in the Far East beforebeing broken up in 1948.

Her bell was presented toRear Admiral Brian Egerton, aValiant veteran from Jutland andCommander—in-ChiefPortsmouthin the later stages of\\'.’\‘("2.

He in turn handed the bell tohis nephew,Cdr David Dumas, anAtlantic convoy veteran andthe man who helped liberatethe Channel Islands in 1945as C0 of destroyer HMSBulldog.

The Dumas familyemigrated to the USAin 1957... which is whyone battleship's bell couldbe found in the possessionof Vietnam veteran andformer US Marine Corps Cobragunship pilot Patrick Dumas, CdrDumas‘ son.

Mr Dumas decided the familyheirloom should return to theUK... and one of Her l\laiesty’s‘Warships transporting the weightybell back is somewhat cheaperthan sending it by air mail.

Once back in the UK, the bellwill be installed at the Valiantfloating jetty in Faslane.which serves the new breedof Astute—class submarines.

The historic bell waspresented to the shipwhen Albion spent aweek in New York.

Afteraceremonialentryto the great metropolis, theassault ship berthed at Pier88 on the Hudson River — thelegendary jetty used by liners andmore, recently, cruise ships, formore than 70 years.

Once alongside, Albion hostedan Olympic-themedreception.

With just two years to go to theLondon games, the ship welcomedAmerican Olympians and Britishhopefuls on board, plus sponsors,business leaders, and membersof veterans organisations, plusBritain’s Consul General in NewYork, Sir Alan Collins.

As for Albion‘s Americanworkout, Auriga was thoroughly

Kl lIl(lV:A.t‘ l‘

worthwhilesays the assault ship’sCO Capt John Kingwell.

“The training opportunities inthe USA were absolutely superb —

there's nothing on the same scalehere in the UK," he added.

“Both the landing force from3 Commando Brigade and theships have been able to hone theiroperational skills.

“Auriga has proved the ship andher crew are ready for anything.”

To the Med now and the finalports of call for HMS St Albanson her way home from theGulf.

She spent six monthssafeguarding shipping andlraq‘s two oil platforms,and worked \-'ery closelywith regional navics,especially those ofKuwait.

Runs ashore east of Suezwere few and far betweenbut the journey home allowed theSaints to let their (fairly short)hair down: two top Niediterranean

destinations: in under a week:Malta and Barcelona.

To Malta first and a spellin magnificent GrandHarbour. The ship hostedvisitors for tours while thecricket team played theirfirst (and last) ‘competitivecontest of the tour.

Despite being stuck ina tin can for six months,

the cricketers‘ skills hadn‘t

deserted them. '

It took four runs off thelast ball of the game ~

"a stunning hook overmid-wicket clearingthe boundary“ — from ‘AB(\V/S) ‘\‘l/ale to clinch \a onc—wicket victory overMalta CC in the club's

wonderful, historicground.

The less sporting minded_

headed for the beach«’shopsv"- museumsfpubs (delete as

applicable) before it wastime to head west oncemore.

The crossing of thewestern Med saw the Saint

return to the role she wasbuilt for a decade ago: submarinehunting.

\\"'ith the Gulf deploymentfocusing to a large degree onboarding operations (St Albanshad ll dedicated Royal Marinesteam embarked as well as her ownhoarding party), it’s important thatother warfare skills don‘! fade.

So a team of specialists in anti-submarine warfare was flown outfrom the UK to join the shipfor the passage to Barcelona tohelp the ops room with the art ofdetecting and trackingsubmarinesonce more.

And so to the Catalan capitaland the final stop before home.

“On entering the harbour theship was met with an astonishingsight as the sun hit the hillssurrounding Barcelona — simplybeautiful," enthused I..t BethGriffiths, the ship's deputy marineengineer officer.

An evening reception broughtmembers of the local military,industry and commerce together,to mingle with other guests frontthe British Embassy in Madrid

and the local diplomatic5* Community.

And with formalities done,_

a bit of relaxation. Footyfans made a bee—line forthe Camp Nou, home ofFC Barcelona, one of theworld's greatest teams.

Sailors who fancieda bit of culture made for

Gaudi's incomplete cathedral(128 years in the making and atleast 16 years still to go...) andthe odd one or two wandereddown Las Ramblas to the shopsand bars.

And so to home. Lola, theship'sMerlin, departed as St Albansclosed the Cornish coast and therewas a lightning visit to Devonportto embark families for the lastnight at sea as the frigate huggedthe south coast before passing theRound Tower.

"This has been an, at times,testing, but ultimatelysatisfying and successful

six months, during whichwe've experienced -— andrisen to —~ :1 whole rangeof challenges,” said StAlbans' CO Cdr AdrianPierce.

“I've been consistentlyimpressed by the resilience,

determination and sheerprofessionalism of my sailors."

\Vith all these joyoushomecomings, spare a thought forthe ship’s company of Britain’sbiggest warship, HMS Ocean.

\‘l"hilethe rest of theAuriga taskforce broke for home after thoseamphibious exercises, not so theMighty O.

The helicopter assault shiphas just left Mayport in Floridafollowing a four-week period ofmaintenance and reconfiguration(and ten days‘ leave for her ship'scompany in the US ofA).

She's due to make a very rareforay into the South Atlantic(we think it’s the first time she'scrossed the equator, although wemay be wrong...).

The emphasisofher deploymentshifts to maritime securityoperations and some amphibiouswork with the Brazilian Navyaround Rio, due to take place inthe middle of this month.

NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER2010 5

GLOBAL REACH ft" -‘ R 5

l:lI‘St llll‘ ]l|‘BlBSSTHIS may seem hard to believe — especially for a .- ~.26-year-old warship - but Her Majesty's Submarine — ....Tireless has never passed through the fabled man- Va‘). made waterway that is the Suez Canal.

Until now.Then again. if you're on an eight-month ‘east of

Suez’ deployment. it's pretty hard to avoid.The T~boat slipped away from Devonport at the

end of July and won't see home shores again untilMarch 2011.

The final few weeks before deploying saw anintensive 14-day training period in theChannel under thewatchfuleyes of the exactingteam from the Flag Officer Sea TrainingandCaptain Submarines. Devonport Flotilla,Capt John Edgell.

As they were satisfied with the shape of men and materiel,Tireless could deploy — but not before she'd hosted some oldfriends.

Or rather young friends: the sea cadets of TS Tireless fromRugby (the boat's affiliated town].

The cadets headed down to Devonport on the day of Tireless‘sailing {see page 45). but despite that impending departure. thedeeps found time to give the youngsters a comprehensive tourof the boat.

Next stop for the hunter-killer— Crete.Between equipment trials and exercises. the weather in the

Med was hot enough for many of the ship's company to takeavantage of a hands to bathe.

Souda Bay afforded a brief ‘pit stop’ for some engineeringwork. a barbecue on the jetty and a five-a-side tournament (wonby the logistics department).

And then it was that inaugural passage through Suez to beginher deploymentin earnest: a mixture of intelligencegatheringandexercising withAllied naval forces in the region.0 Hearty waves from the cadets of TS 'l7reless as tugs and apolice launchshepherd HMS 'l7relessout of Plymouth

Picture: LA[Phot) James Crawford. FRPU West

':.\~f‘4'

sus calls onRichmondWITH tough decisions ahead,new Defence Secretary Dr LiamFox joined HMS Richmond offthe isle of Wight to witness aday in the life in the RN.

Aftera top-level briefingatthe Fleet HQ in Portsmouthonthe Navy's current overseascommitments, the minister wasflown out to theT23 by Merlin.

Once on board. morebriefings, this time from theship's company who decidedto give Dr Fox some hands-onexperience.

That meant rat-a-tal-tatting into the Solent with aMinigun and GPMG: donning afearnoughl suit for a fire-fightingdemonstration; and riding in aRIB as Richmond showed howshe would fend off a fast attackcraft using flares. (blank) roundsand manoeuvring.

Whitehall is due to announceits Strategic Defence andSecurity Review next month — aroot and branch overhaul of allthree Services and the MOD.

“Every option is on the tableat the moment and we arelooking at all theoptions with allof theArmed Forces involved."said Dr Fox.

“We are a maritime nationwith 92 per cent of our tradegoing by sea so this is no timefor Britain to becomesea-blind.

“The review is to ensurethatour maritime issues are inkeeping with what we expectfrom our Navy."

Not surprisingly theship'scompany weren’t shy incoming forward when it cameto stressing the need for theSenior Service.

'‘I think I probably speak foreveryone on board when I saythatthe Royal Navy needs tobe a big part of thedefencecommitments in the future,"said CPO ‘Dickie’ Emery.

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Echo teels thepull 0! GravityRI-JWARI) for completingOperational SeaTrainingand asustained period of survey workin Cardigan Bay for I-{MS Echocame with a trip to the EmeraldIsle.

The survey ship enjoyed hermid-leg stand down of a lengthywork-up and regeneration periodin Dublin, a city fabled for itshospitality.

And it lived up to expectationsfor many of the ship’s companywho were paying their first visitto I.ii!‘t.'.

Organised tours toTrinityCollege and KilmainhamGaol(where leaders of Irish rebellions,including later premier Eamon deValera, were incarcerated) werearranged for the Echoes.

They were well attended butnot as much (oddly) as :1 lookaround the Guinness Storehousewhere the tour ended with :1free pint of the ‘blackstuff’overlooking Dublin in the famousGravity Bar. which olTers 360"views of the Irish capital from a

vantage point 120 metres abovestreet level.

“Dublin’s always been a vibrantand welcoming place thatwasobvious once again to all mysliip‘s company,“ said C0 Mike0'Sulli\‘an. who has numerouspersonal ties with the city.

“\'\"ithour regenerationpackage now nearing completion,the visit was a well-deserved breakfor us all before continuing toprepare materiallyand mentallyfor our forthcoming deployment."

His ship’s now resumed surveyduties around the British Isles.

Drama - lllltIlll Gl‘l8lS\V’l-I l(l\'O\V \\"afuscan be abit theatrical,but 771 NAStook it that extra mile with two‘dramatic’ rescues on the samenight.

Sea King Rescue I93 wasscrambled from Culdrost: to pickup a -l7-year-old woman whocollapsed at the Minack open-airtheatre near Land‘s End.

The casualty was airlifted toRoyal Cornwall Hospital while,in the tiniest traditions of theatre,the show — Shakcspeare’s I.0t'c'.\‘I.ttbt:itr'.< Lost went on.

Barely was that rescuecomplete than the controllers atCuldrose received an SOS fromOscar\V'i1de. MS Oscar Wilde,that is, an Irish Ferries vesselpassing between I..and‘s End andthe Scillics.

Aircrewman CPO DaveRigg was winched on to the3 l ,000—tonne ferry to assessthe condition ofa casualty:he quickly determined thegentleman needed airlifting tohospital at Trcliskc,which RescueI93 duly did.

GLOBAL REACH

5, .

l PXCTLIYGS. LAr_PttotjI Jenny Lodge. FRPU East

STALKINGtheupper deck,carbines at the ready, theboarding team of HMSSomerset shows howthe RN and RM conductstheir business in the Gulfand Indian Ocean.

The demonstration by the partywas just one laid on by the menand women of theType 23 frigatefor senior and junior officersfrom Qatar (the latter are rathermore accustomed to daytimetemperatures of 45 C than theBrits...).

Somerset’s the latest in a series

of RN vessels to work with theQataris this year; her sister HMSSt Albans and minehiintersAtherstone and (lhiddingfoldhave all worked with Qatar unitsin 2010 as part of wider effortsto engage with the military offriendlyGulf states.

Somerset left her ‘home fromhome’ — Bahrain, hub of RNoperations east of Suez — and madethe short iourney (c. 120 miles) toQatar's capital.

The warship hosted a lunchfor senior members of the QatarEmerati ;\'a\-'y and Coastguard.headed by Col Abdulluh M AIBaker, the acting director of

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operations and training.He was one of a number in

the group of visitors who hadenjoyed initial oflicer training atBritannia Royal Naval College inDartmouth.

“They were visibly proud oftheir association with BRNC andenjoyed recalling fond memories oftheir time there,” said Somerset’sCommandingOfficer Cdr AndrewBurns.

And so down to the nitty gritty.On sailing from Doha, nine

junior Qatari oflicers joinedSomerset as part of their seatraining programme to widen theirknowledge of maritime securityoperations and the work of theRoyal Navy in the region.

Lt Cdr Keith Mabbott,Sornerset‘s operations ofticer,guided the visitors through 21 seriesof demonstrations as they toured(almost) every inch of the frigate.

The bridge team explainedmodern navigational techniques(aided by the ship’s WECZDIScomputerised chart andinformation system): the opsroom team laid on a simulated airdefence exercise; and the mixedT\'an_'—commaiido boarding teamclimbed into sea boats, 7.ippcdaround the Gulf, scrambled up arope ladder and searched Somersetfor ne'er-do-wells (they may, or

may not, have found several._.).“The Qatari ollicers' experience

at sea with Somerset was very wellreceived," said Lt Cdr .-Mabbott.

“The importance instrengtheningour ties withregionalpartners and demonstratingour enduring commitmentto their security cannot beunderestimated."

The visit by the Qataris is notthe only one Somerset’s hosted,nor are they the only forces forwhom the ship's company havelaid oti denioiistrations.

CINC Fleet Admiral SirTrevor Soar joined the ship bysea boat to discuss a range of

naval issues with a cross—sectionof the ship's company on patrol.His flying visit to the region alsosaw the admiral drop in onminehunters Chiddingfold andPembroke in Bahrain, plus theBritish and US headquartersin the kingdom -— UK MaritimeComponent Command andFifth Fleet respectively.

It is from Bahrain thatthe day-to—day operations ofSomerset are directed as partof the international CombinedTask Force 152.

Under that task force. theGulf mission for RN frigateshas expanded from the closeprotection of lraq’s two oilteriiiinzils — the focal point ofBritish naval operations in thesecond half of the Noughties

A to wider maritime securitythroughout the Arabian Gulf(97,000 square miles,or slightlylarger than Great Britain).

But that doesn‘t mean thatthe Khawr al Aiiiaya and Al

Basra terminals, upon

which Iraq’s economyrelies, have becomestrangers to Somerset.

The latter platform —

in e\'eryda_\' RN acronyiiispeak known as ABO'I' —

is the more modern andlarger of the two platforms(it stretches for more thana mile and can pump oilinto four waiting tankerssimultaneously).

Iraqi sailors and marinesprovide the bulk of thesecurity for both platforms,but as a nascent force,they're eager to pick uptips from old hands.

So enter Somersct'sfirefighting team whojumped on to ABOT fora FIREX — fire exercise— to show how the RNdeals with a blaze in achallenging or restrictedenvironment.

A change torthe better oncltidtlingtnldIT’S out with the old and in withthe new aboard HMS Chiddingfoldin the Gulf.

We’rc talking about a portengine, which was changed bythe ship’s ten clankies and theForward Support Unit in Bahrainin temperatures which punchedthrough the 50°C (l22°F) barrier.

And with the old engine hauledout and the replacement_vet tobe installed, PO Darren Podmorespied an opportunity to change avalve under the engine.

It was, he determined, “mucheasier — no need to have to crawlaround in the bilgewith a headtorch on.”

Predictably,once finished heand his two assistants, LET Daniel‘Jude’ Law and ET Patrick ‘Taff’O'Connell, looked suspiciously likethey'd been crawling around in thebilge...

Valve changed, the new enginewas lifted in early in the morning(before the Gulf heat really kicksin).

By lunchtime the ‘.soft—patch‘— the removable deck above theengine room — was back in placethe air-conditioningwas runningagain to the relief of all the CheeryChids.

Although it’s the responsibilityof tlic marine engineeringdepartment, an engine changedemands the attention ofa sizcableproportion of the minehunter'sship's company.Chiddingfold’s divers coveredthe sea-water intakes, chefs andsteward brought cold drinks to theworkers and the FSU team cranedoff all of the equipment, includingthe dive recompression chamber,two seaboats and a half deck thatwere in the way of the soft—patchbefore their team lowered, thensecured, the new engine.

LISTEN

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l:lltl|I'B Ill‘THISis themomenta SeaViper missile acceleratesaway from its silo duringfinalsuccessfultestfiringsin the Mediterranean.

After years of trials and tests,the weapon, which will be theFleet’s ultimate safeguard againstair attack for the next quarter of acentury, is almost operational.

A salvo of Sea Vipers — whichcan reach speeds in excess ofMach 3 — was fired from thetrials barge Longbow at a target,skimming low over the surfaceof the Med at hundreds of milesan hour.

The high|y—manoeuvrabledrone tried to avoid the incomingmissiles...

...and failed.The next step is to fire SeaV'iper

from its intended launchpad, aType =15 destroyer.

That honour is due to fallnot to HMS Daring, the firstof class (she’s off to the Statesto work with the US Navy thisautumn), but to her youngersister HMS Dauntlcss, who islined up for missile trials offnorth-west Scotland at me end ofthis month.

Once declared operational, itwill be the 455’ task to takeover from veteran Type 425, andprotect either a task group or anindividual capital ship.

Which brings us nicely on toan individual capital ship: next-generation aircraft carrier HMSQueen Elizabethto be precise.

Two more pieces of that65,000-tonne jigsaw have slottedinto place this past month.

A 200-ton crane in the BAESystems shed in Portsmouthlowered the first set of dieselgenerators into one of the huge

THE BIGBREW

20l0

NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBER2010 7

GLOBAL REACH fin-_

blocks which will form part of thefuture carrier's hull.

The segment — Lower Block 2— will eventually be the warship’sforward machinery space.

Each of the carriers — HMSPrince of Wales completes thetwo—strong class — will be poweredby two Rolls Royce MT30 gasturbines and four Converteamdiesel generators (like the twoinstalled in Pompey).

The total power output of thissextet of engineering will be 109megawatts — that's enough for300,000 kettles or 5,500 family-sized homes at any one time.

Work on Lower Block 2 beganin the Portsmouth facility — oneof six yards around the UKproviding sections of the twocarriers —- back in February and,by mid-August, was about l6 percent complete.

When finished the block willcontain stores, switchboards,machinery spaces and someaccommodation.

It'll measure 70m (229ft) long,40m (l3lft) across and l8m(59ft) high and weigh in at over6,000 tonnes (more than a Type23 frigate).

It’s due to be shipped by bargefrom Portsmouth to Rosyth nextyear, when it will join the rest ofthe giant carrier jigsaw puzzle in aspecially—expanded dry dock.

Meanwhile the final yard to beinvolved in the carrier project —

Birkenhead’s legendary CammcllLaird — has started work onsections of Queen Elizabeth'shull.

A 1,200-strong team will toilaway for the next two monthson two segments of the carrier’sflight deck which willweigh 7,500tonnes when complete.

Picture: MBDA

lfictory overJapan markedFIRST Sea Lord Admiral SirMark Stanliope led SeniorService tributes to British victimsof the war with Japan at 65thanniversary commemorationsofV] Day at the Cenotaph.

He joined the Prince ofWalesand Duchess of Cornwall,Prime Minister David Cameron,representatives of all threeServices, plus hundreds of FarEast veterans, and members ofVi/"\V2 associations in ‘\'!.'/'hitehallas the nation showed its gratitudefor those who fought against theRising Sun between 1941 and1945.

Britain suffered 90,332casualties in the war againstJapan, of whom 29,968died —

12,433 of those as prisoners ofwar.

The Royal Navy was in thethickof the fight against theJapanese Empire at the beginningand end of the bitter four—yearstruggle for supremacy in thePacific.

It suffered the terrible blowof losing the Prince ofWalesand Repulse just three days intothe war and witnessed ultimatetriumph four years later as HMSDuke ofYork attended the formalJapanese surrender in Tokyo Bayin September 1945.

That came nearly three weeksafterTokyo agreed to capitulate:announced by Emperor Hirohitoat mid-day on August l5, whichhas since become known in theUK as Victory over Japan Day.

At the same time ascommemorations in London,a service was held at theNational Memorial Arboretumin Staffordshire. where veteransfrom the Malayan VolunteersGroup, the Far East Prisoners ofWar Association, and members ofthe Children and Familiesof FarEast Prisoners ofWar Associationrememberedthe dead.

PUTTHE KETTLE ON,MAN YOU R TEAPOTS,THE BIG BREW UP IS BACK.

Between 4-10 October the whole country gets the kettle on,organising tea-related events to raise vital funds for TheSoldiers, Sailors, Airmen and FamiliesAssociations (SSAFA)Forces Help. We are the UK’s oldest and most inclusive ArmedForces charity. We support those currently serving, those whoused to serve and the familiesof both. And as this is our 125thyear, it’s going to be bigger than ever before.loin up to the world's largest tea party.SIGN UPCALL: 020 7463 93 I0EMA|L:THEBlGBREWUP@SSAFA.ORG.UKSSAFAI 25.0RG.Ul(

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8 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER20 IO lllllt all quiet [III tllfl l'lBSl0IllI'0IltTHEY obviously like fine living aboard HMS'I'urbu|ent because the submarine's hosted not onebut two of the country's top chefs.

Admittedly the fare served to Heston Blumenthal(pictured ubutv b_v L/l(.l’lmt) James (.‘ra:cfurd in'Ii:rbul'cnr’s control room) was not the typical sort ofmeal that the ‘culinary alchemist‘ dines on.

Normally he indulges in ratlter unusual dishes —

snail porridge or parsnip cereal anyone?Not burgers, bangers and beans.Unless he’s attending a submarine-rs‘ barbecue.\Y"hich he was.Heston, whose restaurant is ranked in the top five in

the world, was the guest of HMSTurbulent‘sCO CdrRyan Ramsey,as the Devonport dceps staged a farrtilyBBQ to thank loved ones for their support duringthe many months the boat has been undergoing anoverhattl.

That lengthy overhaul is almost done. The T-boatis now materially ready for sea with onl_v finalpreparations and checks to be cotnpletcd.

And that's worth Celebrating. Hence the vastquantities of flame—|icked burgers and mustard-smothcredsausages.

The TV chef enjoyed his patty of ground steaknestling between two crisp oval-shaped half-rollsof bread (ie burger in .1 bop). chatted with ship‘scompany, families,and friends, and was given a tourof the boat.

Meanwhile,theboat's AB Drake formallyjoined thesubmarine fraternity as he was awarded his dolphins.

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All in all it was, says Cdr Ramsey, “a great day allaround.

“Plymouth seems to have had more than its fairshare of rain so far this summer. Turbulent leapt likea spring hare at the opportunity to don shorts. opensome cans of cool beer, and becomepocket experts atthe art of the BBQ."

Barely had stomachssettled than therewas anotherculinary master in town. Peter Gorton — a master chefof Great Britain ~ was invited to prepare a meal at acharity dinner hosted by the submariners for theirfavoured good cause.

The .\'ational Aquarium in Plymouth was thevenue for the evening (fish, obviously, was on themenu) as Peter prepared and ship's company servedthe dishes to guests, who then offered substantialsums at a subsequent charity auction (lots included atour of the nuclear boat).

Having dined and dipped into their pockets inthe stunning surroundings of the aquarium, guestsenjoyed an unrivalled view of the British FireworksChampionships, held in Plymouth that same night.

The submariners had already raised more than£2,600 for CHS\\l-’ -- which runs two children'shospices in the Soutlt-\\'a’est and is building a third inSt Austell — but that ftgure’s now smashed the £10Kbarrier courtesy of the dinner and auction.

And last but not least, the Lady Mayoress ofPlymouth, Kate Aspinall, was invited onboard theboat in Devonport for a guided tour from the CO; herfather's an ex—deep who served in O—boats.

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PASSING beneath one ofthe landmarks on the Man-chester Ship Canal (the lrlamViaduct for those who don'thail from God's own county).HMS Atherstone makes herway towards the heart of thenorthern metropolis.

There are still six miles, twoswing bridges and three locks tonegotiate at this point before theminehunterreachesherdestinationat Salford Quays.

Before making for the man-made waterway, the Portsmouth-based warship anchored offLlandudno to conduct a casualtyexercise with the local offsltorcand inshore R.\'l.l boats; theircrews traded places with the Rl\'sailors so both could experiencelife in their respective craft (albeitbriefly).

"Hie short visit was arrangedby Atherstone‘s Coxswain, P0Nick '_l:tck‘ Frost who hails fromthe Welsh resort — and usedto volunteer for its lifeboats;members of his family are stillheavily involved with the vitalrescue service.

The next stage in the trip w:ts tomake the transit of the Mersey tothe mouth of the Manchester ShipCanal.

Enjoyingthetransit were variousaffiliates and VIPs including(deep breath) Naval RegionalCommander, Cdre Dickie Baum,the Lord Mayors of Manchester,Liverpool and Chester, LordLieutenantsofGreater Manchester

O Irlam globetrotters...Atherstonemakesher wayup theManchesterShip Canal

and Merseyside, High Sheriffsof Merseyside and GreaterManchester and the Mayorsof Salford, The Wirral andSefton, plus the Mayor of theship's affiliated Borough ofNorth \\'z'anviekshire, theMayor of Atherstoncand mentbers of theAtherstonc Ball GameCommittee, who organisethe 800-year-old ShrovcTuesday sport in the smalltown. (And breathe again.)

“It's not often we are able tosail up the Manchester Ship Canaland it was a pleasure to do so inthe company ofguests — being ableto bring the ship into the heart of

t’s thewayhe tells ’em

IF, FROM this photograph,\‘("OlNigel Jones looks like a good oldsea dog, it's because he is.

Britain's Best Sea Dog, in fact.The senior rating, currently

Executive Warrant Officer ofHMS Somerset out in the Gulf,responded to a call front \\!'ood‘sI00 Rum in our July edition tounearth the best seafaring dit.

The competition producedan excellent response and saw ahuge range of stories — from theincredibly sad, to the hystericallyfunny, to the inspirational — andthey made for some great reading.

“Choosing a winner turnedout to be a very difficult task aswe were taken aback by boththe number of entries, and theirquality.“ said Sarah Pace, assistantbrand manager for \\"ood‘s 100Rum.

“\Ve chose Nigel because hiscomposure in what was inevitablyan extremely scary situation isinspirational — he even managedto crack :1 joke when the dramawas over!"

Nigel’s served in the RN for35 years, took part in the Cod‘Wars, Cold W-’ar and 1990-9]lraq conflict, and has enjoyedfive seagoing posts as a \'\"0l,including two EWO assignments(first Albion, now Somerset). Hefinally leaves the RN next spring,when he plans to travel with hiswife Lizzie, and further his careeras a yacht skipper,

Nige1‘s service in the RoyalNavy, lasting 35 years, has takenhim all over the world and he hasalso worked with NATO. He iscurrently serving in the ArabianGulf and when on dry land hishome is on the south Cornwallcoast. His dream is for him andhis wife to sail around the worldone day.

His ditting earns him [500 offthe price of ti battlefield tour withLeger Holidays.

Runners-up — nonagenarianBernard Hallas, Ken Harman andDoug Lochead —— receive a bottleof \Vood’s 100 Old Navy rurneach; you can read their tales inthe Ditty Box section of the .\'at.'_v.v\'t~ri-s website.

Now for the winning dit:I6 .I will always remember one

incident that took place during abitter Novemberstorm about 150miles south—west of lreland.

l was cosswain of £1 seaboat thatwas called away as part of a manoverboard drill.

O The (sea) dog's bollard...W01 Nigel Jones relaxes onSomerset: forecastle

Picture: LA[PhotI Jenny Lodge

Having t.'ollI.'€:lcd the weighteddummy we headed back througha heavy swell and by the time wereturned alongside our boat wasawash withwater.

On being hoisted one of thelines parted, the boat broached,and we were left being trawledalong upside down.

l grabbed my bowman with onearm and clung to my life line withthe other arm.

We were hoisted and loweredthree times and eventually myfriend was washed away.

At this point I decided I wouldbe safer in the water and I wentafter my bowman.

On seeing my head surface,panicking, he pushed me underseveral times until l managedto grab his hands and calm himdown.

Our ship HMS Lowestoft —

unable to stop as it was trailing along sonar — took over 30 minutesto return to us.

I remember the grey mastheading away each time we floatedover the crest of a 20ft Atlanticwave, before sliding into the nextdeep trough.

just as we were slipping into astate of semi-consciousness theship came along side and a braveyoung diver jumped in to pull usto the ship's side.

Upon being hoisted to decklevel my first words to the ship’slixccutivc Officer, as l hung limplyin a recoyery strop, were ‘Where'smy tot, sir?‘

Picture: Chris Berry. RossendaleAviationSoc-etv

the city is special," said CO Lt CdrGordon Ruddock.

"It has also been reallygood to get to know ouraffiliates again after two anda half years in the Gulf."

Hunt—class minehunters are the largestwarships which can safetytransit the 34-mile canal(Manchester’s own ship,

the namesake destroyer,can't make it up the

waterway thanks to her mast),but it‘s far from an eas_v passage.

“It still poses a significantnavigationalchallenge withslopingbanks, low—bridges, locks and theshallow tidal channel approachingthe opening to the canal from theMersey,” explains navigator S:'LtTom Wyatt.

Upon arrival in Salford theCrazy A had a packed and variedprogramme, beginning with aformal reception that evening formore dignitaries and affiliates.

After the VIPs came Joe Public.Upwards of 1,000 people filed upthe gangway to see the minehunterduring ‘ship open to visitors‘,while some groups and affiliateswere granted private tours.

"l know many members of myship's company — most of whomwere involved in hosting visitors ~

enjoyed being able to tell visitorsabout the ship and our recent Gulfdeployment, and chatting aboutthe Royal .\'avy," Lt Cdr Ruddockadded.

The visit to the North West ispretty much the last you'll hear ofthe Crazy A for some time as she’sabout to start an extended refitwell-deserved TLC and upgradesfor the warship after her two—_vcar-plus stint in the Gulf which endedearlier this summer.

GTP forArk25BRITAIN'S flagshipwill be celebratingher 25th birthdayyear with a cocktailparty for officersand warrantofficers who'veserved in her sincethe 19805.

HMS Ark Royal formallyjoined the Royal Navy whenshe was commissioned onNovember1 1985 (she arrivedin Portsmouth several monthsearlier).

A Silver Jubileecocktail partyaboard on Thursday November4 between 6.30 and 8.30pm willmark theoccasion.

Serving and retired officers!warrant officers who havebeen part of thecarrier'scomplementare elligible toattend.

Tickets, price £10 each. arelimited to six per applicantand each attendee may beaccompanied by one guest.Dress is 1C (negative medals)for serving personnel and suitand tie for civilians.

Numbersare limited to600 and the deadline forapplications is October 1.

Cheques (no cash) should bemade payable to Central FundHMS Ark Royal and sent to LtPete Davis. Silver JubileeBallgfgcer, HMS Ark Royal. BFPO

More details for sewingpersonnel can be found inRNTM 1 54/1 0.

C=\_ Sub RoutinesOLDER readers may rememberTomorrows World. the Beeb'sflagship technology show whichran for four decades.

lt gave Lis our first glimpse of the cashmachine. the pocket calculator. the CDplayer.

And it gave us a lot of things whichnever materialised: the singing washinglll'lE‘. (1) and the g|Ow—iii-the—dEirk fishingrod.

A fair few futuristic developmentswhich have featured in these pages

down the years have never come tofruition: the Harrier ‘grab' system{the official term was Skyhook) andquite a few ships (Type 24 and 25lrigates, 43 and 44 destroyers.CVAOl and 02).

And some bits of futuristicnautical technology do becomereality. Or even virtual reality.

Two years ago we featured thework of the Serious Games teani atthe Univei'sity of Birmiiigliani andhailed an upcoming simulation forthe Silent Service. SubSafe.

And two years down the line —

after being trialed among the deepcommunity at the SubmarineSchool in HMS Raleigh — theenhanced version of the boatsimulator is about to be rolledout (cunningly called SubSafe2). a recreation of the forwardend of HMS Trenchant.

The trial version allowedtrainees to ‘walk‘ around the‘business end' (with apologiesto the marine engineers...) ofa nuclear submarine. get usedto the layout and learn whereimportant safety features —

valves. fire extinguishers.oxygen canisters and the like— could be found.

The software developersspent four half days taking

photographs of a T-boat'sforward compartments...and seven days uploadingall those images on totheir computer system tobegin creating theirvirtualworld.

-iii‘--a-in

Add 18 months or so of experimentalevaluation with. and feedback fromthe Silent Service and... SubSafe 2 isdeveloped.

Like its predecessor. the simulatoruses the software engine from gamingbLit instead of blasting aliens and the like.its adapted for more worthwhile. serioususes... hence the Serious Games name.

So what does SubSafe 2 do that theoriginal doesn't?

Well. there's wind for a start.“When we first showed it. the chief petty

officers complained that the flags on thecasing didn‘t move in the wind and theriver wasn‘t moving." explains ProfessorBob Stone of the University of Birminghamand Research Director for the UK‘s HumanFactors Integration Defence TechnologyCentre.

This may seem a tad indulgent but if youwant trainee deeps to be drawn into thevirtual world. that virtual world has to bebelievable.

“It's all about how realistic the simulationneeds to be in order to get the users‘ buy-in." Prof Stone adds. “It you don't engagethem right from the moment the simulationfires up. then it's really difficult to get themto benefit from what the technology istrying to deliver."

lt‘s not Just about the wind and thewaves. SiibSafe 2 also simulates safety-critical events. like hydraulic valve andhigh—pressure air bursts. fire. smoke andcompartment flooding,

The submarine school has been testing— and impressed by — the first version ofSubsafe. but its version 2.0 which has theschools CO Cdr Nick Meredith fired up. ''Itbrilliantly demonstrates the advances intraining technology - we're just tapping itspotential at the moment.

“Synthetictraining aids such as Subsafebridge the gap between what we can doin the classroom and what we can do ina boat,

"The aim is to get sailors to the samestandard of knowledge — or better — asbefore. but quicker,"

BLit why do we need a boat simulator?Given the demands that the Silent

Service faces operationally. there's noguarantee of a boat being availableacrossthe Hamoaze in Devonport for trainees toget their bearings.

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A mock-up boat at Raleigh would be.well. a tad pricey. Creating a simulatedsubmarine. however. is a far more (virtual)realistic proposition.

As well in the classroom under theguidance of instructors. the aim is forbudding deeps to learn their way around aboat via Subsale on their laptops and PCs(the classified bits of Trenchant can't beseen on the simulation) and ultimately oniPod. iPads and other harid-held devices.

Simulation is not a training panacearather a training aid.

"We're not saying that it should replacegoing on a subriiarine.“ Cdr Meredithstresses. “But if you think about it. pilotsdo most of their training in a simulatorbefore qualifying.

"In the past. you ]Oil1(3d a boat and youlearned your way around it at the sametime as you learned how to do your job.

"Now, with simulation. we can sendsubrriariners to sea in a far better state ofpreparation than they have been before."

To that end. SubSafe 2 takes trainingto the next level: fire. smoke and flooding— submariners‘ worst nightmares — nowfeature.

"There's massive potential for all formsof synthetic training." says Cdr Meredith."In the future we're looking at things suchas damage-coiitrol training."

Hence the fire. SlT‘lO|’((-2 and water.The idea eventually is to hook several

computers up. so that trainees cantackle a problem such as a galley fire orcompartment flood as a team — as theywould do on a beat.

it is also an aim to use the forwardescape compartment of the virtual boat tosupport submarine escape training. Notrecreating the actual experience of exitingthe escape lower into the murky watersoutside. but the procedures necessary toflood and drain the tower safely. especiallyfor the "last man out".

And how true to the environmentonboard a real submarine is SubSafe?"Creating the ambieiice of a submarine.such as the ]Lll)l0l' rates‘ bunk spaceis probably a little too advanced at themoment." Prof Stone explains. "Wehave experimented with a smell deliverysystem — in the next three to five years thetechnology might lust make it possible."

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niuiii

10 NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBER2010

0 Have iant red condom. will perform... The Red Marrows posetheirafter performanceat Culdrose Air Day

0 The Black Cats Lynx display team ‘dance’ over PortsmouthHarbour

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contraceptivethr-illsNOW we could talk about the majesty and might of aveteran Vulcan sweeping through Cornish skies.

Or we could tell you about the pinpoint accuracy of the RNRaiders parachutedisplay team.

We could marvel at the daredevilry of the AerosuperbaticsBreitling Wing Walkers.

We could wax lyrical about the home-grown talent on display atCuldrose Air Day: theHawks of FRADU,theJetstreams. theMerlins,the Bagger Sea Kings.

Or we could tell you about a bunch of landlubbers dressed invimite overalls and blue helmets strutting around an arena carryinginflated condoms covered in red papier mache to the William TellOverture.

And you know theway our minds work...The 24,000 visitors to the

Cornish air station's annual air “-day may have been forgivenfor thinkingtherewas an enar inthe show's programme: 1600 RedMarrows.

Obviously, that must be the Red Arrows.theMP3 world-renowneddisplay team.

Er no, it would be a mix of matelots.ex-matelots and ciwies perfonning RedArrow-esque manoeuvres in the main arenawith those giant red condoms (balloonsweren't big enough...) standing in for theHawks.

The Red Marrows are the brainchild ofex-charge chief Brian Toney, who decidedto spice up an event in his village of Gweeka couple of years ago “because the RedArrows probably wouldn't come...”

Word eventually reached senior officers atCuldrose and before you can say ‘Bob's youruncle‘. the Red Marrows were performing beforea 1.500-strong crowd.

"We reallyhyped it up,“ says Brian who provided thecommentary(he normallyworks on the Merlin Mk3 team at Culdrose).

"The public had no idea what theywere in for - most thought itwas a misprint.'

Now theRed Arrows are famed for their‘Diamond Nine‘ formationand the red, white and blue theytrail across the skies.

Clearly,nine British eccentrics in white suits can't do that..."We had red, white and blue ribbons taped to the back of the

helmets,” Brian explains.Obviously...After nine minutes and 27 seconds, the Marrows mayhem was

over (thatwas as long as the musical accompanimentlasted).Next up In thearena, more normal fare: a field gun run...Elsewhere, the air base’s 3,000-plus personnel explained their

work at home and abroad (theSea King squadrons are deployed inAfghanistan, the Merlins are in the Middle East, on the back of Type23 frigates, and withHMS ArkRoyal in the USA), and the Search andRescue teams demonstrated theart of winching.

Sea Cadets showed off their drill skills, field gunners ran the O TheAerosuperbaticsBreitlingWing Walkersdemonstratetheiracrobaticskills (and fearlessness) over Culdrose

legendary competition, and the Band of HM Royal Marines broughteverythingto a close witha ceremonial sunset.

In short. a fun time was had by all and, after months of planning.air display organiser Lt Cdr David Lamboume was relieved thatthisyear theweathergods were kind (the2009 show in particular was abit of a wash-out).

“I'm very happy with theway air day went — we were blessed withideal weatherand saw some excellent flying,"he said.

“Itwas a memorableday for everyone concerned. I'm now lookingto next year's event.”

Now the Navy News team didn't see any teams performing withgiant red condoms at PortsmouthNavy Days.

We did, however, see RoyalMarines walking aroundcarrying huge inflatable

bananas and enormous stuffedtoys (theywon them at the various

stalls apparently...).> We also saw some 25,000 people

milling around the Fleet‘s flagship publicevent of theyear.Navy Da — this year spread over three days

in Portsmou Naval Base — saw people travellingfrom the West Midlands, Surrey and Bedfordshireamong otherplacesto see theRoyal Navy and RoyalMarines of thepast, present and future.

The £1bn warships HMS Dauntless and Daringroved thebiggest draws, but despite the substantial size of

B n‘s two newest destroyers. theywere dwarfed by aviationtraining and casual treatment ship RFA Argus.

The latter. fresh rn refit, opened up her hospital to give thepublic a rare glimpse of the miIltary's state-of-the-art floatingmedical facilities.

Also on show were frigates Westminster. Cumberiand, andRichmond, fishery protection ship HMS Tyne, minehunter HMSCattistock and landing craft Aachen.

The Royal Marines’ Fleet Protection Group demonstratedhow they could take down pirates by rapid roping from a Lynx. avintage Hawker Sea Hawk iet demonstrated its graceful lines overPortsmouthHarbour, theBlackCats Lynx display demonstrated theycould pirouette and dance through the sky, and the Royal ArtilleryBlackKnights parachutedisplay team demonstrated thattheycouldleap into thewater... but not walk on it (that'sreserved for Royal...).

The whole event was brought to a close on Sunday evening by theBand of HM Royal MarinesBeating theRetreat throughthedockyardto Victory Gate.

“We were lucky with the weather but we were also pleased thatthe scale and variety of the whole event proved so popular." saidRobert Bruce. managing director of Portsmouth Historic Dockyardwhich jointly staged theevent with the Naval Base.

“We have had many more visitors than is nonnal, even on a busysummer's weekend and we are delighted with the result."

Naval Base CommanderCdre Rob Thompson added: “Navy Dayswas a huge success. The mainly dry and warm weatherplayed a partbut a big draw was seeing the Royal Navy's ships and personnel at

close hand."

pictures:la(phots)martin

carneyanddeannixon

TRUDGINGup the

forbidding slopesof the Hallingskarvet —

roughly half-way betweenOslo and Bergen — a team of

Royal Marines aim to cover 1,000kilometreson skis in 20 days.

A 13-strong team, drawn from acrossthe Corps, responded to a rallying cryfrom Lt Col Gary Green, C0 of RMStonehouse: to hike. ski and climbacross central Norway. and some ofthe most rugged, demanding terrainanywhere in Europe.

As well as the incentive of teambuilding and AT, Exercise Tusen Takk(Norwegian for ‘a thousand thanks’)sought to raise thousands of poundsfor two cancer charities (Macmillanand CLIC Sargent], plus the RoyalMarines Charitable Trust Fund.

Maj Jon Clare was given the taskof planning the 1,000km (620-mile)route with only one instruction: finishat Fljukan (allowing the Royals to ski inthe tracks of the heroes of Telemark).

The route devised began in theOlympic resort of Lillehammer, skiingnorth through the Rondane, crossing

Collectiveinspiration

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the mountains of the Douvrefjel thenski through the high peaks in theJoutenheimen, finishing with a skiacross the Hardangervidda mountainplateau, one of Europe's mostinhospitable regions.

There was a weekend in Walesfor the team to bond and for eliteconditioning coach, ex-FIM corporalBernie Shrosbree. to assess the menand draw up regimes which would helpthe commandos cover the required50km every day.

And so to Nomray with hopes oftwo weeks of good weather — hopesquickly dashed, says Lt Col Green.

“The weather and ski conditionswere, put simply,awful," he adds.

“The first few days through theRondane which, in terms of terrain iscomparable with Snowdonia, weren‘ttoo bad — the weather held, the waxworked and we were able to crank outthemiles.

“That all changed when we hit theDouvrefjell.

This bleak area of wilderness incentral-southern Norway where veryfew Norwegians tend to go was aconsiderable hurdle.

“We found out why very early onwhen a couple of elderly Norwegian

NAVY NE\‘i"S, SEP'I'EMBER 2010 1]

Get your kicksfrom 1000 clicks

locals came racing down the mountainwarning us that our route through ahigh mountain pass had been blockedby avalanche."

And so it proved. At the top of saidmountain the team found the debrisfrom the avalanche — and no safepassage, a phenomenon repeated afew days later.

The skiers turned south into the highmountains of theJotunheimen NationalPark where it proved impossible tomaintain the daily kilometre quota.despite the exhortations of the group'smountain leader who proclaimed:“Another quality mountain daychaps!"

In the midst of the trek, a momentto reflect. After a 20km ski across atrance-inducing Lake Tyin, there wasa service of remembrance for all theRoyal Marines that have lost their livesin Norway and for friends and familyofteam members.

After Col Jim Hutton (CTCRM) readout the names of the fallen, each teammember placed a cross in the snowwhich was followed by a minute'ssilence.

“This was a poignant moment forall of us, not least myself, Jim and Ma]Willie Hannah who had all suffered

losses or cancer to close familymembers,"said Lt Col Green.

‘'It really brought home thesignificance of what we were trying toachieve."

Next to the Hallingskarvet, anawesome monolith barring the skiiers'path culminating in a massive wall ofsnow rising 600 feet.

Once conquered, the skiers couldmake for the vast and dauntingHardangervidda plateau

It lived up to expectations."The clouds lifted to reveal a vast

barren featureless landscape — awhiteness in every direction," said LtCol Green.

‘‘It became clear to all of us whyAmundsen chose to train here for hisrace to theSouth Pole against Scott."

That was in the depths of winter;rain and temperatures of 3°C doggedthe Royals’ progress — and scupperedthose plans to retrace the route of theTelemark heroes (officially OperationGunnerside).

The team did, however, ski to theparachute drop zone at Skrykken andpay homage to their predecessors.They also dropped in on an elderlyNorwegian woman who described herencounter with the saboteurs of the

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heavy water plant at Vennork 70 yearsago.

On the final day, the sun shone inall its glory and the Royals made goodspeed to the foot of the Gausta nearthe town Rjukan — an area known wellto many Royal Marines military skiinstructors.

And that all but brought the curtaindown on Tusen Takk.

“We had hoped for 20 days ofbrilliantsunshine. We got two," said LtCol Green. “Blizzards,cloud, hail, sleet,rain and fierce winds, coupled withavalanches and awful snow conditionsall conspired against us.

The officer continued: "We nevermade the1,000km, but we all benefitedimmensely from theexperience.

“It was a splendidjourney,markedbythecheerfulness shown by all in thefaceof awful snow and weatherconditions,the sheer dogged determination tocrack on and overcome the odds, thedistinctive bootneck sense of humour;and the inspiration the veterans tookfrom theyoungsters."

And then there was the fundraising:in excess of £19K collected so far.

You can read fuller accounts of thetrek and see more images at www.tusentakk.co.ulr.

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ww‘w.theiet.org./ioin The llltuillllllfllllliFl'}{!l'll}l)l|llj{rlr‘I(iTr,-<'ll:iill:v,1\,-l\li~j1l'»lr_:n:tln<;.iCll;arl1y Ill

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12 NAVY i\'EWS, SEI”l'E.\-IBER 2010

1;! r.74

NOW if you were to try tofind tanker RFA Bayleaf,the Arabian Gulf wouldbe a good place to startlooking.

A very good place to start. Ineight out ofthe past nine yettrs, thefleet tanker has been in or aroundthe Gulf region supporting Alliednaval operations.

She broke oil" to return to herbirthplacein Birkenhead for a refitin 2008...

..and then it was back out to

the Middle East once more to topup those thirsty battleship-greymessengers ofdeath.

Luckily, she carries nearly livemillion gallons of diesel — that'senough to fill 400.(l(l0 Ford Focus(or is it Foci?)... or one FordFocus -100,000 times...

In the seven-year stint from2001-08, vessels from 10 nationsmade use ofthe floating fuel depotduring 767 replenishments at sea(over two every week).

Not that the ship's companyspend all day R.-‘\Sing.'l'he_\'spendquite a lot of time shooting.

So much so that they‘ve iustbeen awarded the Jordan Trophy,connected neitherwiththecountrynor the ubiquitous glamourmodel,but presented ever_v six months tothe Royal Fleet Auxiliary whichhas contributed the most to abovewater tvarlare.

A specialist gunnery team frontl-"lag Ollieer Se-.1 Trttining toursthe Fleet and assesses the abilityof ship‘s company to deal witha range of tests from weaponhandling and marksmanship to‘quick dra\v' exercises (dealingwith a fast attack craft).

Thanks to the skill of an oddl_\'—named hunch ~ l{a_ves Heroesunder 2s0(X) Nathan ‘No Shoes‘Hayes — a tnakeshiftJordan'l‘roph_\*

(the origin:tl‘s back in Blighty) sitsin the cabinet of CO Capt SteveDonkersley RFA.

His ship is one of just twosurviving I,caf—c1ass tankers (theother, 0r:mgeleal'. is L‘|1l‘t‘L‘l”lll_\'undergoing a refit on Merseyside)which trace their lineage back tothe mid—l‘)7()s.

Bayleal‘ joined the Fleet lessthan a week before Argentina

invaded the Falklands. She waspromptly sent south with theOperation Qorporate task force(theQE2 was among the vessels totake advantage of the new tanker’srefuelling facilities). earning herfirst battle honour.

\V/ithin a decade a secondhonour had been added to theboard courtesy of her support ofAllied forces liberating Kuwait.

'~‘ 5 SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVYNo.650

The Bayleal" story begins backin 1893 and the cattle ship (Levic,built by the legendary Harlandand \VollT in Belfast. She pliedthe North Atlantic route for twodecades until the outbreak of theGreat W-ttr.

The Admiralty took her overand turned her into a dummybattle—cruiser to mimic HMSQueen l\"lIll‘_\' for 12 months until

the Navy scrapped its dummysquadron.

She was then turned into anoiler lirst as RFA Ba_\'ol then,from I917, as RFA Bayleaf,beforebeing restored to eotntttereittl usein 1920. She was broken up inItal_\' in the early 1930s.

Bayleaf No.2 also began life inthe private sector: the LondonIntegrity. as she was originally

1:.»~\*Falkland Islands.........1982Kuwait991

Class: Leaf-class supporttankerPennant number:A109Builder: Cammell Laird,BirkenheadLaunched: October27,1981Commissioned: March 26.1982Displacement:37,747 tonsLength: 170.7m (560fl)Beam: 25.9m (85ft)Draught: 5.8m (36.1ft)Speed: 16ktsComplement: 56Propulsion: 2 PielstickPC2.V 400 dieselsenerating 14.000 HPargo: 22.000 cubic

metres (4.8m gallons)diesel; 3,800 cubic metres(835,000 gallons) AvcatArmament:2 x Oerlikon20mm; 4 x 7.62 machine-guns

called, was launched on Teesiclein 1954.

Five years later she joined theRFA as Bayleal‘ and served forH years before being returned toher original owners, London &Overseas I-‘reighters, who promptlyrestored her first name.

She sailed for three more _vearsbefore being broken up in Spainin 1977.

HEROES OF THE ROYAL NAVY No.77 - Boatswain’s Mate Henry Curtis VC

or

attempt to carry

garbledcompounded by failing

the gap

THE white. whiskery mutton chops in this rathersternportrait mean only one thing: this is the face of aVictorian hero.

The face of one Boatswain’s Mate Henry Curtis tobe precise. only the 11th man in the Senior Serviceto be awarded Britain's highest military honour at aninvestiture in Hyde Park. It was almost two years tothe day of the deed which earned him that medal.

The 40th anniversary of Waterloo saw British andFrench troops fighting side-by-side to capture themost heavily-fortifiedcity in the world: Sevastopol.

For ten months the Allied forces had investedRussia's great Crimean port. Their artillery hadsubjected it to frequent bombardments, but every

the fortress had failed.Monday, June 18 1855. was no different. In the

small hours. the French had launched their latestassault on Sevaslopol and the infamous Redan fort.

The Russians knew they were coming. Theyscythed down the advancing Frenchmen.

The attack miscarried, yet the British felt duty-bound to support the assault.

The 66-year-old British commander, Lord Raglan.had fought under Wellington at Waterloo fourdecades earlier. but possessed little. if any, of thegreat genera|’s flair for battle.

He dithered on the field of battle. gave belatedProcrastination

health - the exertions of 12monthsof war in theCrimea had taken theirtoll — andgrowing despondency.

Under such circumstances - and considerablepressure from the French - Raglan ordered Britishforces to assault the Redan.

Despite the French failure. the prospects wereencouraging: the men — a mixture of red and bluejackets — were up for a fight. The assault hadbeen thoroughlyplanned: infantrymen and engineerswould lead the way, crossing 400 yards of openground to reach the ditch in front of the fortification.

There 50 men carrying sacks would help to fillso 120 soldiers and sailors could bring

up scaling ladders for a 400-strong assault forceto finally storm the Redan. whose guns had beensilenced by a ferocious barrage from the British gunsthe preceding day.

Except thatthe Russian guns hadn't been silenced.They opened fire as soon as the first infantry left thetrenches.

They sought cover in craters and gullies whichlittered the landscape.

in one such foxholea soldierof the57th(Middlesex)

Ph°t°9'aP%fimcrics

instructions.

Regiment. shot in both legs. looked forlornly towardsBritish lines. calling for help.

Four sailors scrambled out of their trench:Lt Henry

Curtis.

James Raby, Lt Henrythe Forecastle [roughly the equivalent of a pettyofficer) John Taylor, and Boatswain's Mate Henry

D’Aeth. Captain of

They stumbled over a corpse-strewn terrain forsome 70 yards. constantly under fire. while soldiersfell back for British lines.

The four sailors finallyreached thestricken soldier.picked him up and carried him back towards theirtrench. The Russian guns showed no mercy andcontinued to fire — bullets reportedly passed betweenCurtis‘ legs at one point.

Somehow, none of the four were hit and the injuredsoldier safely reached the British lines.

The sailors were mentioned in dispatches - anhonour subsequently elevated to the Victoria Cross.The men had. in the terse words of the citation,“succeeded in conveying the wounded soldier toa place of safety. at the imminent risk of their ownlives."

There was no VC for Henry D‘Aeth. however: hedied of cholera a few weeks later — posthumousawards were not made for another half a century.

wasDead much sooner was Lord Raglan;contemporary

accounts say the failure of the June 18 attack brokehis health. Dysentery finished him off.

Not so Henry Curtis. who lived for another 40years. He remained in Her Majesty’s service wellinto the 18605. serving as an instructor and as thequartermaster on a cross-Channel feny.

He died aged 73 in Portsmouth in 1896 and isburied in the city's Kingston Cemetery.

A century later. his Victoria Cross appeared at aLondon Auction House, where it was bought for£35,000 by a private bidder...

that ‘private bidder’ turned out to be LordAshcroft who. a decade on. is loaning Henry Curtis’medal to the Imperial War Museum in London for itsnew medals’ gallery.

The philanthropistowns 162 VCs. all of which willfeature alongside the 46 VC and 30 George Crossesfrom the lWM's collection in the new Lord AshcroftGallery. clue to open in November.I THIS image [VC 292) - and 9,999,999 othersfrom a century of war and peace — can be viewedor purchased at www.lwmcoIIectlons.org.uk. by416 5333.emailing photos@IWM.org.u|t. or by phoning 0207

With thanksto Ian Proctor

YOU only get an ‘oo' with Typhoon.Not that you'd actu-.il1_\' hear the siglts and g: ’ because

Britain‘s iio,l jet is quite loud, as .. ilors from H.\-' _ Diamonddi':aco\'eretl.

A $1. -strong team frotn the 'l'_\'pe -13 destroyer due toake her maiden appearan in Portsmouth on September

decamped from the (‘.I_\'de. where l)i-nnoml‘-4 in the vin il stages oftitting out, to R;-\l-’ Cloning: _ir a l.\lI to 30-)Squadron, their all ted Royal Air Force unit.

In a few months time, the Diainottds nd 'phoonswill be wt in: hand—in—hand as Britain's st line of defenceag; ins aeria ittack.

.5 time to find out how the Crabs do it.Alter initial briefings about the yphoon. members of tl1e

ship‘ Company were able to with several jets begin theirpractice dogllgltts in the skies of Lincolnshire just as their‘ vrebears did " \ ars earlier against the Luftwatf , a l‘t’iCfi1t'Il"_\‘reinforced by ll'IL sight of the historic aircraft of the Battle ofBrittiin .\lemori:ilFlight .

alioned at (Ioningsby.W-'hile the clestrovi. 9 CO Cdr I-an Clarke \ as treated to

an aerial \'lC\\'of -.1 t: k group protection exercise courtes-_\‘ ofa two—keat'l3-pltoon (dc *ribed as “being thrown around for

1' _l. his shipmzites enjoyed a rather

in (itwxiiitgslvt-‘s I1i—tc-ch siiniilators -- the_\*‘rc i..-' It and c‘ol‘iIrolt~; in :t'I pltoon.

ate-of-the—iirt jet lurk must be a piece

The iisit ended with an exchange of crests between there»;p,,-ciive commanding ol cer and. although the day \fun, (Idr Clarkesaid the experience oi" working,with the RAhad underlined the fact that the Type - arielT'pl1oons“in «I work Cltisel_\' alongside ezieh other to K. ploit theawn. oine and cotnp1ementar_\' air defence capabilitiesthat weeach posse. .

eanwhile, in Portsmouth, _\'ou may have noticed quite atle ' extra Dianioi 5 around.

One hundred to be precise - all junior rates and allinducted to their new ship on the

.

* the dc. tro_\'erwits brouglit up to a full complement of ship‘s conipany.

The sailors rec ‘ed their replacement Ifor new for those' l|_\' from (Ielr Clarke.

a complete tip‘. compan_\'." he told the : tnbled.

ilorsbefore outlining the ch-tilleng 5 the_\' would in the comingIR months “to prepare Diamond to underta :1 full range of

- ' ions. :Jm'\ tere in the world. ‘.1! short m\ ith the w ' If on the Clyde, the new - ri '-ales‘

' l training and induc on will take [‘|l‘.lCL‘ in the first two'l‘_\pc -15 Daring and l_)1lLll'l[lC.\'.\',1lll'L‘:1 ' in Portsmotith.

And \ ll ol'H -lS Diamond herselWell. v.c‘re glad you asked.The initial .~l\ip‘.< Cl)l]1Pill1}'l13\'Cbeen getting into the swiiig

of breathing life into I) iniond and we're not just talking

0 Stillsmilingafter being thrownaround for threehoursDiamond's CO Cdr Ian Clarke (right) with Fit Lt ‘RosieLee. who took him up in a Typhoonabout getting all the kit working.

' ' more than the stint of its parts. It‘-s ;.',i\‘en athe men and women aboard. tlirniigli their actions

So th I nnonds took an ctive role in Armed Forces Daycelehr ion -KB ‘- A1 Gooelrun and Ben Cam belltook Scotti 1 l presenter Lorraine Kelly for a whiz‘/. downthe (‘.|_\'de in I)i:tit1ond‘.~; sea boat to ltiunch e\'ent.~e north ofthe border‘

Other iuurttevs have been rather longer. like :1 3(}(}—n1ileround trip to Al ' deen "one ol‘ the ship‘s two zilliliatedcities‘.the other being Covent '

The ship‘s Cotnpariy m ched through the (‘rtinite (lit_\'during its Armed Forces 1

_

parade with (Idr (.l ke takingthe salute, standing out: de Town House n 't to Lord ProvostPeter Stephen and Scottish l-‘irsi .\-linisier Ale Salinond.

The C0 then presacntcd Lt cheque for £l,t)0l) to one ofthe ship chosen good Cu ‘K. the Friends of Anchor whichsupports ancer research . nd cancer stifferers in north—ea.~;tScotland.

That came cotsailors. led by the r Lt (Idr ‘Pincher trim.and club? Ll"I' Danny Fttllon, com etc a run from theship in G1; ‘gov.’ to Aberdeen then Sl'l‘Bl_[{l1t on to hie cles to(‘.ovemr\'

sportinxz. ertertionx were pre~.ented to the neo—natal unit atthe cit ‘ ho ‘ml by (jdr I’addy .\-'lunn\:. Diamond's marineengineer olliccr.

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14 NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBER2010Forging Navy guBISLEY and Tipner may beonly 40 miles apart as thecrow flies, but it would beeasy to assume that the world-famous home of competitionshooting and the Navy’s moremodest training range on themargins of Portsea Island arepoles apart.

That misconception could befuelled by the skill of the sailorsand Royal Marines competing forthe top military marksmanshiphonour when compared with thelack of confidence displayed bythose picking up a rifle for the first

time in years.But the shooting carried out

at the two locations is one andthe same thing — weapon trainingwhich is shaped by the demandsofAfghanistan.

They just happen to be atopposite ends of the same scale...

We will start at the top, becausein skill-at-arms the Navy's ferventwish is that those skills will trickledown to the benefit of all.

And that trickle—down effectwas clearly evident at this year’sRN and RlVi Combat ShootingCompetition, which saw a newname inscribed on the Queen’s

Medal roll of honour.The Queen’s Medal is the

highest accolade a militarymarksman can aim for ~— the onlymedal presented for a Service skill,and can be worn on the uniformalongside other medals.

Each Service has its o\vn annualeight-day competition, alongsidea host of other competitions forindividuals and teams of up to 15,including a proportion of novicesor tyros.

Operational requirements, asever, meant teams were below fullcomplement — the Royal Marinesmustered seven, Portsmouth sixand Plymouth four.

It was Naval Air Commandwhich fielded the largest team —

and carried off many of the prizes,thanks to a team captain who ledby example.

Lt Dave Anderson is an observerwith771 NAS, thesearch and rescuesquadron based at Culdrose.

In addition to finding time tohone his own skills, he managedto find enough spare time outsideduty hours to persuade sailorsto attend regional ski|l—at—armsmeets, select and train a team andgather them on the Surrey heath.

And while he oversaw histeam to a string of successes,Dave improved on last year bydisplacingQueen’s Mcdallist \\l7OlPaddy Ne\vell RN, who led the

Portsmouth Command challenge.Lt Anderson spent two decades

in the Royal Marines, and usedskills he had learned in the Corpsto improve his team's chances.

The officer is convinced thatwhat they have learnt could oneday prove vital.

“These are skills which couldmake all the difference, especiallyamongst the people on operationalsquadrons at Culdrose,” he said.

“The Baggers of 849 are inAfghanistan at the moment, andthey would definitely benefit fromcompetition combat shooting,because they are serving on thefront line.

“If they did get into a situationwhere they needed to shoot at anenemy this would really benefitthem.

“OPTAG gives you basictraining, but they do not get thepressure which is there during acompetition, that adrenalin rush —

that's the closest we get to combatshooting.

“The only difference here is thetarget doesn't fire back..."

Victory over his old comradeswas not easy.

“I am proud of this team, but ithurts me that we hammered theRoyal Marines v— theyare my team,it’s where I came from.

“But I have passed on whateverI learned from them, and the

O A competitor checks his riflesight on the Century Range at Bisley

Bisley resultsStewart Cup: Naval AirCommand (NAC); Herbert-Smith Challenge Cup: RN;Generals Cup: Plymouth;Gravesend Cup: NAC; TrotterCup: NAC; RAOC ChallengeCup: NAC; Air Arm Cup: RN;Chatham Cup: Plymouth;Devonport Cup: NAC;Portsmouth Cup: NAC; Inter-Command Rifle Cup: NAG;Pete Bloom Trophy: RN;Generals Prize: NAC; Inter-Command Revolver Cup: RM;Bounton Cup: RN; HuttonTrophy: RM; Queen's Medal:Lt Anderson; Ramsay Trophyand Silver Salver: Lt Anderson;Hutton Tankard (Service Rifle):Lt Anderson; Simbang Cupand Silver Salver: Lt Anderson;Keymer Cup and Silver Salver:CPO Kendall; Kendall Shieldand Silver Salver: Lt Anderson;RMFIA 75th AnniversaryTrophy: Lt Anderson; BountonRevolver and Silver Salver:Cpl Inglis; Queen's Medal Tyro‘Runner Up’ Silver Salver:LAET Brown; ETR Champion

Silver Salver: Lt Anderson;Pistol Tyro Champion SilverSalver: Cpl Dolecki; Pistol Tyro‘Runner Up’ Silver Salver:Gy Sgt Schuster; RNRA 50thAnniversary Cup: Lt Anderson;Tyro FIBUA ChampionsSalver: W02 Pritchard RM;Tyro FIBUA ‘Runner Up’Salver: C/Sgt Mitchell; TyroGallery Champions Salver:LAET Brown; Tyro Gallery‘Runner Up’ Salver: Cpl Inglis;Tyro ETR Champions Salver:2/Lt Thomas R.-VI; Tyro ETR‘Runner Up‘ Salver: Cpl Inglis;Top Tyro Rifle — RN: LAETBrown; Top Tyro Rifle — RM:Cpl Inglis; GB Bars 2009: CPOKendall (Capt), WOI Wharton(adj),LtAnderson,\ll/OI Newell;Aldershot Cup: RN; GeorgesTrophy: CPO Kcmpster; FallenComradesTrophy:RM; HerbertLott: PARA — PO Robinson,PASARA — CPO Heywood,NACRA — LtAnderson, RMRA —

W02 Pritchard RM, Chairman’s—\X/OI Wharton; Bisley Cup: LtAnderson.

Pictures: LA(Phot) Chris Mumby (Bisley)and LA(Phot) Arron Hoare (Tipner)

result is probably just a lack ofexperience at the moment."

One aspect of his personalvictory caused Lt Anderson afleeting moment of trepidation:“The \vinner in each Service getscarried off shoulder-high in a chair— and I'm scared of heights, eventhough I am aircrew," he said.

The chairman of the RN andRM RifleAssociation (RNRMRA),Cdr Mike Magan, had nothingbut praise for the aviator — andechoed his words in terms of thecompetition’s military value.

“For a guy normally flying in aSAR helicopter, Dave has reallygripped and run his team,” saidCdr Magan.

“He's been shooting well, buthe's also invested huge amountsof personal time in bringing onhis team.”

The Bisley event ends with anInter-Service challenge and aninternational match, but again thesporting terms can be deceptive.

‘‘\\’/ehave moved away from thehybrid of sport and military,"saidCdr Magan.

“Although this is a competitionit is not a jolly. It’s part of theiradvanced small arms combattraining, and it gives them skillsthey can take back.

“Competition is the spur — itadds that element of pressurewhich would be present in acombat situation.

“A lot of what we do here is notjust lying prone firing a rifle — it‘sfire—and—move from a range ofpositions. standing, kneeling orsquatting.

“Here we give a range ofsituations which they may findthemselves in.

“They shoot from up to 500metres, so if you need to shoot anenemy at long range, you knowyou can hit them.

“Then perhaps you move in andcome into contact; you repulse anattack, then you counter attack.

“Though you are on a staticrange you are reproducing thosescenarios.

“There are gallery targets, butalso electronic pop—up targets, anda range of close-quarter targets,right forward to a few metres witha pistol — testing the kind of skillsyou would want when you aretraining for boarding parties."

The Navy works with its Armyand RAF counterparts to developcombat shooting skills to makethem more relevant to the frontline, in part using input fromindividuals who are just back fromthe front.

“Which is why it is so frustratingthat there are only 27 here whenwe have space for 60,” added CdrMagan.

W0 Newell, the Queen's Medal

runner-up, said the training wasalso relevant for the ship-bornefraternity, giving upper deckscntries the confidence to use arifle safely and effectively underpressure.

“It could have been the case inthe past that if they got fired atthey might have just gone to seekcover," said W0 Newell.

“Now they would probably bemore confident to take them on —

it makes them more capable withthat weapon."

\Vith shooting over for theday, it was time for the Queen'sMedallists to be chaired from theranges, with the Naval contingentwithdrawing to the quaint ArtistsRifle clubhouse for lunch andpresentations (see below left).

Amongst those joining theshooters and officials was RobertPooley, of Pooley Sword Ltd,which took over as leading swordsupplier to the Armed Forceswhen \‘l/ilkinsonSword moved outof the business in 2005.

Also attending was Mike Elms,fatherof the late Cpl Liam Elms.

Liam Elms died on New Year’sEve in 2008 while on patrol withZulu Coy, 45 Cdo, in Helmand,and a new prize dedicated to hismemory — the Fallen ComradesTrophy — was won, perhaps as itshould have been, by the Royals.

The competition, sponsoredby Infonic, is a timed eventrepresenting the evacuation of acasualty,a resupply of ammunitionand a final target shoot.

“Shooting was a big part ofLiam‘s life,” said his father.

“He last competed at Bisley in2006, and he loved shooting ~ hewas in the RlVl team.

“I feel very proud today.”Deputy CINC Fleet Vice

Admiral Richard lbbotsonspoke to competitors about theupcoming role of the Royal Navyin Herrick H in Afghanistan.

The admiral noted that itinvolved far more than just abrigade of fighting men — therewere numerous support roles, suchas medical and logistics, whichwould see sailors going throughOPTAG (‘Operational Trainingand Advisory Group’, now anoutdated title — its correct nameis Individual Pre-DeploymentTraining or IPDT, but the olduser—friendly monicker lives on).

RNRMRA president RearAdmiral Philip Wilcocks pickedup a point made by Vice Admirallbbotson, saying: “The key thingis that the Navy must benefitfrom your presence here.

“Actively go out and helpother people improve theirmarksmanship."

Which brings us neatly toPortsmouth and a two—week

O Queen's Medal rivals on theCentury Range at Bisley

ll

weapon handling course.It's a motley crew, in terms

of marksmanship — thoughthrough no fault of their own.

Take Lt Cdr JohannaChristian, for example: alogistics officer, she has hada fairly predictable career pathto date, most recently with theJoint Supply Chain at AbbeyWood.

Not much call for a rifle inthose parts. nor on previousships such as HMS Endurance.

But come November, Lt CdrChristian joins 104 LogisticSupport Brigade at CampBastion in Afghanistan, wherecompetence with a rifle is alltogether a more useful skill.

"Camp Bastion and 104 Logswill be out of my comfort zone,"Lt Cdr Christian admitted.

"The last time I shot a riflewas in 1992, and the last timeI handled one was in 2001, onOfficer of the Day duties.

"You had to learn how to dothe weapon handovers. but notto shoot it.

''I have been at sea at thepointy end, but not beenrequired to shoot while at sea— I had other things to do, likedamage control."

The officer said as anarmed service it was entirelyunderstandable that skill-at-arms should be taught in theNavy — but if you are never likelyto have to use a rifle in angerthere is little point wasting timeand money training with it.

Not all has faded in the mistof time, however.

“It has been good training sofar, and the weapon handlingdrill came back quicker than Ithought it would," said Lt CdrChristian.

“The course is excellent, verywell-paced — it assumes youneed to start with the basics,which is great."

She admitted thatshe was not.by the fourth day, comfortablewith the body armour, butexpected that to ease throughthe subsequent days.

"I am joining a logisticssupport headquarters, and I ammaking theassumption I will notbe at the really sharp end. onpatrols and convoys, so the realcombat techniques I would hopeI will not get to use." she said.

"But even wearing the kitmakes you appreciate what weare getting into.

“Shooting is not something Iam very good at — I am not sub-optimal, but I am not going towin any awards.

“But if nothing else I will feelmore comfortable joining myArmy colleagues because Ihave worn the kit and fired theweapon."

Another sailor breakingnew ground is NA(SE) BrettTownsley,who is going to CampBastion as a prison handler.

“For me this is way out ofmy comfort zone — I haven'ttouched a rifle for five years.since basic training," said thesurvival equipment specialist.

NA Townsley is currently atRAF Cottesmore with the NavalHarriers, but he deploys toAfghanistan later this month.

“This course has been reallygood for me,” he said.

“I wasn't overly confidentwith the weapon at all when Ifound I was going out.

“After the first shoot I am farmore confident, and after twoweeks here I should be able tohandle it with no problem at all.

“My familyexpect me to knowwhat to do with a rifle becauseI'm military, but depending onyour branch you may never getto look at a rifle — my branchcertainly don't."

“This is as far away from

survival equipment as youcould get — it is exactly theopposite, really."

PO Kev Moran. part of thetraining team. said the coursecaters for “all shapes, sizes andstandards"; in recent weeksthey have had ABs fresh out ofRaleigh to a senior captain.

Some even have a numberofHerricks under theirbelts.

“We have had the old-timerssaying ‘why have I got to dothis? I have already been toHerrick'," said PO Moran.

“But 99 per cent of themwe have here have a relaxedattitude — all rates and ranks.

“They are very receptive tothe training.”

The test is the AnnualCombat Marksmanship Test(BCC - basic close combat),thetheatre entry-level benchmark,though the standard is nowbeing applied across the Navy.

In the past RN shooters weretrained over 100 metres, butnow they go out to 300 metres— a more practical skill as anyshooting from a modern warshipis just as likely to be over longerdistances across water as shortrange shore-side.

The two-week course startswith basics of breaking downand reassemblingtheSA80 rifle,re-learning its characteristicsand becoming confident withthe equipment.

Trainees wear helmets, bodyarmour and webbing at alltimes, preparing them for longshifts in the kit in theatre.

They also learn to zero thesight, and to accommodatedifferent shooting positions.

By theend, shooters will haveproved their capability overdifferent ranges using differenttechniques — they must passeach stage before progressing.

The course also includessome night-firing.

W01 Bob Bainbridge, incharge of the course, said: “Iam a W0 drill specialist.

“I do not like using them intheir secondary role — I preferto see them presented on aparade ground.

“What we have here is aperishable skill.

"They may not have touched aweapon for years - particularlyofficers with theirpistols.

“Ratings all have someexperience with a rifle, but theofficers may never have trained

with rifles."You get your surgeon

commander, green-lidded butwho hasn’t used the skills for along time.

"Now he is getting deployedas a consultant, he is dustingoff the green lid, but thetechniques have changed.”

~ One such example is firing ariflewhile wearing body armour.

The traditional firing positionwas side-on, but themain armourplates are across the chest, so ahead-on stance is safer.

"You will end up firing about600 rounds, if you pass firsttime, said W0 Bainbridge.

"We get very few failures.when people struggle we havethe staff and capability to doone-to-one," he said.

"We have a six-strong staff,a mix of green and blue. andsome of theRoyal Marines havehad recent operational tours."

Rifle training is carried outon a number of ranges — apartfrom Tipner, they can also useMoody's Down and Chilcombat Winchester, or Longmoor,depending on availability.

Mosttraineesgo straight fromweapontrainingto theMountingCell at HMS Nelson to tacklethe tactical side and particularin-theatre requirements.

Such training might finallyring down thecurtain on theoldquips about sailors with guns...

‘V.

N:\\-’‘{ Nli\V'S. ."~.1I.iI"l'I.i.\1BIiRJllltl 1'3

0 (Above)Queens Medal winner Lt Dave Anderson is carried aloft;(below) Queen's Medal shooting on the Century Range at Bisley;(main picture) Traineeson the ‘fipner range in Portsmouth

I6 NAVY I\'I£\‘L'-"S, SEP'I‘E:\ilBl;'R2010

O HMS Somerset on patrol in the Gulf... nd decisions in her Ops Room

are aided by the tacticsof the MWC

_\-.t max v»u\0=|K V)

as

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0 Trainingon the Tacticalfloorof theMl“ “_N““\S Picture: KeithWoodland

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tacticallyHE frigate sits on thesurface of the water,outwardly calm.

\'\"ithin the ops room a screencomes alive, a torpedo on impactcourse.

Time to move, no time to think.Thrce—hundred and sixty degreesof options, and moments todecide. :\tt:t|ysis is not an option,reaction is.

But that reaction is guidedby the men and women of theMaritime\\"'arfarc Centre, based atH.\'lS Collingwood who providethc analysis long before the eventcan happen.

Analysis that is powered bycarefully-constructed scenarios,running thousands of modelsof different reactions, lookingback on an exhaustive legacy ofknowledge.

The .‘\l\V-’C is an alliance ofScrvicemen, scientists, andanalysts, whose sole drivingpurpose is to create battle-winningtactics for the Royal Navy. basedon the tactics that have won. ll'Ictactics that analysis proves. willwin, the tactics that first—handexperience says will win.

The mix ofcivilian and militarypulls togetherfront-lineexperienceand scientific rigour the sterileworld of the computer meets thevivid world of the front-line,

So although the l\-I\\i"C is basedin Fareham. its outlook is global.

Capt Philip \\'-'arwick, the manwho heads up the .\-I\‘(v’(_Z, said:“\\"h:.tt\ve’re providing to the Fleetis battle—winning tactics.

“So when they are sat there ontheirship in the Gulf, whatever thetltrcal might be, the tactics theyare using are from the .\-l\\'-"(‘._”

And why are those tactics soimportant? His response is blunt:“The difference between livingand liying is getting the tacticright."

He added: “It isn't just ussitting here thinking ‘I wonderwhat would happen if...’

“'l'hcrc's a significant amountof rigour to what we do bothscientific and military expertise."

The unit is made up of some120 people, split roughly equallybetween civilian and military,although at any given time a heftychunk of these people will be outat sea, on board ships, runningtrials and experiments; and mostimportantly asking questions.

Dr Martin Fowler, chiefscientilic adviser to CinCl’lect,praises the combinationof civilianscientists working alongsideService personnel: “We keepourselves up to date, our legacyknowledge is refreshed with thetwo—_vear military rotation.

“My operational analysisteam comprises an eclecticmix of scientists, engineers,mathematicians, softwareengineers and retired Servicepersonnel who are all recognisedspecialists in their particularliclcls.“

The feedback frotn the Fleet isan essential part of what they do:becauseit allows the i\-Ni-"C to take

y-:-ru ..

SZl.lDiS

UNCLASSIFIED

0 One of the analysis tools in use at the MWC to model tactics in

is getting

every battle.

advantage of direct experience onthe front line.

Capt \\"arwick said: “If _vou‘vcgot a good idea, or seen somethingthat is good or bad, you should belooking to raise :1 Fleet Lesson.

“Everyone serving at sea hasthe ability to submit Lessons tothe .\-W4-’(3.

“If you’rc out in the Iilcct, secsomcthinggood. bad or indifferent,tell them they can submit :1 Lessonand it will be noted.“

The Fleet Lessons cell is oneof the smaller parts of the .\.-l\‘l’/'Corganisation — just three people —

but they can have a loud voice.(Idr i\-lark Allibon explained:

“The Lessons feedback from theGulfis having a real cffect.‘l‘ltere‘sa high level of visibility."

A visibility that means that(‘.inCl’lcet himself sits down togo through the Fleet Lessonsfeedbackevery six months.

Cdr Allibon gave an exatnplc:“You‘ll find our ships with upperdeck weapons Gl’.\lGs arebeing fitted with gunshields forgLIl'lI'IL‘l'S.

“There was a body of evidencethat came out of the Lessonsprocess‘ (iin(I himself said that itwas fundamental to the safety ofour sailors.“

He explained that everydeploying unit is given reams ofrelevant information based onlessons learned during previousoperations.

Another example he offersis humanitarian aid — previousexperience was sent out to peopleon board RFA Largs Bay for theHaiti relief effort.

“And for Op Cunningham —

bringing people back who werestranded by volcanic ash — we havegood knowledge to share. Somestrategic. some more practical.

"So whatever anyone tells you,the-re‘|lbe a thousand more peopleon the jetty.

“And don’t throw peoples bagsall together into the corner ofthe hanger when they come onboard, you can guarantee that thediabetic’-sessential medication willbe buried at the bottom.“

Expertise at the .\-I'\V-"C isfocused in key divisions; Lt CdrBob M-annion of the underwaterwarfare section analyses surfaceship and submarine exercises.trials and operations.

He cheerfully describes theclmllcngcs as “a cat-and-mouse,gameofchess,whatcvcrintcllectuallevel you want to work at. it‘sall about action and reaction towhat’s happening out there."

He’s justifiably proud that histeam can turn around information

,.x i.;.,. L. t. ..

theatrefor ships such as HMS Somerset

“The difference between living and dyingthe tactic right.” says Capt

.

Philip Warwick of the Maritime Warfarecentre. And that Is why

2 Warfare centre exists - a thinktankstaffed by scientists, analysts andthe military; its role is to make sure

thatthetacticsare right to win any and

the Maritime

strcatncd back to the UK in justhours before sending straight backtheir anztlysis of the situation.

Lt (ldr Paul Bell in Anti-Air\il-'arfarc and his team are similarlycrunching through data at speedto feed back information to unitsout in theatre.

He said: “'l‘hc Gulf is the bigfocus; the situation can developvery quickly. \\"e have to reactaccordingly.

“Clearly we don't just do it onthe back of an envelope. \'\"'c‘vcgot to bring it back to people whoknow what thcy‘rc doing.

"Out there they don’t have timeto do this; or have the in—dcpthknowledge available. You simplydon‘t have scientists at sea, peoplewith time to do the analysis."

It‘s a similar story from StevePhillips in the Sea King AS;.tC(Airborne Surveillance andControl) section: “W-’e offer deepanalysis ofthedata that the aircrafthas been gathering in theatre.”

So on a typical day the twoHerrick operational analysts willrun through four sorties of dataeach (theequivalent of N hours offlying) to feedback to Afghanistanan analysis that can help to planfuture operations. inform troopdeployments, understand thepattern of life, and offer forceprotection.

The Sea Kings in Afghanistanare gathering :1 detailed picture ofwhat is happening on the ground,that feeds into tltc decision—makingprocess; and .'\'l\VC have beenhoning their analysis methodsto provide swifter and in-depthresponse for theatre.

This is, by necessity. at briefcantor through a few of the areasof i\-I\‘(-"(I expertise carrier strike,aviation, C~llST.~\R and influence,logistics and amphibious warfareall come under the organisation'swatchful eye.

In addition to support tooperations and exercises —

counter—pir:tc_v, drugs interdiction,or any of the countless other areasthat demand the Nav_v’s attention

the :\-'l\‘\"C also has a remit foreducation and battlestaff training.

'l‘hcre‘s no point in keepingall that expertise bottled up inCollingwood, but every point inmaking sure that people out inthe Fleet are trained to best useand recognise those all-importantbattlc—winning tactics.

Sadly gone (sec iucIicar' jluor{)fL‘l'tll't.‘ left) are the days of Wrenspushing models around the tacticalfloor in the historic buildingsof Southwick (apparently bestdone with the shaft of a golf-club adorned with a piece of Blu-Tack).

Instead the tactical lloor nowhas a new home in Collingwoodand is in regular use to bringscenarios and training to life forthe men and women attendingthe .\-IWC.

Of course, the hen: and nowis not the only focus of i\-1\\'/Cattention. Capt \‘l’arwick said:“New and highly-capable shipsare entering service and clearly weare not only doing battle-winningtactics, but also preparing for thefuture.”

The analysis work of themen and women, both " ltanand military. of the MW '.being fed on a daily basis intothe operational decisions beingmade by CinCl-‘let.-t‘s staff at NavyCommand HQ.

Capt \‘l"arwick said: “My job isto ensure that .'\'l\VC’s work is atthe heart of generating a RoyalNavy that can fight and win."

_

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18

OHMSSmiter(Glasgow)followsHMSArcheroutof

Portsmouth

NAVY i\'E\‘l-‘S, SEPTEMBER 2010

ililllllll .5H..'l'i-mllil..a-

Over the summer, the 14 vessels of the UniversityRoyal Naval Units bomb-burst around the UKand north-west Europe, immersing upwards of700 students in Senior Service life.

They get to some exotic (ish) places. Lisbon.Gibraltar. Antwerp. The Baltic ports. And, er,Portsmouth. Richard Hargreaves hopped

aboard HMS Archer in the Solent.

WE'VE all seen the Young Ones orWithnailand I.

Students. They attend two hours of lectures aweek, deliver their essays late, get up at mid-dayafter a heavy night in thebar of thestudent union'sMandela Building,do thewashing up on Saturdaysand the vacuuming even less frequently.

Right?Well, possibly. But not this lot. They're up at

7am. They're on their feet ten, 12, 16 hours a day.They wash up after every meal (theystill need a bitof help with the cleanliness, admittedly).

Mind you, theydo have Jack on their case.Crammed aboard HMS Archer (all 68ft and

49 tons of her) are 12 undergraduates fromAberdeen'sseats of higher learning.

Plus five ship's company.And some naval reservists or junior officers

undergoing seamanship training.And that's typical of all the P2000 patrol boats

which serve the 14 University Royal Naval Units —

more commonly,simply URNU — peppered aroundthe UK.

They're almost the smallest vessels in the RNarmoury (survey motor launch Gleaner at 28 tonstakes thattitle) and it's probably fair to say a lot ofthe Fleet doesn't appreciate (a) what they do and(b) how busy they are.

_ _So allow us to cast light where there ISdarkness.

There are in excess of two million students inhigher education in theUK.

Seven hundred of those sign up to serve withthe14 URNUs — a maximumof 51 undergraduatesper unit — after being interviewed by sailors totest theirsuitability.

The successful applicants are required toattend one ‘sea weekend‘ per year, plus spendten days with their unit at either the Easter orsummer breaks — when the boats leave nonrialwaters behindand head off on deployment.

For that they receive payment - typicallyaround £1,000 a year. The students are alsoentitled to the benefits that regular sailorsenjoy such as discounts, access to sports andmedical facilities.

That will gnaw away at the cost of going touniversity these days (circa £20K over threeyears...) but it's not why thestudents are here.

"The money's nice. but it's not the reasonwhy I'm here,” says Officer Cadet Leigh

Moreton. A couple of generations oi Moretonshave already served under the White Ensign. Theengineering student from Aberdeen Universitymight be the third.

“l joined to see if this was something I'd wantto do. it's an experience that you cannot put avalue on. Some of my university friends think I'mcrazy working all week, then going to sea at theweekend."

OC Scott Mackie adds: "The money's anincentive but you could earn more doing a normalSaturday job."

He too is seriously contemplating a full-timecareer in the RN. His time withArcher's taught himone thing—- perhaps themost important for anyonepondering a life on theocean waves.

“I decided: yep, I can live in a tiny box," Scottsays.

Archer's not a tiny box, the Scotsman correctshimself: "She's a small grey caravan of death anddestruction."

Not sure about the death and destruction bit,but a small grey caravan is a fairly apt descriptionof life below decks, becausethecramped spaces,small galley,narrow bunks do ratherremind you ofJeremy Clarkson’s béte noire (mercifully. though,there's no chemical |oo...).

As for death and destruction, well, Archer'sfirepower's limited to catapults.

Catapults?"When the P2000s meet up, we catapult water

bombs at each other,” Scott explains. "How manypeople can say they throw water bombs at aBritish warship."

My guess is about 700 every year...Anyway, when not soaking each other the

students are being immersed (sorry) in all aspectsof naval life: navigation, seamanship, husbandry,discipline, safety. and getting on with one anotherin a very restricted environment.

"Living in a small box, it's about being a family,about workingas a team." says OC Louise Critchin,who's mastered much of lite on Archer... bar tyingher hair in a bun.

20003 are basic. Comms between the openbridge and the wheelhouse (which is never

used to drive the ship because the bridge offersfar better visibility)nomially involve a blow on thevoice pipe (yes theystill exist) or a holler down theladder: Turn the wheel and you tum the rudder.There are no hydraulics.no power steering.

Al ‘iiThat's not to say there's no technology

aboard — there's the computerised chart system,WECDIS, for example... although the studentsare encouraged to navigate the traditional way:paper chart and fixes.

The boats have a pretty limited range (550nautical miles; a Type 23 for example can sail for9,000 miles).

But it's not just thesmall fuel tank which curbsthe boats‘ range: because they're not full-timesailors. the students can't really be expected tospend more than ten to 12 hours at sea in onego.

And that'snot the only hindrance. Food has tobeacquiredon an almost dailybasis (thegalley iscompact. if not bijou), and laundry taken ashoreto a washeteria at every opportunity. If there isn'tone. there'salways Plan B: a bucket.

S for theship's company. well it's a job unlikeny other in the RN. You're a sailor, a teacher,

a guardian. On deployment, theyspend thenightashore in a hotel or B&B becausethere's simplynot space for everyone (there's always one full-time matelot on board to keep an eye on thestudents for safety reasons).

While the students might be the ‘best andthe brightest’. they know little. if anything, ofseafaring.

"You have to let the students go so far. letthem make some mistakes — you don't want tokeep saying: ‘That's wrong.'" explains Archer'sCO Lt Michael Hutchinson.

"At the same time you have to always ensuretheship is safe. It is a balancing act."

Nor are students necessarily the tidiest ofpeople. They quickly learn thatwhat theythinkis‘clean’ isn't clean by RN standards.

"l've been at sea since I was 16,” explains LETSgmon ‘screwy’ Driver. Archer’s weapon engineer0 lcer.

I

“These kids are academically minded. In nopart of their lives have they been woken up at3.30am to go on watch on the bridge.

"The first word out of their mouths is usually:‘why?’. I just growl at them."

He's joking. Probably.The leading hand is as salty as any veteran

sea dog in the RN — a Service where, he explains,"every meal is a least, every day is an adventure.every pay cheque is a bounty."

And on that last point... some of the mostexperienced senior rates can earn more thantheir CO (that doesn't happen very often in themilitary and. oddly, they wanted us to underlinethe point...).NOW the rest of skimmerlandmight be reading

this and thinking:easy life."It's difficult to explain to the rest of the Royal

Navy what we do — our BOST. for example, onlylasts a couple of days. theytake six, eight weeksand they go off on deployments of six or sevenmonths," says LET Driver.

“Our job's not harder — or easier — it's justdifferent."

There is a lot of time at sea. Archer may betheAberdeenboat, but since the ice cleared fromthe harbour (you might rememberthe very wintrypicture in our April edition) she's been away fromhome almost constantly.

By the time she returns to Scotland in mid-October following a spot of maintenance, she'llhave been in her home port forjust one and a halfweeks over a seven-monthperiod.

There is, says Lt Hutchinson, "not a lot ofharmony time for theguys”.

When the P2000s are in their home ports.Mondays and Tuesdaysare days off. Wednesdaythrough Friday are the maintenancedays and it’soff to sea at theweekend.

“You don't realise until you do this job how

SJJbusy it is," says Lt Hutchinson. "Every weekend isbusy. On theplus side, it's fantasticallyrewardingand there's a great deal of responsibility."

with many of the URNU boats being basedaway from naval establishments, limitedcomms at sea. the boats are probably the mostautonomous command in the Senior Service(they do have to tell the Fleet Controller whatthey're up to daily, but othenrvise there's a fairlyfree rein).

“It's a great set-up. Being up in Aberdeen isprobably the most autonomous command in theNavy," Lt Hutchinson adds.

“We're also a very visible presence in the UK— when the Royal Navy's so hard pressed. URNUboats are always around.

"Everywhere we go. we're able to get rightinto the heart of a town or city and thatgenerallyattracts a crowd. And you have the studentsspreading the word around."

LL thisactivitycomes under thewings of the1 st Patrol BoatSquadron and its Commanding

Officer Cdr David Wilson (you might rememberhim as the flute-playingC0 of HMS Bangor backin the mid-Noughties).

Commandof 1 PBS (it also includestheGibraltarand Faslane squadrons) is the equivalent ofdriving a Type 22/23/42— although thejob is verydifferent.

"I take great delight in telling my destroyerand frigate colleagues that I have 18 ships at mydisposal - that's about one third of the Navy inthe UK," says Cdr Wilson.

With his flotillabeing scattered around the fourcorners of the UK. he makes sure he gets aroundthe units.

But what are theyfor?Well, what they're not is a recruitment tool.“The message we are trying to get across is

to instill the Royal Navy ethos. Whether or not

ml C51’ 1;\'AVYNEWS, SEPTEi\-IBER2010

Vsad"

theyjoinus, they'lltake thatethoswith them," ‘

explains Cdr Wilson.“There's a good cross section of student

life in the units — politics students, historians.lawyers, doctors.

"It you have the capacity to do this and adegree at thesame time. thenyou're probablygoing to be a mover and shaker in society."

In true Whiskas style.nine out of ten URNUstudents say the experience of serving withtheir unit surpasses expectations. Two outof three express an interest in joining theRN as a full-time experience. One in threepasses through the gates of Dartmouth.

“I think the university boats providea fantastic service — and for somestudents. a life-changing experience."Cdr Wilson adds.

But the boats are not just here tokeep students busy; HMS Raider(Cambridge) took part in 70thanniversary commemorations ofthe Dunkirk evacuation then, incompany with Tracker (Oxford) —--

made the mammoth trip to Gib(mammoth for a P2000. that is)for thesummer deployment.

_ _Cambn'dge‘s boat will soonbe trading places with Bristol'sHMS Trumpeter. As one ofthe last P2000's built. Raider’ssupercharged, capable of 22kts

- _:

instead of the more leisurely 14ktsof most of the class. ' ““

By moving Raider to Devonport,she can be used not just by Bristolstudents but also by HMS Raleigh,Dartmouth and FOST for fast-attackcraft and navigation training.

Sounds like fun...

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20 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER20l0

Seadogs scalethe peaks

THE Salty Old Seadogs took onthe challenge of 24 peaks, each over2,400ft, in 24 hours to raise moneyfor Seafarers UK. The Seadogswho have a combined age of 304years and 167 years ofservice in theRN and RM relished the challengeof the demanding event.

The Salty Old Seadogs ~ TonyQuirk, Steve Sugden, MartinMackey, Richard Pethybridge, SiParsons, David Fearon and DavidGrindel — were undaunted by theatrocious weather that plaguednearly every step of their way, andfinished the challenge in 23 hoursand 42 minutes.

The team were delighted tocross the finish line in seventhplace; and were one of onlytwo teams to finish with a fullcomplement.Just goes to show thedogged determination of these oldsalty types...

Team captain Tony said: “Thechallenge itself was pure teamwork from start to finish. The

DANIEL Astlcy, a CPO serving inHMS Nelson, believes in miracles,for it was a miracle that saved hisdaughter Lilly'ssight, and possiblyher life.

When Lillywas six months oldlast January, her aunt was lookingthrough some Christmas photoson Facebookand noticed that oneof her eyes was showing white,instead of the usual red-eye.

She had seen a documentaryabout retinoblastoma, a rare formof childhood eye cancer, andadvised Daniel and Li|l_v’s mother,Brooke, to get her checked.

Their family doctorimmediately referred her tohospital in Portsmouth where itwas confirmed that she had asevere problem.

Lilly was sent for treatment tothe Royal London Hospital, whichspecialises in retinoblastoma.

comradeship and trust built upover six months of planning andtraining paid dividends on the hill,with the whole team, bothwalkersand support crew, working as oneto achieve the goal.

“We had trained hard tomaintain a pace that would get usto the finish with a few minutesin hand. To cross the line aheadof schedule was fantastic andtestament to the determination ofthe team to keep going as injuriessurfaced, bodies started to hurtand the conditions worsened."

Another team tackling thechallenge with Naval connectionswere ‘For Ian’; walking in memoryof the late Surg Vice Adm IanJenkins who was a formerchairman of Seafarers UK.

Cdre Barry Bryant, DirectorGeneral of Seafarers UK said:“This support will help us throw alifeline to the many seafarers thatdesperately need our help in thesehard times.”for LillySince then Lilly has finished acourse of chemotherapy and isresponding very well.

Medical staff are hopeful thatthe sight has been saved in bothher eyes and the prognosis isgood.

Daniel said: “In these times ofstories of the failings of the NHSI have nothing but praise for theirprofessionalism, compassion, andmost of all speed of action thatthey provided for Lilly.”

Daniel and Brooke are gettingmarried in Octoberand have askedtheir wedding guests to makedonations to the cancer charityThe Childhood Eye Cancer Trustinstead of presents.

Daniel is taking part in theGreat South Run this month toraise money for the trust — todonate, go to www.justgiving.com/runforlilly

0 Colin Davies organised a swimming fundraiserat DevonportPicture: LA{Phot] Martin Carney

Swimming for a trekSTAFF at Devonport Naval Base took part in a sponsored swim in thepool at I-Il\'lSDrake to raise money for disabled people to trek up NlountKilimanjaro.

The swim was to support the charity Limb Power, which is organisingthe trek to give amputees the opportunity to climb the mountain.

The charity also holds amputee games, giving athletes the chance totake part in volleyball, basketball, tennis, badminton, rowing, fencingand many other sports.

Colin Davies (ex—RN) arranged the swim to help raise awareness ofthe charity and to boost funds to take eight adventurous people on theclimb, in October.

Laura’s breakthroughPETFY Officer Laura Washer,

from Torpoint, has used her ownexperience of cancer as thedrivingforce to raise more than £10,000for charity.

Laura, who works at HMSRaleigh, was first diagnosed withbreast cancer six years ago, whenshe was only 26.

Despite undergoing treatmentshe had setbacks when secondarytumours were discovered, andbegan her mammothcharity effortto raise money as a BreakthroughBreast Cancer £1,000 Challengerin 2009.

Since then Laura has organisedraffles, coffee mornings and other

social events and to date she hasoutstripped her original £1,000target ten times over.

Laura, who joined the RN inI998 as a Warfare Specialist, said:“We're planning to hold anothercharity ball in Raleigh’s WarrantOfficers‘ and Senior Rates’Mess, and we're also looking atorganising a barn dance and asale of photographs of the localarea, donated by Raleigh'sphotographer, Dave Sherfield."

She added: “I didn‘t intend toraise so much money, but it hasbeen like an addiction. As themoney started coming in, it’s been‘right, what can we do next?”

A FORCE FOR GOOD

Afghan runnersC/SGT ‘Mel'

raise money

sewing in Afghanistan,

time.“The Welfare Service is working to capacity.

supporting families of those killed and the manyhorrlficallywounded marines.

“Their work is invaluable at this time and theytake a huge amount of needless strain off familiesby providing consistent support.

Melville is currently based inAfghanistan where his son, Will. is also sewingwith 40 Commando Royal Marines.

This month Mel and two colleagues plan to runa marathon within the perimeter of the camp to

for the RM Welfare Fund.Julie Davis, the mother of Joseph Davis who is

also serving in Sangin Provincewith the Melvilles.said: "The suppon the Melvilles give to manyyoung men is incredible and totally selfless.

“Despite having both her husband and sonLinda Melville has

continued in a very quiet manner to support manywives and familiesof men who have been and areserving in Afghanistan, including me."

She added: "40 Commando have had the mostawful tour with 14 being killed in a very short

“They do all they can to financially supportthose families in most need — they help withaccommodation and transport costs to enable

recovery."

6PF or

families to support their injured marine on his

She added: "They also provide fantastic daysout for the young families while their daddiesare on active service. They visit country parksand arrange picnics and barbecues enabling thefamilies to have some much-needed time off."

To donate to Mel's marathon, please send acheque payableto Central Bank, 40 Commando,toMel's Marathon.RM WelfareTeam. 40 Commando,Norton Manor Camp. Taunton, Somerset, TA2

go to https:/Iwww.bmycharity.comN2/MelsMarathonMarathonMenI UCpl Matthew Ash and the Padre of 40Commando Royal Marines. Andrew Flawding, arerunning the first half-marathon in Afghanistan inSeptember, to raise money for the Royal Marines’Association in honour of their fallen comrades.They plan to run around their Fonlvard OperatingBase in theSangin Valley:https://www.bmyohan'ty.comN2/SanginhalfmarathonAndy’s lazy

undaySAILORS usually lookforward to a ‘Lazy Sunday’routine as an opportunity tochill out and catch up.

Not so Lt Andy Haywood,who found a Sunday routine onHMS Ark Royal gave him his onlychance to run the marathon-plushe'd been promising himself fornearly a year.

Andy originally had the idea ofrunning 30 miles front PortsmouthNaval Base to Naomi HouseHospice, near Winchester, whilethe ship was in a maintenanceperiod.

However, he was always toobusy to run on dry land, so hedecided to run it at sea instead —

despite scorching temperatures offthe east coast of the USA, wheretheArkwas flagship for theAurigadeployment.

Starting at 10am, with thesun already high in the sky, andwith a little help from his friendswho joined him for stages, Andyracked up the 486 shuttles alongthe length of the carrier’s flightdeck to reach his 38-mile targetin a little more than eighthours.

Andy said: “I was overwhelmedby the support received from theship's company, with many peoplechoosing to run shuttles withme —

it really spurred me on.“The continuous applause I

received during the last mile—and—a-half was incredible."

As it wasn't enough forAndy to run 36'/2 miles in the30° heat for eight hours, hedecided that he would make it

competitive for the ship'scompany, and raise more moneyfor Naomi House, by running acompetition to guess how fast hecould run the last mile-and-a-half— his RN Fitness Test.

Running a mile—and—a—half isone of fitness tests for all personneland Andy's age group -— under 305— must complete the distance inunder I l minutes 38 seconds.

The last time he attempted theRNFT (from fresh) he scoredeight minutes 15 seconds.

So what after 36‘/.» miles? Aphenomenal ten minutes 35seconds. Std Glynn guessed his

To Paris by bicycleSEA CADET instructor EonMatthews has completed at least20 ‘Pedal to Paris’ charity ridesfrom London to the French capitalas a safety motorcycle outrider.

But as a member of the RNCycling Association he always felta twinge of envy as he watchedover the cyclists speeding through300 miles of beautifulcountrysidein Kent and Northern France.

So this month he is swappinghis motorbike for leg-power to trythe route himself.

Eon, an instructor withNewhaven and Seaford SeaCadets and also a shipmate in theRNA, said: “I've been escortingthe ‘Pedal to Paris’ ride for eightyears, so last year I asked witha few others from the NationalEscort Group if we could enter ateam ourselves.

“Our group consists of eightriders from military and policebackgrounds, all hoping to raisemoney for the Royal BritishI..cgion’s flagship charity bikeride.”

Eon added: “People sometimestease me about ‘going on anotherholiday’ when 1 take part as asafety outrider.

“But although it’s physicallyeasier doing the route on amotorbike, mentally it’s muchmore stressful, because you'reresponsible for the cyclists allthe time, and it can be quitedraining.

“This time I hope all I have todo is pedal!”

Eon’s hoping to raise about£l,000 for the Royal BritishLegion — to sponsor him, go towww.bmycharity.com/v2/eon

LtAndy Haywood runs on the fligtdeckof HMS ArkRoyal

Picture: LAlPhot) Gregg Macreadytime correctly and won {'50.

Andy commented: “The mainchallenge was the heat, and atone point I couldn't drink enoughwater to combat how much I wassweating.

“The captain kindly lent mehis bath on completion which,once the lads had filled it with ice,helped to cool things down a bit.”

Andy managed to raise £1,000for Naomi House — not to mentionreinforcing the Ark's reputation asthe Navy’s fittest ship.

Ian tacklesCAREERS advisor Ian Hardcastlehas helped many young menthrough the recruiting process tojoin the Royal Marines, and thenkept up with their careers.

\lf'hen he wanted to supportthem by raising money for forces’charities, Ian had a brainwave— why not try taking the testshimself?

Ian, a CPO Careers Advisor inthePreston Armed Forces Careers’Office, explained: “My job is torecruit and select suitable men tojoin the Marines, and part of thisinvolves advising candidates aboutwhat is involved in the PotentialRoyal Marines Course (PRIVIC)and how to prepare for it.

“How do I really know what it’slike? For this reason I decided Ihad to give it a go.”

So it was that at the tender ageof 45, conspicuously older thanmost of the 50 other potentialrecruits, Ian spent three days at

TrophyFundseekstrusteeTHE Royal NavyTrophyFund,a registered charity, is seekingapplications from any servingwarrant or chiefpetty officer whowishes to apply to be a volunteerITUSICC.

The TrophyFund exists tomaintain, issue and account forall registered Naval trophies.

Its aims and objectives areachieved through a Board ofTrustees, comprising threestanding members — the NavalBase Commander Portsmouth,the Head of the Naval HistoricalBranch and the Base LogisticsCommander (Portsmouth) — andtwo volunteer serving warrantofficers or chiefpetty officers ofany branch.

The trustee is expected toattend two formal meetings eachyear, and to accept the legalresponsibilitiesthat come withthe role.

Two specific publicationsavailable on the CharityCommission website (www.charity-commission.gov.uk)may give useful background —

CC} and CC3(a).Ifyou would be interested

in discussing the role with theoutgoing incumbent\‘(I'ODGoldie call 93832 8709.

Applications should besubmitted by letter to:

Lt Cdr D A CostiganSecretary to theTrusteesRN TrophyCentreHardy BlockHMS NelsonPortsmouth P01 3HH.The closing date for

applications is September 302010.

Medicsin motionNAVALSurg Cdr AshvinPimpalnerkar(Reid) and SurgCdr Raj Shah raised more than£22,000 for Arthritis Researchin a 8‘/2 mile fun run in SuttonColdfield, Birmingham.The Navy men were running ina group along withmedical staffand patients from Good HopeHospital.I SIX RN doctors and medicsare carrying a stretcher from theirbase at the Institute of NavalMedicine, in Alverstoke, Gosport,to the National MemorialArboretum in Lichfield,Staffordshire, a distance of I85miles.

The team will set off onSeptember -‘I, aiming to reachtheir destination in seven daysto raise money for the RBL tohelp its work caring for serviceveterans.

The event is called The RoyalNavy Medical Service’s Carry OnRemembering. In tribute to SirLancelot Spratt, perhaps?

the MarinesLympstonedoing three-miletimedruns, 60 press-ups in two minutes,80 sit—ups in two minutes, assaultcourses, endurance courses and allthe extras thrown in to determinehis grit and suitability.

At the end of the three days, Ianhad not only raised £5,000 for theRM CharitableTrustand Help forHeroes, but passed the course -

with a superior A grade.He said: “I was driven by

three reasons ~ the first was toraise money for the charities, thesecond was to know more froma recruiting perspective, and thethird was a personal one, to proveto myself that at 45 I’m still as[it and capable as I was when Iwas 2'5.”

He added: “I know I’m not, butI do believe age is not an excuseto let your physical wel|—being godown the pan.”

To donate, go to www.justgiving.com/ian-hardcastle

Trusty steed’sgood deeds

HORSEWOMAN Lt SharonBrown has been riding sinceshe was a child. so whenthe opportunity came up tosupport Help for Heroes withone of her trusty horses, shejumped at the chance.

However, Sharon found herselfin intensive care with a rare, life-threatening illness only a fewweeks before the ride was to takeplace.

It was touch and go whethershe would be fit enough toparticipate.

After a nail-biting couple ofweeks for her family and friends,Sharon pulled through, and wasable to take part in the event — anorganised ride starting from Ascotracecourse, going to the JubileeStatue in ‘Windsor Great Park,andculminating in a ride around thetrack and past the famous Ascotfinishing post.

Sharon said: “I’ve been ridingfor the Royal Navy in showlumping and eventing for over 15years and I'm fortunate to havetwo wonderful horses, Timba andGromit.”

“It was a difficult choice whichof my trusty steeds to choose, butI decided to rideTimba.

“The event kicked off at7.30am with a group of ridersfrom the racecourse includingChief Executive Charles Barnettand Lt Guy Disney who lost a legin Helmand.

“I proudly rode in number oneuniform and as my group were thelast to start it was around middayand was very hot especially in ablack jacket.

Heroes“But I thought that riding in

the heat for a couple of hoursin my number one jacket hasno comparison to the conditionsthat Service men and women inoperational theatreshave to endureday-to-day, wearing protectiveequipment and operating inintense heat.”

Sharon, who works for the RoyalNaval Acquaint Centre in HMSCollingwood, helping potentialratings prepare for HMS Raleigh,said: “The ride was beautifuland Imet some wonderful people.

“There was a great mix of ridersfrom novice to the professional,from young to old and they all hadstories to tell.

“The highlight was finishingthe ride in front of the gathered

O Lt Sharon Brown and her horse Timba take part in Horses for

racegoers at full gallop down thecourse across the finish line.”

About 600 riders took part inthe eight-mile ride and organisersbelieve the total raised for Helpfor Heroes will reach in the regionof £300,000.

Sharon, who has served in theRN for 2] years, was unable topush for sponsorship as much asshe would have liked because ofher serious illness.

She said: “I set my goal to raise£1,000 earlier in the year and Iam still aiming to get closer to thateven after the event.

“Currently I have collected[610 from only close family andfriends."

To donate, go to http://www.justgiving.com/Sharon-Brown.

The whirring FortiesW0 Dermot Roberts had a heartattack five years ago and a fullhip replacement last January, butit didn't stop him from leadingHMS Albion‘s cycling team on a3,600—mile ride.

W0 Roberts pedalled theequivalent distance fromDcvonport to Norfolk, Virginia,in 20 days, along with eightcolleagues from the ship‘s W0and CPOs' mess.

All eight were carefully selectedto the most stringent standards.Dermot explained: “\Vc discussedit in our mess and being the eldermess on board, a few membersdecided they wanted to show thatthey were not past it.

“So to get on the team wedemanded two standards, you hadto be over 40 years of age and youhad to be overweight.

He added: “Funnily enough,we had no problems raising ateam. \Ve even called it t.he ‘FatForties‘.

Riding with Dermot, theother Fat Forties were \VO MickE|lison;\VO ‘Pincher’ Martin; andCPOs Chris Ferrier, Paul Innes,Mick I-Iewer, ‘Ben’ Benwall, ‘Tex’Marshall and Willie McBeth.

Dermot explained: “There weretwo main reasons I wanted totake this on — one was obviouslyto continue getting fitter, and theother was to say thanks to thesurgical team under Dr MarkWilliams at Derriford Hospitaland the great work that HMSDrake Physiotherapy Departmentdo.

“They were the reason Irecovered so quickly and theiradvice to me to carry on cyclinggave me the idea.

“Without them I am sure Iwould still be limping about.”

He added: “The day we sailedfrom Devonport we started theride and despite temperatures ofH0 degrees F on some days weall completed the challenge with aclay to spare.

taken)“The temperature made the

challenge that much harder andlonger.

“For most of us it meantgetting up at five in the morning

0 W Dermot Roberts (who obviously enjoys having his photo

to complete it on time.“Fortunately we managed it

just before we arrived in Norfolk,Virginia, and raised more than[1400 for RN and RJVI charities.”

NAVYNEWS, SEIYFENIBER 2010 21*4FORCE FOR GOODI

O The Navys March for Honvour team: CPO ‘Jan’ Matthews. LPT Leon Taylor, P0 Suzie Parker, P0 KevGreen (once known as the Baby-facedAssassin in his Naval boxing career but difficult to know why withtheexpression he's pulling in thisphoto) and P0 Jason ‘Taft’ Gadd Picture: LA(Phot) Chris MumtnyRam runnersFOUR Forces teams are getting ready for the Marchfor Honour, the event sparked by Royal Marine L"Cp1Ram Patten to raise £1 million for the Royal BritishLegion.

At HMS Temeraire in Portsmouth, the livemembersof the Royal Navy team — CPO Simon ‘]an‘Matthews, PO Jason ‘Taff’ Gadd, PO Suzie Parker,PO Kev Green, LPT Leon Taylor — are beginningpreparations for the challenge taking place thisNovember.

Teams from each of the Services will speed-marchan average of 30 miles a day from different basesin the country, carrying 40lbs, to meet in WoottonBassett, then walk together into London to deliverthe Book of Remembrance to the Royal BritishLegion’s Festival of Remembrance at the Novemberceremonies.

The Royal Marines will start in Plymouth, theRoyal Navy in Portsmouth, the Army in Cardiffand the RAF in Wittering; the Royal BritishLegion Riders will meet and escort the teams along

parts of their routes.‘When asked why they had chosen to take up this

challenge, CPO ‘Jan’ Matthews said: “Partly becauseit’s a worthwhilecause, the casualties in Afghanistanare going up on a daily basis. You can only but feelfor the families.

“It’s the least we can do to support the guys thatare frontlinc. It’s another way of giving somethingback.

“Also it’s a real challenge — not just another 5kmrun, but almost 300 miles of graft.”

It's a sentiment echoed by all those taking part. P0‘Taff’ Gadd has recently returned from Aghanistan,he said: “It’s to show support for those boys who havedied in the line of duty.

“It’s something that all of us in the military cancome together and do as a complete unit."

To pledge your support, text ‘MARCH’ to 70222(you will be charged £3 plus standard one messagenetwork rate) or visit www.march4honour.com/donate.

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HOW puny and insignificantwe are inthe faceof God's creation.

The small(ish) lump of black and grey onthe left of this stunning image is Her Majesty'sShip Portland, 5,000 tons of cutting-edgenaval hardware and firepower.

And the blue-white mass dominating thetop of the picture is the ‘tongue’ of theNordenskiold Glacier — two miles wide andat least four long at the south-eastern end ofEast CumberlandBay in South Georgia.

Not too long after this photograph wastaken by LA(Phot) 'Simmo' Simpson, the menand women aboard Portland were reminded ofthe sheer force of theelements.

it is the depths of the austral winter rightnow in South Georgia where. if you're lucky,the daytime temperature might make it abovefreezing... and the nighttime one won't fallbelow -5°C.

After a couple of months at East CoveMilitary Port in the Falklands(where it's bleakand cold in the winter), the Type 23 frigatemade the three-day passage to the distantBritish dependency (where it's not so bleakbut cold).

Six members of the island's FloulementInfantry Company (RIC) and a couple of Crabs(one flight lieutenant, one warrant officer)joined the ship's company for the crossing,a passage requiring an iceberg watch postedon the bridge as soon as a ship entersthe Antarctic Convergence Zone — where thewarmer waters of the Atlantic meet those ofthe frozen continent.

The first berg drew a sizeable number ofgoofers to the starboard bridge wing...

...although come the following morning withSouthGeorgia in sight, therewere ratherfewersightseers; a 35kt Antarctic wind whistled pastthe frigate as she entered Drygalski Fjord atthe south-easterntip of the island.

"Only the hardy managed to stay on theupper deck,” says logistics officer Lt Cdr Kara

Chadwick. "The scenery was an impressivereward for those who did.

“Huge mountains rose straight out of thedeep blue. narrow fjord. At one point a smallpiece of iceberg floated past with penguinssat on top."

There are some things that money can'tbuy...

Having sailed up thefjord as far as she couldbefore ice thwarted her progress, Portlandturned about and made for Cumbertand Bay -

the huge natural harbour which sewed as theshelter for whaling fleets until the 1960s.

The great bay is split into west andeast. West. where there's not much,save for a huge glacierspilling into theocean. And east. where there'sslightlymore... and a huge glacier spillinginto the ocean.

The waters around the imposingNordenskjold Glacier haven't beencharted for two decades, so it waswith some caution that Portlandapproached the phenomenon ofnature, lookouts keeping a close,er, lookout, for 'bergy bits‘ (chunks oficeberg) and growlers (smaller chunks oficeberg, barely visible above the surface).

The approach to the glacier affordedall aboard a stunning photo opportunity -

especially so for the frigate's Lynx which wasairborne to witness a sight “that will never beforgotten".

And so to King Edward's Point for the‘meat’ of the visit: three days at anchor offGrytviken.

Enough ship's company got ashore to visitthefewsights of thesettlement:theabandonedwhaling stations, the church (where deputyweapon engineer officer Lt Paul Greasonacted as ‘bish’ and officer of thewatch Lt CdrJudith Zeug provided the music on the foot-pump-operated organ), thegrave of legendaryexplorer Ernest Shackleton. and the beaches

inhabited by all manner of wildlife — fur seals.elephant seals. albatrosses.

And if thatwasn't enough, therewas alwayssledging. Or yomping. Navigator and keenrunner Lt Rob Garner and chief gunner CPOBurton detennined to yomp with the RICsoldiers across the peaks around Grytvikento Maiviken Cove at the tip the peninsulaseparating the two sides of CumberlandBay.

The ship’s 42-man mess (the clue's inthe title...) were determined to keep spiritsup if temperatures were down by staging a

barbecue. On the flight deck. Under thestars.

Having frozen their proverbials offcollecting their burgers and sausages.

the ship's company shuffled intothe hangar for a spot of penguinracing (horse racing but withpingus) organised by the W0 andCPOs' mess (again the clue's in thetitle...).

Things were all fine and dandyuntil a spot of wind (not caused

by the BBQ). Portland was suddenlygripped by an icy katabatic blast.

For the uninitiated, a katabatic wind is aircooled by a glacier and funnelled down aglacialvalley or fjord — reaching quite a speed(God bless Wikipedia...).

It reached such a speed in the narrowconfines of Cumberland Bay that Portlandbegan to drag her anchor.

So. up anchor and skedaddle. The shipspent the night patrolling open waters beforereturning to King Edward Point for thefinal dayof her visit.

"On a long deployment, some port visitstend to blur into one anotherand be forgotten,some will be remembered for all the rightreasons for a long time to come," saysCommanding Officer Cdr Mike Knott. "SouthGeorgia was one of these.

“lt’s certainly been the highlight of the

deployment so far and will remain etched ineveryone‘s memory."

And now back to East Cove and some warfighting.

Every few weeks, units in the Falklandsconverge for a major exercise - Purple Strike— to test theabilityof land, sea and air to worktogetherto defend the islands.

The last act of Purple Strike witnessedPortland arriving in a ‘hostile’port (which borea striking resemblance to East Cove...) withRFA Black Flover to deliver fuel and othersupplies.

And as it was a hostile port, hostiles tried toinfiltratetheirway aboard the warship duringa ‘Quickdraw' exercise (the ship’s companyhave to be quick on the draw to deal with thethreat); in this instance, two attackers boredown on thequarterrnaster's position.

The week-long exercise opened withPortland and HMS Clyde. the Falklands‘constant guardship, embarking troops fromthe Roulement Infantry Company (provided bythe Welsh Guards and elements of the LightDragoons).

Ships and soldiers crossed Falkland Soundbound for West Falkland, which is moresparsely populated than the eastern island.after reports of enemy troops.

As the week wore on Portland flexed heranti-submarinewarfare skills by hunting for anenemy boat which had been ‘sighted’ aroundthe Falklands.

The ship’s Lynx helicopter also providedsupport to the troops ashore. conductingreconnaissance missions. She came under firefrom thefoe and had to conduct an emergencylanding on Portland's flight deck.

And then back to East Cove Military Portwhere a shore patrol was sent ahead to setup a security cordon and vehicle check pointon theedge of the port so Portland and BlackRover could come alongside and the lattercould deliver her supplies.

24 NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBER2010

pictures: laiphotl jay alien,frpu east

EVERN’S 14-

80 what does a two-week patrol withFishery Protection Squadron involve?

Well, we’re glad you ask because

day patrol startedin the city of Newport, SouthWales, her affiliated town.

A fonnal visit to the city, tied in with anOperational Stand-off Period (OSP) betweenpatrols, gave the perfect opportunity tostrengthen ties with the ship's affiliationsandthe region.

Aftera demandingOST at FOST (Minor warVessels) in Faslane and a patrol of the IrishSea. Celtic Sea and ‘Trouser Leg‘ detainingone Spanish fishing vessel to Falmouth, itwas perfect timing for the ship's companyto sail up the river with which she shares hername into Newport.

The ship hosted an official reception;guests included the Mayor and Mayoress ofNewport, local dignitaries and the organisersof the Ryder Cup tournament, being held atCeltic Manor in Newport later in theyear.

We were also lucky enough to be in thepresence of Royal Naval veterans from thelocal British Legion ‘spinning dits’ from theirtime in the Service.

The ship's ‘elite’ soccer stars had thechance to play their part in a challengingmatch against a local side. HartridgeAcademy (some of whom play for the WelshU18 national team...).

with the scores tied at 1-1 at half time.the decision was made to mix the teamsfor the second half (much to the shock anddisappointment of travelling supporters, asnow it will never be known what the finaloutcome could have been).

On the final evening, membersof theship'scompany swapped hosting for being hosted.by the Mayor of Newport, at TredegarHouse.The grand halls and surrounding gardens aswell as the fine hospitality made it a specialevening and a memorable way to end thevisit.

S SEVERN sailed from Newport, a fewextra guests had made theirway onboard

for a first experience of life at sea. Sevencadets from TS Resolute in Newport spentthe day shooting, fire-fighting and practising‘big arrns' during a man overboard drill.

Also aboard was video journalist PaddyCollins, filming for the second series of SeaPatrol UK.

HMS Severn has already featured in the2009 series of thedocumentary. so the ship'scompany were unfazed by video camerasappearing where they were least expected.but it gave an edge to thecycle of hailingandboarding.

Every two hours, the Otficer of the Watchdownloads positions of fishing vessels froma vessel monitoring system and looks for aviable contact — or group of fishing boats.

His search is aided by Watchdog 74. asurveillanceaircraft contracted by the MarineManagement Organisation to monitor andradio hail fishing vessels inside British FisheryLimits.

Co-operation between the ship and theaircraft is always appreciated as the aircraftcan search a greater area faster than Severnand assist the ship in targeting particularvessels or types of vessel.

The aircraft operator liaises byradio with the Officer of the Watchand the surface picture is built.Severn and the aircraft will then‘de-conflict‘which vessels theywill each dealwith making the operation more efficient andmore effective for the Marine ManagementOrganisation.

It's possible to check the history of thefishing vessels. and look for contacts ofinterest — thosewith a history of breaking therules set down by the European Union, orwho have not been boarded in some years.

Once a target group is selected. the shipcloses to just 1.000 yards from the fishingvessel — to identify its registration numbersand then hail the vessel on VHF.

One thousand yards may not look close tothe untrained eye, but with a large group offishing vessels (any one of which may altercourse at any time, in any direction) it canbe a tense time on the bridge. even beforeconsidering thatthefishing vessels may be inthe wrong lane of the Dover Straits - the MSof British waters.

This type of ship driving comes withpractice — and there is plenty of practice tobe had! The ship is often at boarding stationsat all hours of the day.

S/LtAndy Martin. one of four young officersonboard completing his Specialist FleetTraining (SFT). stands watches as thesecond

navigator of HMS Severn - one o1Service's three fishery protection ve

- just provided us with this insight into‘cod squad’.

Officer of theWatch."We're given a

responsibility onparticularly during boaas the Officer of the \.is liaising with theboalteams and we essenlrun the bridge," he say

"The ship is 1perfect platform for nnavigation trainingand provides excellerpreparation toexaminations at theend of SFl'.

"|’m thoroughlyenjoying my timeonboard. especiallythe ‘small-shipmentality‘ whereeveryone digs out foreach other.”

Once the fishingvessel has beenhailed. the ExecutiveOfficer - Severn'swatch s stem meansthe ommandingOfficer and X0 takecommand of thevessel dependingon who's on board —

decides if it is viablefor a boarding.

Several factors areconsidered. namelywhat the fishing vessris currently doinand fish species anamounts onboard,well as when it wasboarded and the curweatherconditions.

Then followstheinfapipe: ‘Hands to fish bostations,‘ and theshipinto action.

For the boarding 1time for dry suits,equipment thathas beat the start of theirfinal checks and a brie‘about to be boardedtogetherwith the relev

With a small ship's I30 onboard at any timein some way in getting

The team are quiclroute to thefishing vesPacific22 seaboats.

Driving the ‘taxi’ is 2"As a seaboat cox'n

when embarking thenever know what toyou are abeam of a Ithatyou know what y<Not to mention the a-elements around theAB(Sea) Gary Mosely.

Weather is alwaysthe ship's seaboat c:

from Severnembarkinga ton a 16-metredays speed withfislhas to be as:too dangerou:

When Severn's out cboarding the fishing vrship can still provide a raffect by her presencclosed seasonally frto protect spawningcontinuing to radio haiwhich fish theyare targand ensure it is goingFISHING regulation i:

numerous complenboardings are ever qui

|t’s tempting to Itogether, but theremethods. equipment-

HMS Severn's lastteams on board BritishBelgian and German v

Eachnation has a sligin the way that they ffor. using many differcapacity of net.

There are differenlfish are sorted and scountless different langofficer to grasp!

During her patrol. f

the Royal Navy'sLt Olly Nokes,f the Senioressels - haslife in the

last‘rent

mousvardiwgsprings:eam, it'scollectingen checkedduty period.ion the vessel

from the X0."ant egislation.zompany — around:— most are involved| theteam away.ily dispatched and enset by one of theship'simaior job.. it's an exciting feelingboarding team as youexpect - it's not until3oat's boarding ladder>u've come up against.dded challenge of the

Brtish coast!" says; a factor and whilean be safely launchedin higher sea-states.

wo-man boarding teamI fishing vessel at slowhingwarps in thewater.sessed and may proveinif limits forassels. the:lete-'rencee in areasor fishingstocks, and also by

I thevessels to monitorgetirg. the size of haulsin their logbooks.5 a European affair with(idea and so no twote the same.lump fishing vesselsare different fishinganc nationalities.patrol took boarding

. Spanish. Irish. French.essels.ghtlydifferentapproachish and what they fishent shapes, sizes and

t ways in which theitored, not to mention;uai_:es for theboardingSevern was tasked by

20 boardings

NAVY NE\\€’S, SEPTEMBER2010 25

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~--—. ‘~‘___ - _--~‘ ‘_ _

"P;-up It also gives the ship's company theM a n a g e '11 e n t “"

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elr amines an nen s a or_ne;for a contact of interest,

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I an 3 9 OX rem: I65 0 fl IS IS eryprevious infringementsoperating "' ‘mg, i Uf¥g§- If I b t t t _ PI thin the area close to Land’s End. '3 P8 ICU 3? 08 V303 9? "1 V0100

The ship makes good speed towards . , .t Q3V9 39V°m “[8 0PD0TlU|'l|tY 19 599 One Ofthe area. and comes across a fishing vessel ”a‘“°5, '5 ,q”' 3 the Royal Navys newest warships up close,in the last known position, °°""“°" '" ‘he F'5he"Y with HMS Daring entering the breakwater

Not wanting to appear suspicious. Severnnavigates the Land's EndTraffic Separation Scheme asif on transit through the night.awaiting first light in order tomake her move.

At first light we close thefishingvessel. visually identify itas the contact of interestand send a boarding teamonboard. It's not special opsoff the Horn of Africa, orboardings in the Gulf. but it's the FisheryProtection Squadron’s own way of surprisingfishermen potentially breaking EU fisherylegislation.

The role of the boarding officer and hisassistant is to provide an independent andaccurateassessmentof thequantity and typeof fish caught to ensure that only the maturespecies are caught and that the juvenilesescape to be caught by fishermen of futuregenerations.

They also check licenses. paperwork. netsand fishing gear. lt’s something out of theordinary for the Royal Navy as a whole — asLt Rob Couzens. Severn's Lead FisheriesOfficer points out: ''I never thought that whenI joined the Royal Navy I would be counting

1 0 verbal rebriefs

and weighing fish atsea. but it's good to know that in my roleas marine enforcement officer I can make adifference."

Conditions aboard each fishing vessel vary,with most vessels clean and organised, butsometimes vessels are in poor state. and in

this way the boarding officerand his team can expect theunexpected.

Some ‘fish rooms’ (wherethe fish are stored in boxes

of ice) are large andorganised, while otherswill be cramped anduntidy. making thejob of the boardingteam more dangerous, particularly in heavyseas. On top of this there are the fishennenthemselves: most are co-operative with theboarding team during inspections. others willappear unwelcoming.

As the patrol moves on. the MarineManagement Organisation seeks permissionfor Severn to enter the waters south of theRepublic of Ireland to look for British vesselsoperating in this area, in conjunction with theRoyal Navy and Irish Navy.

This international co-operation between

1 official written warning

Protection Squadron, enabling us toinvestigate fishing contacts that thinkthey may have ‘got away’ by movinginto Irish waters. We have jurisdiction toboard British fishing vessels operatingin Irish waters, but not Irish vessels.

IFE onboard, however. is not all aboutboardings. with thesailors enjoying ‘whole

ship’ activities. A particular ‘favourite’ isquarterdeck circuits organised by the ‘smallship PTI‘ AB(Sea] Fielding and supported byAB(Sea) Mosely.

Monday Night QuizNight (the clues in thetitle] is popular. as wellas the opportunity towatch football matches

on the big screen in the junior rates’ dininghall. The gym onboard iswell equipped for the sizeof ship. and is frequentlyused by all onboard.

At the half-way pointof the patrol. we enter the breakwater atPlymouth to conduct a crew changeover.and embark the Commanding Officer, Lt CdrCatherine Jordan, who has enjoyed a weekof watch leave.

Severn operates a three-watch manning

shortly afterwards whilst conducting BOST.The embarked journalist used the

opportunity to get some footage of the Type45 in action.

Once the C0 had received her handoverfrom the Executive Officer and he haddisembarked. the ship was back on patroland heading towards the nearest contact atspeed.

A busy two weeks at sea is concludedwhen the ship comes alongside in the baseport. Portsmouth — something that does nothappen very often.

‘Out all gash’ and ‘store ship’ are essentialwhole-ship activities which need completingprior to leave being piped, while the stokersget to work refuelling Severn ready for hernext patrol in 48 hours‘ time.

I YOU can see HMSSevern at work when Sea1 ’ 1 photographs Patrol UK airs on Channel5 this autumn.

The programme followsBritain's coastal services in their day today jobs reporting on the valuable workdone by organisations such as the RNLI andthe Coastguard as well as covering HMSSevern's fishery protection duties and RoyalNavy bomb disposal teams.

26 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER2010

Em COMMENTA trulysilentserviceI READ with interest the articleSo tvltttl do you tlzittlt.’ (lion Six,July, page 36).

\Vhileserving in the previous‘Victorians,’Albion,Corunna,Zulu and Loch Lomond, wewere not allowed to comment onanythingto anybody.

We always were told to obeythe last order, no matter whoor what, and then complainafter\vards, first to a senior rate,P0 or CPO, who then tookthe grievance to the DivisionalOflicer.

If he thought it was justified,the first lieutenant was informedand then, depending on whathe thought, the CommandingOfficer heard, or not, about it.

The final decision was his andthe written request was signed tothe affirmative or negative.

Writing to newspapers wastaboo and could get the personconcerned into a lot of trouble. Iknew a rating who did it.

I am glad that the ArmedForces Continous AttitudeSurvey is now listening to allranks.

I wish the Second Sea I_.ordevery success with his evidence toargue his men's attitudes on theNavy and Royal Marines.

I finish by saying, yes, Ienjoyed my I8 years’ service,which sent me all over the globe.

— Eric Pearce, Singleton, Kent

Memoriesof lnskipWITH reference to the closingof lnskip (letters, August) HMSNightjar, a Naval Air Station,commissioned at lnskip in I943.It was OperationalTrainingUnit No! and the home of 766Squadron, operating FaireySwordfish, training aircrews inanti-submarinewarfare.

As an AMIL I served therefrom February 1944 untilNovember 1944 working inthe MU, when I was draftedto Australia to join the BritishPacificFleet. Fourwren AM/Lswere also working in the MU.

Besides the camp at lnskipall the mechanics and aircrewwere housed at Wharles Campat the other side of the airfield.There was plenty of social lifeand Blackpool and Preston werenearby.

On three occasions whenstaying in St Annes I visited thecontrol tower and an archive toHMS Nightiar had been set up. Iwould be interested to know whathas happened to all this historicalinformation.

On May 10 1945 I joinedthe escort aircraft carrier HMSArbiter in Sydney,pennant no.R303. She was one of five carriersin the 30thAircraft Carrier Sqn.

\ll/hen the Arbiterarrived inSydney her Corsair Sqn 1843 lefther for Nowra. I was a memberofMaintenance and Repair Unit no5 (MSR 5) which served onboardher until September I945 whenshe went up to Hong Kong.

— A W Hodgins,ex LAM/L, Leeds

club togethLike many of your readersno doubt, I received a letterfrom the Head of VeteransServices at the ServicePersonnel and Veterans‘Agencyabout a new ‘service’called Club Together. whichincluded a survey withprizes.

I may have got this governmentdeficit thing wrong, but what isthe SPVA doing, wasting publicmoney,sending such a letter abouta commercial scheme that maytake business away from existingservice charities and associations?

Indeed, why is SI’VA‘s AlisonSansome, a one-star MOD civilservant, allowed to write sucha disingenuous letter to tens ofthousands of service pensioners?

One might wonder what it isabout the many armed forcesorganisations for veterans thatSPVA does not like or understand,in presuming that yet anotherorganisation is needed, whenstreamlining, merging and cost-saving should be the order of theday.

There is already a plethora oftri-service, single-service and unitcharities, clubs and organisationsand many do a good iob, helpingwith the “sense of community...”that SPVA so arrogantly claimsClub Ybgerlterwill do.

SPVA’s relationship withClub Ybgerlrcr, a commercialorganisation that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of XafinityPaymaster, the armed forces’pension administrator, is seriouslyflawed but that relationship is not

THERE is a fellowship among those who serve, or haveserved. in small ships. as our correspondent Don Tuckerpoints out on this page.

Mr Tucker’s wartime experiences might seem a worldaway from those of the officer cadets in the University RoyalNaval Units (UFINU) on their summer deployment (see pages18-19).

For one thing. overnight accommodationin hotels was notgenerally a feature of life in the wartime Coastal Forces.

But he would recognise many of the challenges — thecramped conditions, the narrow bunks. the potential forseasickness and above all the compelling necessity ofgetting along with everyone else in a small metal box where

Picture: Sgt Steve Lancaster RAFVeterans shouldexplicit in the letter.

Put simply, Club Ybgetlter is aprivate business and wants tomake more money out of beingthegovernments contract pensionprovider under the pretence ofproviding veterans with newservices.

The services they offer areavailable elsewhere, throughorganisations your readers knowand trust.

Is there a need, for example,for yet another way to “trace yourformer comrades”?

SPVA offers, for completing theClub Together survey, prizes thatare “double your next month'spension", helpfully adding thatthe “cash prize [is] equivalent to 2it your monthlypension"!

This is, frankly,disgraceful.The SPVA should treat all

its pensioners as being of “onecompany”.

It certainly should not contriveto offer a double whack of pensionto a superannuated air marshal, oreven to a major, when the sameprize on offer to a leading hand orsergeant pensioner is so much lessin prize value.

So much for equality andfairness, but it does shows howlittle understanding SPVA, and itsnew mates at Club Ybgetlrer, of thearmed forces familyhave.

Five hundred free pens are alsoon offer — wow!

I hope live deserving veterans,on small pensions and in real needof some luck, do win these prizes(thedeadline was July 30).

The best thing after that,however, free pen or not, is toignore this ridiculous scheme

Rook-hoppersAN INTERESTING article(August) about the recent voyagesof RN small craft Tracker(pictttredleft) and Raider from Portsmouthto Gibraltar.

I assume they are diesel-powered, but amazed they neededso many refuelling stops en route.

May I make a plug for thewartime Coastal Forces? Flashback to November 1944-, and the14th and 34th Fairmile B Flotillasleft Pembroke Dock, MilfordHaven, bound for the Far East.

These dear boats were mass-produced by small boat—yards allover the country to a prefabricateddesign, consisting of two skins ofmahogany with calico infill, andpowered by twin Hall Scott 600hppetrol engines.

For the journey to Mumbai(Trombay) they carried 2,000gallons of 98 octane fuel in decktanks, plus their normal 2,500gallons in internal tanks.

A very dodgy cargo in 1944.The B Fairmiles were originally

designed to have 14 crew plustwo officers, but with ever-increasing armaments the for‘d

frotn SPVA, and unsubscribe fromany related emails or mailings;veterans should ‘club together’and torpedo this venture on itsmaiden voyage.

SPVA should learn to stick toits core business.

Of course, if chief executiveWayne Story’s Club ‘lbgetltcr andXaftnity are so keen to help forcespensioners, then they can easilydo so by supporting the existingservice charities that offer similarservices to those they offer, ratherthan complicatingthe picture withanother ‘club’ while themselvestrying to make a fast buck out ofus veterans.

For the Ministry of Defence,and the Veterans‘ Minister inparticular, looking for ways ofsaving money in the SDSR, theSPVA has now put its head wellabove the parapet and invitedcloser inspection of its activitiesand senior team.

The country can do withouthighly paid public servants wastingpublic time and money on poorlythought out ideas like this.

Clearly, any bonus that mighthave been expected by thoseinvolved should remain in thepublic cxchequer.

- Lt Cdr Lester May (Ret’d)CamdenTown, London

David Johnson, ExternalCommunications Manager forthe SPVA, told us: “We weresorry to read that Lt Cdr May sostrongly objected to receivingthe information mailing on ClubTogethen

"We have sent a detailedresponse to him separately but

there’s no prospect of brooding in private.On the plus side are the friendships which are forged in

these surroundings and often continue for years. as many ofthese students will no doubt discover in later life.

Whether or not they decide to join the Navy, the officercadets in the 14 URNU ships will carry a unique experienceof naval life through to their future careers.

The skillstheylearn of endurance and teamwork will standthem in good stead in whatever job they subsequently do.

Their time in the Navy will also have given them a muchbetter understanding of just how the Armed Forces work inthese days when so many people in civilian life sadly haveno contact with the Services at all.

The views expressed lfi this paper do not necessarilyreflect the VIEWS of the MOD

crew increased considerably.They were 112ft x 18ft, with

one pumped heads and washbasinfor crew, and a coa|—fired galley forcooking and hot water for theboat,providing the crew rememberedto pump the small tank over thestove!

Coa|—fired on a petrol—drivencraft... but we all survived!

The l4th Flotilla of eight boatswent on to Burma and Arakan,and 34th of eight to Penang andJapanese surrender at Singapore.

\Vhich brings me back to thearticle, all boats made UK toGibraltar in one hop!

What has happened to smallcraft development since the19405?

To all my 85-year-old plusCFVA buddies, they werewonderful boats, and friendshipshave continued over the years.

- Don Tucker. Coastal ForcesVeterans‘ Association member,ex—MLl 94, East Anglia Branch

See pages 18- 19 for All thesmallthings, a feature on the 14 shipsof the URNUS on their summerdeployment — Ed

we would like to clarify a fewpoints for Navy News readers.

“First, the mailing was entirelyfunded by Xalinity Paymaster.the contractor that pays ArmedForces Pensions and which alsoadministers the Club Togetherscheme.

"There was no cost whatsoeverto SPVA, the MOD or taxpayers.

“We sent the mailing becausewe felt that. far from competingwith what is offered by ex-Serviceorganisations, some of ourpensioners would beinterested inthe additional services that ClubTogetherprovides.

“Those interested needed to‘opt in’, therefore if someone feltit wasn't for them. theleltersimplyneeded to be thrown into thenearest appropriate receptacle.

"People were also given an ‘optout’, which went a step further inensuring no information materialon the scheme is ever sent tothem again.

"Regarding the level of prizeavailable to individuals. again thiswas intended as an additionalbenefit but we do take on boardLt Cdr May's comments on this.

"We fully understand thatClub Together isn't for everyone,but some 36,000 people haverequested further information asa result of themailing.

“We thinkit would have been agreat shame to deny thesepeoplethe opportunity to get involvedSimply because others didn’twant to take up the offer.

“Unfortunately untilwe sent theletters. we had no way of knowingwho fell into which group. ”

— Ed

Charitykept usgoingWE WOULD be so grateful if youcould publish our thanks to theNaval Personal Families’Servicefor all their support and help withmy husband and family.

My husband Shaun, aSteward in HMS Campbeltown,came down with cancer lastAugust.

The NPFS helped fund mytrip to Scotland to be withhim. He had two operationsand another when he had aninfection.

To date he has had six monthsof chemotherapyand we arewaiting for news ofa CT scan.

We don’t thinkwithout thehelp of NPFS we would havemade it through as a family.

— Sarah and Shaun Cowell,Ernesettle, Plymouth

Sticking to myPolaris pinI fully empathisewith Bill ‘Fred’Purves (letters, July) abouta bomber pin for ex-Polarissailors.

Forty years ago I was inCape Kennedy doing our DASOon HMS Revenge (Port).

One night in a bar on CocoaBeach an American sailor gaveme his Polaris pin (it probablycost me a drink — I don'tremember).

It is two-and-a-quarter incheslong and has theA3 missilein thecentre, worn just abovemedal ribbons.

The only difference theinsignia has with our boats isthatthe tiny hydroplanes are onthe ‘sail’ or ‘fin’ and not in thebows.

I keep it polished and willnever part with it.

In 1970 the ‘sausageon astick‘ worn on thewrist hadlong gone.

I cannot rememberwhenwe were issued with our brassdolphins.

- Trevor ‘Topsy’ ‘hit-ton,Arnold. NottinghamCanada

callingIN MAY 2003 15 Canadianex-Service personnel weredespatched to Liverpoolto participate in the 60thanniversary of the Battle of theAtlantic.

That will probably be thelast one to be celebrated by usveterans.

It would have been a highhonour for the 15 of us to havereceived the Queen’s GoldenJubileeMedal.

On behalfof the survivors ofthat group, I am asking if anyonein a position to make this areality could please step up to theplate on behalfof the survivingmembers?

Don Hensler, ex RCNVRRCN, Gibsons,

BC Canada, VON IVR,entail odat@dccnet.com

LeviathanBlock, HMS Nelson, PortsmouthP01 3|-UH

September2010 no.674: 56thyearEditorialManaging editor:Sarah Fletcher 023 9272 4194Editor: Mike Gray023 9272 5136News editor: RichardHargreaves 023 9272 4163Production editor:Helen Craven 023 9272 5067Fax 023 9283 8845edit@navynews.co.uk

BusinessBusiness manager:Lisa Taw 023 9272 0494Subscriptions 023 9272 6284subscriptions@navynews.co.ukAccounts 023 9272 0686Advertising 023 9272 5062advertising@navynews.co.ukFax 023 9273 4448General enquiries andarchives: 023 9272 5061/5064

NAVYNE'\VS, SEPTEMBER2010 27

COMMENT“

JYWmg0f’f2>—-/%2JFZ£fi3lYflamvosA/v’ -ramwuos aefitnm/as fa 35595-‘B55D0//V’ /i///ArA/51%M/V— M/A//Vuraenrsmesate/t2’//V’£AE/91¢/pr/e aavvA44046/915/VIfie//verse: were /.wM>_<: —M/aaexl A/Aem

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0 SA AndrewStevenson casts over thestern of HMS Albionthe last

CJCZAE/Vm/64¢—‘ZJ€’-' 1%)’

N "-r

of thegash as the farewell to the tot in July 1970Who drewthe last tot?THE 40th anniversary, onJuly 31 1970, of theabolitionof the Tot — Black Tot Day —

gave rise to nationalpublicityfor the last of the originalrum now on sale at £600 abottle - and a few lucky oldsea dogs even got to trysome!While most entitled ratings

would have been served theirtot at ‘UpSpirits’ at around 1100to 1200 BST on that fateful day.they were certainly not the lastto draw their grog or neaters.Mismusters were served

in HM ships at around 1600and were common in trainingestablishments. where the totwas not thought conducive toinstruction and learning.While thedate chosen by their

Lordships was a Friday, and aday when many would be onsummer leave, I suspect theremight even have been thosewho chose to ensure they wereon second leave so that theycould enjoy their tot for one lasttime and stake their place innaval history.Many ships would have been

in home ports that last day ofJuly. but a few would be at seaand some well to the west of

the UK. in the west Atlantic, theWest Indies and. perhaps, in thePacificeast of the Date Line.I'm not sure if the few naval

ratings sewing on the staff ofSNOWI [Senior Naval OfficerWest Indies], or in the shoreestablishments HMS Malabar,in Bermuda, and HMS Saker,in Washington. were allowed todraw their ration.

So the question is who wasthe last man to draw his toton July 31 1970. perhaps atmismusters, thousandsof mileswest of home waters?I’d guess that it might have

been the senior SA(V). thevictualling Jack Dusty himselfresponsible for the accountingand issuing of the preciousliquid, it on board a ship, ora Chief Writer or CRS at thetwo shore bases then in theAmericas.Now at least well into his

sixties, and more likely in his lateseventies or even early eighties,we should attempt to tot up hisname for posterity!

— Cdr Mike Evans(never entitled to the tot!)

GuildfordSee page 8 for the winners ofthe Woods’ Rum Best Sea DogCompetition — Ed

05

What doesa namecost?

IN THE July issue you carrieda report about the Logisticiansreverting to their previous (andbetter known) job titles aftersix years of an unpopular namechange.As a taxpayer and aware that

defence spending is regrettablygoing to be cut back, the originalidea must have cost a lot of moneyto introduce and now more moneywill be spent to make the reversal.The article said that “after

extensive consultation...” — wasthere no one whose voice carriedweight at the time of the originalchange to say it shouldn‘t havebeen done?While having a ‘gripe’, you

carried a report a few months agoabout one of HM ships havingits water-makingfacilitieschangedout.The ‘new‘ process (reverse

osmosis) will be more eflicientthan evaporation.\‘(-’hen the ship was first built

reverse osmosis was standardpractice for the new North Seaoilfields being developed.Again, the taxpayer is having to

pay twice.What will be the next double

whammy?— KeithAdlam, Cowes, Isle of

Wight...I HAVE long enjoyed yourcampaign for sense in calling achef a chef.I wrote to The 1.-'conomi'sr in

June, after they had done acolumn attacking companies whogave people pompous names forsimple jobs.Afterwards I got a letter from

Cdre (as he was then) DavidSteele, top Loggy, telling me thatthe titles had been reviewed.So well done -« a successful

campaign, more or lessl- Ken Napier, Chairman,Aquitaine Branch RNA,

Beaugas, France(Sorry - Ed)I HAVE been an avid reader of1\"av_y l\-'cws since I discoveredits existence about 25 years ago,many, many years after I’d left theNavy.However, I am extremely

irritated by a stupid little quirkthat has recently crept into yourpublication. I refer to silly littlecomments in parentheses by theeditor — childish, famous andunnecessary.I refer to the July edition page

l? and page 20 to name a few.- Glyn Thomas. ex Ganges

boy,Wimborne, Dorset

/mow I//erPAYareWrr?

p. /.if.»--M. ’ Ma”‘1_

,.,.

V‘

.“Omsk

,99.i:(g3Ptzi1i%gnts‘= re -_I

_. . . _ W&%9avy,r}§;;re:,s,=,_c_,§>_='_A

associzttfoprovides advice on:

UNBIASED, CONFIDENTIAL &Tel: 020 7407 8658MOD: 9621 8194-5

HMS BELFAST;Tooley Street, London SE1 ZJHFax: 020 7357 6298

WEA Representatives conduct brleflngsllntervlewsregularlyatEstablishments [bookings taken throughResettlement/Education

Centres], and by appointment onboard HM Ships.

ALI.

23 NAVY NE\VS, SEPTEMBER 2010:3”'3 O TraineeET GraemeMcKenzie

Traineeliked whathe sawA TRAINEE sailor who swappedhis job as a civilian at HMSRaleigh to join the Royal Navyhas celebrated his 37th birthdayon parade as he completed hisbasic training.

TraineeET GraemeMcKenzieembarked on his Naval career inMay, inspired to join the Serviceafter working alongside theNavy as a carpenter at Raleigh,where he was employed by VTFlagship.

Over the past nine weeks he haslearned the fundamental skills thathe will rely upon throughout histime in the Royal Navy.

Graeme, from Plymouth, wasone of four over-30s in his entry— recruits can join the Serviceup to the day before their 37thbirthday.

He was appointed mess managerduring the first week of training,with responsibilitiesto ensure thatthe recruits‘ living areas were keptup to standard.

But he wasn’t just a dab handat administration — Graeme alsoachieved the second-fastest timeof his entry during the mile—and—a-half run.

He said: “Basic training hastaught me to persevere in the faceof adversity and to be confident inmy own abilities.

“I'm looking forward to anexciting career, learning a newtrade and being able to travel.

“I also hope that being in theRoyal Navy will provide a betterquality of life for me and myfiancee, Natalie, and our childrenSummer and Callan."

Graeme has volunteered for theSubmarine Service, so the nextstage of his training will take placeat HMS Sultan in Gosport, wherehe will learn the skills requiredto keep the submarines of theRoyal Navy running at the peak ofoperational effectiveness.

He will then return to HMSRaleigh to learn how to operatebeneath the waves at the RoyalNavy Submarine School.

Heroes talkabout jobsTWO ‘local heroes’ from theRoyal Navy took part in DiversityWeek at DeerboltYoung OffendersInstitute, a prison for men agedI8-21 in Co Durham.

The theme for the week was‘Heroes’, producing some eye-catching work by prisoners in theeducation department, which wason display for visitors.

A buffet was provided by theprison’s training kitchen, preparedby prisoners working towardsNVQ catering qualifications.

Speakers were invited to talkto groups of prisoners on varioussubjects, two of them being Cpl]ohn Jackson of the Royal Marinesand AB James Waddington, whotalked about his training and jobin the Gulf with HMS Grimsby.

Students were particularlyinterested in hearing about life atsea, and about Cpl ]ackson’s timeas a member of the British WinterOlympics bobsleigh team.

-g it a PEOPLE

Frigate I'0llS llllt I‘BIl6flI‘|l8tIlll‘ IIIIIIEIBII

BACK in June we told youabout a young lady who spenta day on board HMS St Albansin the Gulf to further herdream of being a Navy chef.

Now we can bring you ImogenTate‘s own account of how shefared.

Ten-year-old Imogen‘s dreamday on board the Type 23 frigateoriginated in a chance remark onEnglish-language Radio 2, :1 GulfNews Broadcasting station whichcovers the United Arab Emirates.

Imogen was asked by breakfastshow presenter Rob Duckworthwhat she wanted to be when shegrew up, and Imogen replied thatshe wanted to be a chef in thesenior Service.

Rob asked anyone listeningfrom the British Embassy if theycould help, and then it was aquestion of waiting...

And while Imogen waited, theRN, through liaison officer CdrMark Stuttard, got in touch withher parents and organised a visitto the Saint when she called in

0 Che! Andrea Denoon discusses the lunch menu with Imogen Tate

Picture: LA(Phot) Steve Johnccck

T0]! |lI‘iZGIIJI‘ FI‘BlICllOIIIGBI‘THE OUTGOING FrenchI-Iydrographer has won theAlexander Dalrymple Award forhis outstanding contribution tothe science.

Awarded by the UKHydrographicOffice (UKI-IO),theaward is named after the foundingfather of the HydrographicOffice — established in 1795 —

and is a prestigious recognition ofdedication to the cause.

According to the UKHO,I.'Ingcin'citr Gciicrul dc I 'Arnicmcnrdc lérc (Ilussc Gilles Bessero hasworked tirelessly and successfullyover many years in the .S‘erzri'ccHytfmgrupltiqirc cl Océaiiogi'apIiiqm:do It: .'\IIari'ne to deliverimprovements for mariners‘navigational safety at sea.

Gilles Besscro said: “I am deeplyhonoured to be invited to jointhe very distinguished company ofthe Alexander Dalrymple Award’srecipients.“

Work done soJohn joins RAFAFTER a fruitful 34-year careerin the Royal Navy, W01 JohnBradbury could be excused forlooking for a chance to relax.

at Dubai.“Several weeks later Radio 2

phoned my parents and told themeverything was arranged and theywould invite me to cook lunchon board HMS St Albans," saidImogen.

Imogen herself found out aboutthe trip at the same time as Radio2’s listeners.

“On my way to school Radio2 phoned me up in the car,” shesaid.

"I wondered why they werephoning me, but I always rangthem to report any traffic news,so I was very curious by this time.

“Cdr Mark was on the otherline, and that was when they

Trainees I‘BlII'l‘RAINI:‘.Esailors from Walker Divisionat I-IRAS Raleigh marched out on paradeto celebrate the successful completionof their basic training on the 66thanniversary of the death of CaptFrederickJohn Walker, in whose honourthe division is named.

The '35 trainees joined the Navy inMay and have now undergone nineweeks of intensive training.

The course culminated in theirpassing-out parade (see picture right), attendedby families and friends, when Rear

invited me on to HMS St Albansto cook lunch.

“It was one of the happiestmoments of my whole life.

"My mum was expectingme to shriek with happinessand excitement, but I was sogobsmacked I couldn't speak."

Her schoolmates were amongstthose listening in as teacher MrsTodorova had been tipped off inadvance.

Around a month later Imogentravelled to Port Rashid in Dubai,where she was met by the VisitsOfficer and other members ofthe ship’s company, as well as heroppo for the day, chef AndreaDenoon.

“I was greeted by Billy,the headchef, who gave me a chef’s hat andshowed me round the galley,” saidImogen.

“I buttoned up my chef’s coatand got to work.

“The galley is very small andvery hot.

“First Andrea took me to herminuscule office and showed methe dessert we were going to make— it was summer fruits with asabayon gratin.”

The recipe had to be amendedslightly (the new chef is allergicto walnuts) but with the sabayonsauce made and desserts prepared,it was time to try the captain’schair for size and then join a VIP

lunch in the wardroom — a simpleaffair, crab lasagne with asparagusand mushroom sauce, loin of lambwith dauphinoise potatoes and ared wine ius and last, but not least,Imogen’s dessert.

“I left St Albans very tired andvery hot but also very proud ofmyself," she said.

But that wasn't quite the finishof Imogen’s big weekend ~ thefollowing day she was back onRadio 2 to talk about her day withthe Navy (and say hello to herfriends).

“It was an amazing weekend.Everyone was so kind and helpfuland I felt really special"

divisional P0018I Atlantic, where submarine attacks on

- convoys were crippling Britain.He is recognised as beinginstrumental

in freeing the Atlantic of the U-boatmenace, sinking more boats than anyother Allied commander, once sinkingfive in just ten days.

Capt Walker died on July 9 I944,aged 48, his death being attributed toexhaustion.

\"Z":t|ker Division is currently one of fivenew entry training divisions at Raleighwhich, in the main, are named in honour

Admiral Mark Anderson, CommanderOperations, took the salute.

Lt Jon Parker, Walker DivisionTraining Officer, said: "Learning about theRoyal Navy’s rich heritage and the braveryof those who have gone before is key tounderstanding the Navy’s ethos.

“It helps to build the qualities of courage,selfless commitment, loyalty and integrity thatwe aim to instil in our recruits during basictraining.

“Capt ‘Johnny’ \X’alker,as he was known, is

credited with turning the Battle of Atlantic inBritain’s favour during the Second \‘(/'orld \\C"ar.

“He is a fine example to the trainees ofsomeone who displayed all of these qualitiesand much more.“

Based in Liverpool, Capt \‘V"aIker‘s 2ndsupport group, hunted U-boats out in the

of inspirational figures from the past.However,a re-structuringoftheRoyal

Navy Rating Initial TrainingSchool willsee the number of Divisiomf: ‘drecrease to four,and will mean the closure o \ alker Division.

Lt Parkersaid: “This will be the penultimategl‘_0]l;I_p \%flll‘(CC|'Bi_tS_ to complete their training“III In 3 er IVISIUD.

“Therefore it seems fitting that theycompleted the course and were on parade onthe anniversary of Capt Walker’s death.”

So he joined the RAF...John — now Flt Lt Bradbury — is

a flying instructor at the CentralGlidingSchool RAF Syerton, nearNewark in Nottingham.

He left the Senior Service in2005 and took up a full-time RAFappointment to train instructorsin gliding and motor—gliding forthe AirTraining Corps.

As well as training, he also visitsthe 27 Volunteer Gliding Schoolsto carry out standardisationchecks.

And, when required, he alsoflies the Robin DR-I00 aero tug.

John is still a member of thePortsmouthNaval GlidingCentre,where he regularly helps out on

gliding courses.Alwayskeen to promote aviation,

John strongly recommends anyoneinterested in flying to contact anyof the three Naval gliding clubsat Portsmouth, Yeovilton andCuldrose to arrange a trial flight.

It could even lead to a secondcareer with the RAF...

service for ShinerA FORMER Royal Marine whoserved almost two decades aboardthe RoyalYachtwas rememberedata service in his adopted homelandof Spain.

John Zopara I.eo Wright —

known to most as Shiner — spent—I»0 years in the Corps, but onretirement he moved to Campello,near Alicante, where he diedearlier this year from cancer.

Maj Glad,of the SalvationArmyin Exeter, flew over to conduct theservice, as did Lt Col NicholasGrace, Principal Director ofMusic for the Royal Marines,along with a Royal Marines buglerwho played the Last Hist.

nevpnnnrt police unit seeking new leads...A GROUP of the newest recruits to the MODfamily are just a few inches long, can onlycrawl and their eyes remain closed.

Fortunately they are not signing up tobecome sailors — the I2 Belgian ShepherdDog puppies are the first MOD police dogservice ‘recruits’ to be born to the unit atDevonport.

Proud mother \Villow has produced onlythe second such litter for the service as part ofthe new programme to breed its own dogs.

Previously the service bought in new dogs.All the puppies (pictiircd left) are healthyand

predicted to survive the precarious early days.Their progress will be monitored anxiously,

especially by Sgt Matt Robertson, of theMOD police dog service in Devonport.

Sgt Robertson said: “There have only beentwo such litters bred especially by and for theMoD Police.

“The first was a success, and was at policeheadquarters — this is the second, and a coupfor Devonport.

“Willow produced a large litter and luckilythey all look healthyso far.

“Their mother is a little protective, asyou might expect, and so am I — they are aprecious new arrival.

“This represents the future of the dogservice and we are very keen for them to bein service and training to work for their livingafter I4 to [8 weeks.“

He said the dog service usually bought inGerman Shepherds as new recruits, but theyhave increasinglybecomesusceptible to healthproblems which shortened their working life.The best way forward both to guarantee goodquality healthy dogs and economically,was toremain in-house and switch breed to BelgianShepherds of the Nlalinois variety.

“The breeding programme guarantees us ahigh standard of dog, we know the origins ofthe dogs and their genetic history and theirtemperament,” said Sgt Robertson.

“This breed is already known for its sociablecharacterand theyare easy to train with a highlevel of fitness.

“W* are confident we can carry on thisprogramme and Devonport will become acentre of excellence."

LearningandgrowingCHILDRENfrom theHelitots daynursery at Culdrose have enjoyeda trip to the Seal Sanctuary atGweek as part of their under-the-sea project.

The youngsters took thechance to explore rock pools, talkabout the seals and watch themfeeding.

They even met the sanctuary'snewest attraction, a colon_v ofHumboldt penguins, a breedwhich hails from South America.

After a quick snack and a lookround the other animals it wastime to head home, courtesy of abus provided by First Rate Taxisof Porthleven.

Nursery manager JaniceThirlaway—Price said: “We reallyappreciate the support we receivefrom local businesses, as withouttheir help we wouldn’t be ableto offer our children as many ofthese learning adventures as wewould like."

Meanwhile, a group of childrenin Scotland have been taken a bigstep along their educational path.

14 ‘Busy Bees’ at the ClydeNursery at Faslanehave celebratedtheir ‘graduation’.

Dressed in gowns and mortarboards, thechildrenwere joined bytheir carers, relatives and friendsto mark their big day, along withthe Captain of HMS Neptune,Capt MichaelTarr.

The class of 20l0 entertainedtheir parents — many of whomwork at the nearby Naval Base —

with a selection of songs as theybid the nursery a fond farewellin anticipation of their move toprimary school in the autumn.

Team tidiesTrust landA TEAM of 18 personnel fromCuldrose air station have helpedspruce up an area of NationalTrust land in Cornwall.

The Penrose Estate andsurrounding land, including pathsand woods around I_.ooe Pool,were given to the National Trustin l975.

Now the Culdrose team hashelped clear undergrowth atthe popular beauty spot, a closeneighbour of the Naval airstation.

Tangled embankments werethinned out along paths aroundthe pool and Degibna areas.

Project organiser CPO LeeGlover said: “As a local Helstonresident I walk the areas ofDegibna and Penrose on a regularbasis with my children,and we areso fortunate to have such areasof natural beauty here on ourdoorstep.

“I am sure I speak for everyoneinvolved in tackling this work thatwe have had an enjoyable andproductive couple of days."Theatre visitTHE CAPTAIN and membersof the ship’s company of USSWinston S Churchill took up aninvitation to an evening at thetheatre in Portsmouth.

The sailors from the Americandestroyer, led by Cdr JuanOrozco USN, attended a Helpfor Heroes concert at the KingsTheatre, Southsea, where theywere presented with a framedpoem by theatre PR directorMike Williams.

The Kings has a copy of the1946 Sir Oswald Birley pictureof Churchill, which hangs in theDress Circle bar to commemoratea visit by the politician to watchhis daughter Sarah perform.

0 Two officer cadets stand on theMistress Stone to take in the View on St Kilda

Turf times working[III isolated |lI‘0JBGt

OFFICERS at Britannia RoyalNavy College are encouragedto undertake outreach projectswithin the local community.

And occasionally that outreachhas a very long reach indeed, waybeyond the local community —

way beyond most communities,in fact.

So it was that a group of staff

and cadets from Dartmouth usedpart of their leave to head forSt Kilda to lend a hand to theNationalTrust of Scotland.

St Kilda is an isolatedarchipelago some 40 miles westof the Outer Hebrides whichwas inhabited for more than twomillennia until the last handfulof inhabitants were voluntarilyevacuated in 1930.

O Lts Jason Steele and Rachel Lees encourage 11-year-old Jadeand Ryan (ten) along theassaultcourse

Child challengeTACKLINGa mini assault coursewas among the challenges set forthe children of a Torpoint schoolby a group of l5 trainee LogisticsOfficers at HMS Raleigh.

The afternoon of Navy-styleactivitieswas designed to giveYear6 pupils at CarbeileJunior Schoola taste of RN training.

Safety first at Bull PointAROUND 2,000 youngsters fromPlymouthtook part in a fun-filledprogramme of events which couldsave lives and reduce accidents.

The third PlymouthJunior LifeSkills event was hosted by theNavy at the Bull Point sportstraining facilities, with agenciessuch as the fire and rescue

services, police, RNLI and tradingstandards joining in.

Demonstrations and activitieshelp the ten and l l-year-oldsappreciate issues such as smoking,anti-social behaviour, fire hazards,tombstoning (jumping intoshallow water) and the discoveryof unexploded ordnance.

Other highlights included thechance for children to take part inexercises todevelop communicationand team—work skills, and theyalso had the chance to talk to thetrainee officers about their careersand the role of the Navy.

Head teacher Penny Geachsaid: “The children thoroughlyenjoyed the activitiesand put a lotofeffort into the challenges, whichsupported our ethos of respectand responsibility.

“They were also interested tolearn more about the Royal Navy.

“It was a great afternoon.”Each class on the eight-month

Initial Logistics Officer course isrequired to organise a charity ofcommunity event in their finalweek.

The island group is now aWorld Heritage Site, managed bythe National Trust for Scotland,which preserves the buildings andguides visitors who brave the wildsea crossing from Harris.

Many people have left theirimprint on the island, from BronzeAge travellers and Norsemen to18th century villagers.

But the main focus of the visitby the cadets was to help withconservation work on ancientbuildings and to prepare for thetourist season.

Much of their effort wasexpended on repairing the turfroofs of cleits, rough—built stonestorehouses, and the ‘blackhouses’of the village.

Undertakingsuch workis seen asan invaluable way of encouragingteamwork amongst cadets andhelping them to recognise thevalue of positive relations with thewider community.

This particular trip wasorganised by Lt Colin Darkins,who said: “The conservationwe undertook lent much to theperpetual maintenance and gaveus all a real sense of contribution —

the feeling of doing an honest day’s‘graft’ on the land was something

NAVY NE\l(’S, SEPTEMBER2010 29ii‘ faPEOPLE iv- .

Pictures: Lt Colin Darkinsand Bill Thomson

that was far removed from all ourdaily routines.”

Throughout their stay the teamworked hard but also enjoyed theopportunity to explore the areaand soak up an appreciation ofthe history and life of its previousinhabitants — including howislanders lived by taking seabirds— including puffins, fulmars andgannets — and their eggs from thehigh cliffs of the islands.

Traditionally, young men of theislands would demonstrate their‘cragsmanship‘ and balance bystanding on one foot on the edgeof the Mistress Stone, precariouslyperched about 400ft above the sea.

The young ladies of St Kildawere supposed to be impressed...

\Vl’hile the team were on theisland it was mentioned that theschool bell,used to summon pupilsto the (somewhat intermittent)schooling provided before theevacuation,needed a rope.

Bill Thomson, a lecturer at thecollege and assisting the team,made up a couple which havebeen sent to the island.

Bill made two of the naturalhemp pulls to cover contingencieslike weather and hungry orinquisitive visitors.

Actors andcrews winaccoladesGIBRALTARIAN thespians tookthe main honours at the annualRN Drama Festival awards,hosted by the W0 8: SR Mess atHMS Collingwood.

The Trafalgar Theatre Groupcaught the eye ofadjudicatorDougCraig, a retired naval officer andmemberof the Guild of DramaticAdjudicators.

Alongwithbestshowandoverallwinner for their performance ofBreath of Spring by Peter Coke,the team from the Rock also wonbest actress (Isabelle Valenzuelaas Alice Lady Miller).

Competing against theTrafalgargroup were the Admiral‘s Players(HMS Excellent) with WriteAbout What You Know by PaulGisby, HMS Collingwood withAfllp/Ifbftllli Spanguiams by PaulDoust and HMS Sultan withHabciis Corpus by Alan Bennett.

The best actor award wentto Richard Sanderson (Admiral‘sPlayers) as did best director —

Roger Mitchell.Rear Admiral Charles

Montgomery, president of the RNTheatre Association, presentedthe annual President‘s Awardto Chris Blatch-Gainey for hisoutstanding support for boththe Collingwood group and theRNTA as a whole as a directorand workshop coordinator.

Other awards presentedincluded: best supportingactor: John Webb as StanleyFerris (Admiral’s Players); bestsupporting actress: Eleri Surreyas Nanette Parry (Trafalgar);best male newcomer: EdOwen—Jones as Rex Cunningham(Collingwood); best femalenewcomer: Noelle Hothe asElizabeth Hatfield (Trafalgar);the Doug Craig award forbest cameo performance:John Morgan as PC Carpenter(Collingwood); best technicalachievement:Sultan; best stageset: Steve Frewer, Gareth Rees,Ralph Dinnick, Colin Salt andJanice Steedman (Sultan); bestlighting: Gareth Rees (Sultan);bestsound: Ian Goble (Admital'sPlayers); best costume: EileenThornton, Jean Penney, MargaretSeed and Sharon Cunningham(Trafalgar); best make up, hairand wigs: Rosanna Wills andMoira Bissett (Trafalgar).

If you would like to tread theboards or join a stage crew, contactDavid Grindcl on 93832 5324,david.grindeI578@mod.ukTon air cadetopts to lly IllavyA LONDON cadet has picked upa top award for his contributionto the AirTrainingCorps.

Now Cadet W0 GilbertoAlgar-Faria is looking forward to a flyingcareer — with the Fleet Air Arm.

Gilberto,a memberof 48 Flight(Hampstead) Squadron ATC,was presented with the Duke ofWestminster Award Edexcel Prizefor his “infectious enthusiasm,hismaturity and leadership."

Currently studying for a degreein International Relations at theUniversity of Leeds, he aims tobe commissioned to begin officertraining at Dartmouth beforetaking on flying duties in the RN.

Senior rates thwart assault T\l€’O senior rates from HMS Ambush have beencommended by a judge in Barrow-in—Furness for saving apub doorman from a vicious attack.

CPO Steven Bell and Coxswain Steve Thorpe (picturedleft, piclttrc ctnrrtessy North l»W:.tI E'.',wtt'ttgMat!) were on a nightout when theysaw three men assaultinga bouncer.The pairput themselves between the attackers and the victim.

Judge Paul Batty awarded the men a Certificate ofCommendation,saying: “They could have just stood backand watched the assault take place. But they didn’t.

“In the highest tradition of the Services they intervened,so much so they prevented further assault on the bouncerand they waited at the scene and they were able to assistthe police in pointing out the attackers.”

The modest heroes were given a cheque for £250 each.CoxswainThorpe said: “It is our duty as citizens to stop

an assault, not just as military men. It is very kind of thejudge to give us this award.”

30 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER2010

O Founder shipmate of Bude RNA. Left to right: Mick Philp. PeterPhillips. Godfrey Harrison, Brian Braund, Afan Litchfield, BobStewart. ‘Tanky' Williamsand Mick Luxton

Bude-iful memoriesBUDE branch threw a lavish 21stbirthday party to celebrate theanniversary of its commissioningin August l989.

Fifty shipmates and guests helda social evening at Bude RFC, withrefreshments generously suppliedby the Bude Rugby Club. Theroom was decorated with Cornishand naval decorations courtesy ofsteward Stu Bell.

Musical entertainment wasprovided by ‘Friggin’ Riggin,‘Bude’s own lifeboat music group,who led the guests in a numberof well-known shanties and folksongs.

To mark this milestone in thebranch’s history, its Chairman,Shipmate Brian Braund, gave thesignal Splice the Mainbrace and

the potency of Pusser's Rum wasenjoyed by all present.

Brian and President ShipmateAlan Litchfield cut an anniversarycake, obtained and suitablydecorated with an RNA motif b_vShipmate Peter Phillips.

An auction conducted byShipmate Mick Phlip raised morethan £120, due in no small partto his unusual rules, which meantthat anyone in the mom who wasunwise enough to speak, or onoccasion move their head, wasdeemed to have made a bid.

Tanky Williams, the branchStandard Bearer, has to hissurprise been thesuccessful bidderon scores of occasions. All moneyraised is donated to designatedcharities annually.

Dublin remembersMEMBERS of the Dublin branchjoined colleagues from the RoyalBritish Legion Republic of Irelandfor their annual commemorationservice in the magnificent settingoftheIrish National\'\"arMemorialPark in lslandbridge, Dublin.

The service was hosted by MajorGeneral David Nial Creagh, TheO'N'lorChoe, President of the RBLin the Republic and attended bythe Lord Ma_vors of Dublin andBelfast as well as representativesfrom countries around the world.

The service was led by TheRight Reverend ll/Ionsignor EoinThynne, Head Chaplain to theDefence Forces, assisted by TheVenerable Christopher Longand the lesson was read by LtGeneral Sir John Kiszely,NationalPresident of the RBL.

This was the first public paradefor the new officers of the Dublin

branch who were we1|—supportcdby their branch members. Inaddition there were others whoby their attire appeared to beshipmates.

On further enquiry and calls of‘Who goes there?’ it turned outthat the strangers were five eligiblefull members from the Countyof Wexford — there was muchjubilation followed by invitationsand promises to attend the nextmeeting of the Dublin branch.

Unfortunately the excitementwas so overwhelming that no—onethought to get their names andaddresses — so if any ofthemystery\V/exford shipmates read this,please send your Contact detailsto RNA HQ for fonvarding tothe Dublin Branch Secretary,Shipmate Alan Easter, or to Alandirect, as he handed over hisaddress.

Atherton makes the dayARMED FORCES DAY saw abig turn—out in Atherton whereshipmates took part in thecelebrations at the Leigh SportsVillage, new home of LeighRLFC.

More than 5,000 spectatorswatched a march—past of veteransand standards from all sections ofthe Armed Forces and admireda display of restored militaryvehicles, including a Spitfire.

Ket:ton’sKETTON and District branchhas a new badge — a crucifixhung with a lifebuoy whichwill be used to identify branchmembersduring collections andevents.

The crucifix was made bybranch member Chalky White

Naval QuirksIN SEFTEMEER l9‘('2iCaM9lNEP OPERATIONSWERE WORKING ON

Inside one of the indoor arenas,an area was set aside for branchesfrom many volunteer organisationsand the RNA Atherton Branchhandedout numerous membershipforms for the \‘l’igan, Leigh andAtherton areas.

Branch chairman Peter \\'/ilkiesaid: “The day was a great success,and we have certainly raised theawareness of the RNA within thearea."

crucifixand was formallyhanded over tothe branch President. Chairmanand Standard Bearer.

It will be the centre-piece ofmeetings for the branch andhas already proved useful at atombola stall as part of AnnedForces Week in Stamford.

..A FANTAs'ric SCHEME .l-‘Rom wlllofl AIRCRAFT Bur FDR WHATEVERTocousmocrnFLOATING WOULD moviveistmw AIRCRAFTCARRIER.MADE OF /CE, lN THE

M9 one Fear is enemaParatroops -— withFlame—ehr‘awer5,I

‘ONCE NAVYALWAYSNAVY’A colourfultribute to ablackdayPLYMOUTH branch celebratedBlackTot Day — or at leastmarked its passing in anappropriate way to dull thepain.‘

_Shipmates dressed up inperiod costume (of variousperiods, judging by the photoright] and gathered around theFlum Tub in theWarrant Officerand Senior Rates’ Mess HMSDrake to mark the tot's demise.

It was on July 31 1970 (betterknown as BlackTot Day) thatthe final lots were issuedaround the globe. Before thatsad date, all serving personnelover the age of 20 were entitledto one eighth of a pint of rumevery day.

Green beretsthankRMA

THE Commando Training Centre, inL mpstone, hosted members of the Ho al

arines’ Association Repatriat onNetwork to a King's Squad passing-outparade.

The invitation was to thank the group for all thework it does in organising tributes to those killed inoperations.

The network was set up to promote attendancealong ‘Repatriation Road,’ the 47-mile route alongwhich military funeral corteges travel when theymake their way from RAF Lyneham to the JohnRadcliffe Hospital, in Oxford.

Poole branch RMA, along with Guildiordbranch, and helped by many other organisations andindividuals, has been a leading light in organisingthe vigils which line the route every time a militaryfuneral cortege passes through.

The tradition of paying tribute to the casualtiesstarted when residents of \Vootton Bassett beganspontaneously lining the streets as the processionsdrove through theirWiltsliire town.

It has now grown, albeit in a discreet and dignifiedway, to encompass the whole of ‘Repatriation Road.’

Now when a cortege sets out, the entire route of47 miles is lined to make sure that no Service personmakes the last journey alone.

There are many markers along the route wherepeople come to pay their respects, ranging fromprivate houses to pubs and police and fire stations.

Officers at the Defence Academy at Shrivenhamturn out, as do staff at the John Radcliffe Hospital,the final destination on the route.

Getting everyone in the right place at the righttime is a feat of organisation and the Poole branch ofthe RMA, being at the midway point along the route,has the honour, along with the Guildford branch, of

Drawn to D-boats?CAPTAINPaddy NlcAlpine, C0 of Hl\4S Daring, took the day off fromrunning the Navy's newest warship to take the salute for the D Boats‘annual reunion in HMS Nelson.

After lunch Capt McAlpine gave a talk on how the modern Navyworks, and the highly technical skills which the modern sailor needs.

Capt McAlpine and his wife, Janette, were joined for lunch by the DBoats’ patron,Vice Admiral Sir John Lea, President Brian \Vines, JohnRichardson from BVT Shipbuilders, and the D Boats’ chaplain, the RevMartin Poll.

For more information about joining the D Boats Association, contactMike Smith, D Boats Secretary, at 206, Main Road, Clenchwarton,King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE34 -IAA, tel: 01553 765530 or visit the website:www.d-boats.co.uk

AIRIN THE l’REVt0USL‘l _.UNPROIECTEP "AIR EAR

LA-J

PERHAFS EVERYONEis-o1"'coi.D FEET“!

REASON iTl»lE ICE-COVER 1?! CONVO‘/S CARRIER IDEA NEVER—/lh‘EM—"TO0K Of-‘F"_I

running the communications network.\\'-’ithin 2-1 hours of a repatriation being confirmed

by the RAF, a bulk text message is sent out toabout 80 individuals and groups giving them basicinformation.

Then, two or three days later, once the police haveconfirmed their arrangements, a bulk email goes outto nearly 300 people giving fuller details and thetimings of various vigil points along the way.

On the day of the repatriation, the groups andindividuals are kept informed of the progress of thecortege.

Afterwards a Royal Marine veteran, the ‘dutyscribe,‘ gathers information from the various vigilpoints and writes a post—repatriation report, which issent to the bereaved families and to units in theatre.

Before the RMA network was established,information for those parading at locations otherthan Wootton Bassett was very hit and miss. Nowthe network system continues to grow and is trulytri—service.

The guests at CTC Lympstone represented peoplefrom many walks of life who support the network indifferent ways, including two ladies who supply thevigil points with tea and practical help.

A spokesman from the Poole branch of the RNIAsaid: “\Ve are truly humbled to have the task of doinga job that we wish we didn't have to do, but do itwillinglyto show respect for the fallen and support tothe bereaved families.

“We want to make sure thatno Royal Marine or hisbrothers-in-armsare on their own on that long last,mournful journey and as they approach silence falls,Standards are lowered and salutes given.

“Afterwards as people disperse silence still reignsand tears are wiped away with each in their own deepthoughts of the young who have given their all.“

cadet standardTHE Sea Cadet unit in Colchesternow has its own standard, thanksto Colchester branch who madethe presentation at the cadets‘training ship, the TS ColneLight.

Shipmates joined the cadetsand staff with their padre,Father Richard Tillbrook, for thepresentation evening.

Later Father Tillbrookdedicated the standard at hischurch, St Barnabas, Old Heath,during a morning service at whichAB Cadet Laura Kemp carriedthe standard, escorted by theColchester and Clacton-on-SeaRNA Standard Bearers.

T23 welcomeWETHEFIBY shipmatcs enjoyeda great day out when they wereentertained in HMS Westminsterwhilst the ship was visitingSunderland.

Shipmate Audrey Lawson, fromDurham branch, the ship’s liaisonofficer, made the arrangements forthe visit, for which her Yorkshirecolleagues were very grateful.

Among the shipmateswas Alan Shaw, from Blyth,Northumberland,thelastsurvivingperson from the SS Ohio, of i\«laltaconvoys fame.

Sheppey’sblue dayISLE of Sheppey branchcelebrated 300 years of maritimehistory this summer with aparade through Blue Town.Fourteen Standards from 2 Areaparaded, including MerchantNavy, Sheppey Sea Cadets andAssociation Standards fromPhoebe, Cavalier, Bulwark,Albion and Centaur.

One of the aims was to getyoung people and residents newto the island to know more abouttheir maritime history, and theclosure of the Royal Dockyard.

After morning colours andprayers the RNA, led by a guardof Sheppey Sea Cadets andthe band of Sittingbourne SeaCadets, marched down the HighStreet passing the dais whereCdr .\-iankerty took the salute,accompanied by Cdr WilliamBarker of the South Africa Navy.

On completion of the paradethe rest of the day was theirown to spend as they wisheduntil sunset, which was held at4pm with RNA Standards andSea Cadets and other branchmembers parading before shoreleave was granted.

The branch had anothercelebration this summer — the90th birthdayof shipmate JackCornwell, affectionately known as‘Our Jack,’ or ‘SailorJack.‘

Jack is a founder memberof the branch and had a longand varied career in the Navy,surviving two sinkings, one beingHMS \Velshman. He finishedhis service career as a CPOCoxswain.

At one point in his careerJack was an instructor inHMS Ganges and many yearslater some of the boys he hadinstructed decided to trace him.Every year since then a handfulof his old pupils have made thetrip to Sheppey to see him, butthis year being a special year, theycame in numbers.

One of his old boys, Chris‘Dinger’ Bell, organised a specialbirthday trip with the help ofJack’s daughter and his formerpupils wincd and dined him for a90th birthdaybash.

York saysfarewellMEi\-‘IBERS of the York branchof the RNRNIA assembled asa guard of honour to say a lastfarewell to Commando DavidHart, who died in Afghanistanin July.

Hundreds of the city’sresidents turned out to line thestreets when his funeral servicewas held at York Minster.

The branch has also beenmourning the death of ChiefLionel Crossley, for many years astalwart ofYork Sea Cadets,

On a brighter note, the branchheld a very successful collectionday on behalfof the AlexanderRose Charity, a day out tosupport the Bradford branch.

21s comeof ageTHE AMAZON-class frigateswere a special bunch to thosewho served in them — fast,flexible, sleek and very popular.

They distinguished themselvesin the Falklandscampaign wheretwo of their number, HMSArdent and HMS Antelope, werelost under heavy air attack.

Some 40 years after they werebuilt, theType Zlclass are to havean association of their own andas word spreads places are fillingup fast for the inaugural meetingnext month.

“Already 650 people havesigned up and the excitement andenthusiasmare clearly aflame,”said Mark Brocklehurst, actingchairman of the association.

The Type 21 Club, as theybecame known, were HMSAmazon, Antelope, Active,Ambuscadc, Arrow, Alacrity,Ardent and Avenger.

By 1978 all eight were incommission and theType 2lsserved faithfull_v until i993 whenthe surviving six were sold tothe Pakistan Navy, where theyhave continued to distinguishthemselves ever since.

As multi—purpnsc frigates, theywere equipped variously withguns, anti—submarinc torpedoes,Seacat AA missiles, with a topspeed of more than 30 knots.Their 3,000 tons could acceleratefrom 0 to 28 knots in a minute.

By 1981 the_y were formed intotheir own squadron, the FourthFrigate Squadron, and in thefollowing year all but one tookpart in Operation Corporate toretake the Falklands.

Here they distinguishedthemselves in supportinglandings, protecting convoys,covert work with special forces,and shore bombardment insupport of the Army.

Rcchristened The FightingFourth, together they servedthe Fleet well for many years;and while their hulls werereincarnated under new nameslike PNS Tippu Sultan (Avenger)and PNS Tariq (Ambuscade)their memory lives on.

The new Association will beformally established on October8-9 in Plymouth.

To find out more details, visitthe website on http:/ltype21c|ub.ning.com

To buy a ticket for the reunion,send your name, address andship details with a cheque for[20 made payable to HMSAmbuscade Association to MarkBrocklehurst, Sharples Group,Tatton Court, Kingsland Grange,Warrington,WAl 4RR, or ring01925 839592 or email Mark.Brocklahurst@sharplesgroup.CO!“

Sea Sundaysuccess forFalmouthFOR the27th successive year,Falmouthbranch organisedthe annual Sea Sunday Paradewith FalmouthTown Counciland the Church of King Charlesthe Martyr.

Led by the Band of HerMajesty's Royal Marines,Plymouth.and 17 standards,the parade marched from TheMoor to the church for theservice. where lessons wereread by the Lord Lieutenant ofCornwall, Lady Mary Holborow,and the RNA President, ViceAdmiral John McAnally.

The sermon was given by theRev Peter Scott, Chaplain ofRNAS Culdrose, and FalmouthBranch President Cdre TonyHogg read Nelson's Prayer.

Following the service, theparade re-formed for the marchpast. and the salute was takenby Lady Mary. supported byVice Admiral McAnally.

After the parade wasdismissed in Events Square, theRoyal Marine Band entertainedspectators before a receptionwas held in the nearby NationalMaritime Museum.

of recent media coverage:Shipmatcs will know that a

Strategic Defence and SecurityReview is in progress.

You will probably have seensome recent articles in the press:Royal i’l=larl'm:.r to be Iramferredto Army operarrbrral comrolg RAFand i\'az.'_v in dogfiglzt over rrsherlrerHarrier or ’1Zu-midi: should bescrapped; A .l'\"a£'aI' base to be closed.

We are all concerned that thisvery significant Review shouldleave our Defence and Securitysafe and particularly that part ofit assured by the Royal Navy,Royal Marines and Royal FleetAuxiliary.

Firstly the SDSR is beingoverseen by the newly-formedNational Security Councilwhich ischaired by the Prime i\linister andthe MOD is a prime contributorwith both the Defence Secretaryand Chief of the Defence Staff inattendance.

As the name suggests, theSDSR is intended to be foreignpolicy led, ic what sort of roledoes the UK want to play on theworld stage?

What sort of Armed Forcesmust we maintain to protect andpromote our national interests?

\V.'r’hat are these interests?But it is also resource informed

and the resource bit may, perhapsby necessity, be steaming ahead ofthe policy.

We all know what a fiscal messour country is in.

We have been borrowing arounda quarter of what the Governmenthas been spending.

All parties agree this has to stopsometime — the current Coalitionthinks soon and their argumentwon most votes in the election.

So while the National SecurityCouncil debates the policy theTreasury has instructed allGovernment Departments to statehow they would manage with verymuch less money.

The MOD‘s targets are not infact as demanding as most others.

Perhaps this is becauseso muchof the Defence budget is alreadycontractually committed. Littlemoney could be saved in the nearterm by cancellations.

It is clearly in Defence’s bestinterest as well as its duty toaddress the Treasury’s rcmitsfully.

Otherwise members of theCabinet might feel iustificd inaccusing MOD of getting off toolightly.

Consequently more than 40‘Work Strands’ were instructedto work up radical proposals fordetailed costing.

These reports were recentlysubmitted and before any policybaseline.

Perhaps inevitablysome of themhave leaked or ideas which did notmake it into the reports have beenfloated to the press by those whofavoured them.

Our serving Shipmatesvalue ourcommitment to the Naval Serviceand our national presence.

We can fulfil our Royal Charterduty to support them by takingany opportunity to explain, notemotionally but rationally, theNavy's contributions to nationaldefence.

The time where such helpmight be most useful is during thedecision-making process when thepolicy and resource angles have tobe reconciled.

This must be over the nextfew months since the SDSRis working to an extremelydemanding timescale for suchhugely significant questions.

I believe the aim is forannouncement along withthe whole GovernmentComprehensive Spending Reviewclose to Trafalgar Day.

The following are some ofthe areas of debate I judge mostcrucial to the Naval Service.

I don’t argue with any of thembeing raised but I would hopethat the following points get a fairairing and that Shipmates willfind them helpful:

Royal MarinesITheUK has frequentlyneeded

to launch troops ashore from thesea (amphibiousoperations) eg inthe Falklands, Sierra Leone andGulfWar 2.I Two things are a must

for success. A landing forceorganised, trained and equippedfor amphibious operations andspecialist ships able to transport,land, sustain ashore, withdrawand redeploy the landing forcewithout any external aid in ahostile environment.I The minimum effective size

for a worthwhile landing forceable to exert strategic effect isBrigade level — what we have.I The UK has also recapitalised

its specialist amphibious ships(Ocean, Bulwark, Albion and thefour Bay-class RFAS). These willbe with us beyond 2030.I Army harmony allows more

time in UK than does that forthe RN which the RM follows. Ifthey were under Army operationalcontrol time for amphibioustraining would wither and with itthe capability.I Amphibious operations are

among the most demanding of allmilitary endeavours.

The landing force and theirnaval comrades must be awarefrom long mutual familiarisationand sympathy of each others’requirements.

With it you get Quebec. theFalklands and the 2003 Iraqcapture of the Al Faw peninsula.

Without it Gallipoli.Our history is full of such

practical examples of success andfailure. This is the prime reasonfor the Royal Marines‘ existenceand their place in the NavalService.I The Royal Marines provide

the Royal Navy with many othercapabilities which need to bemanaged along with the primaryamphibiousrole such as: maritimespecial forces, boarding parties,shore guarding of the nucleardeterrent, military training andour beloved bands.I In the context of Special

Forces from three per cent ofDefence manpower the RMcontribute across the board suchthat more than third of the SBS,SAS, SF Support Group andthe Recce Regiment are RoyalMarines.

Where else would we find suchpeople if the ethos, training andcalibre of recruit were diluted?

CarriersI They will be national Defence

assets not purely Naval ones.I They are the only way the

UK can be sure of deploying airpower (whether flown by RN,

RAF or Army) anywhere withoutneed to overtly or base in foreigncountries.I Nearly half the airpower

in Afghanistan has come fromcarriers.I Wider utility

demonstrated in theearthquake relief.I Cancelling them would save

about £200 million over the nextfve years — we‘d still have to payabout £5 billion.I At a recent Conference on Air

Power the Chief of the Air Staffstated that the RAF unequivocallysupported the Carrier Strikeconcept and its delivery.

Harrier and TornadoI Big potential savings in

basing, training and support maydictate the necessity for the UKto remove one of our three fast-jetaircraft types.

Typhoon must stay so thechoice ma_v lie between Harrierand Tornado.I While Tornado is currently

deployed in Afghanistan, theHarrier GR9 does the job ratherbetter — it is what it was designedfor.

The more advancedreconnaissance pod of theTornado will soon be replacedby UAVs (Unmanned AerialVehicles) which are cheaper, havegreater endurance and are moreexpendable.I If the Harrier is scrapped

before the new Joint CombatAircraft has replaced it then theUK will lose its current ability todeploy fast jet aircraft from ourcarriers.

Interventions like Sierra Leoneand air support like that deployedin Bosnia will not be possible.I The UK will lose the art of

flying fast jets from carriers. It willbe very expensive, difficult andtime consuming to recover it.I The Navy will have no fixed-

wing, fast-jetpilotswhere the UK‘smaritime expertise lies. There willbe no instinctive knowledge offast jet operations at sea withinthe Navy.I Finally dispensing with

Tornado would save seven timesas much money as scrappingHarrier.

Naval BasesI I do not know if closing

any of our present Naval Bases(Devonport, Faslane andPortsmouth) has been raised inMOD but it has in the media.I Each provides some unique

capabilitycg Devonport is the onlyplace where the UK can defuelout of service nuclear submarines-a facilitywhich will be needed forat least the next 30 years.I The Naval Bases have been

subjecttosignificantrationalisationand cost reduction under theMaritime Change Programmewhich is still being implemented.I All three are needed to

support current Defence Policy.The Fleet would have to besignificantly reduced in size beforewe could manage with two.I In the 16 years since I first

heard it debated in front of aDefence Minister 1 have yet tomeet a politician who believed itfeasible to close one of our threeNaval Bases.I The results of the SDSR areexpected to be announced laterthisyear.

\\-'85Haiti

NAVY NEWS, SEI"l‘EMBER 20 l0 31

ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION

What’s nextfor the Navyin the SDSR?RNA NATIONAL PRESIDENT Vice Admiral John McAnally gives his personalpoint of view about the current Strategic Defence and Security Review in the light

Shiver metimbers, it’s ournew president

SHIPNIATES at the Spaldingbranch find their new presidentcuts a very distinctive figure sincethey invited Terry Carter, theirlongest-serving member and alsotheir PR officer, to take the job.

Terry accepted willingly — butas a former stoker he felt thathis background of multi-skilledtraining in the RN should not goto waste, so he acquired a job as aWater Taxi Captain on the RiverWelland.

Day One was excellent, so hegave himself a Bravo Zulu and:4 tot.

On Day Two he decided hecould do the skipper’s job and

also the buoy iumper‘s job butdisaster struck and he ended up inthe sick bay.

Shipmate Frank White in truenaval tradition came to his rescueand, using skills of hand andlathe, soon had the new Presidentback on his feet, or foot, to bemore accurate, so that he couldcontinue with his duties at branchmeetings.

Thanks to Frank the SpaldingPresident (pictured above) now hasa wooden leg, a hook and an eyepatch.

Rumour has it that proceedsfrom the next meeting‘s raflle willbe going towards a parrot.

£50 PRIZE PUZZLE

THE mystery ship in our Julyedition (right) was HMSPollington. also known atvarious times as HMS Mersey.

Mr J Hider of Torquay winsour 250 prize.

This month's submarine (above)was launched shortly after the war,but was still providing sterling serviceto the Royal Navy alongside at thehome of the Submarine Service inthe 19705.

The only vessel to bear thename. she was built by Scotts atGreenock, completed in June 1946and spent some time Down Under(geographically,not just Down Underthe surface...).

What was her name — and whatwas the name of the boat whichreplaced her as ‘display ship’ at HMSDolphin in the 19705. which featuredin our pages again last month?

Complete the coupon and sendit to Mystery Picture, Navy News,HMS Nelson. Portsmouth P01 3HH.Coupons Qlving the correct answerwill go into a prize draw to establisha winner. Closing date for entriesis October 14. More than one entrycan be submitted. but photocopiescannot be accepted. Do not includeanything else in your envelope: nocorrespondence can be entered intoand no entry returned.

The winnerwill beannounced in ourNovemberedition. The competition isnot open to Navy News employees ortheir families.

l""————'-'——'”'IMYSTERYPICTURE 187

I Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

32 NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBER2010

CTCRM reign in the rain,‘ sponrThai lightersI‘BG09lliSBllMUAY Thai has just received fullapproved status after being a grassroots sport for the past four years.

The sport »- also known as Thaiboxing ~ has established a firmfollowing with training sessionsat HMS Nelson and RNASYeoviltonunder the guidance ofAssistant Master Khru Yai GaryGregory.

This month the RN MuayThai Association mo\-'es fromits current home in Nelson gymto a newly-acquiredgym in thedockyard, training each Tuesdayand Thursday from 6pm—8pm.

The RNMTA offers grass rootstraining to establishments and isopen to everybody from the purenovice to experienced fighters.

Future activities include inter-unit fight nights in NovemberandMarch and a trip to Thailandtotrain between March 12 and 27.

For further information onall aspects oftraining and futureevents, contact the associationchairman Lt Cdr Dave Goldsmithon 07757 I8-"I925 or GaryGregory on 07979 276902.

Wight ridersA 58—mile slog around the IsleofWight (one day betweenSeptember 13 and 19 or October1 1 and 17, depending on theweather) beckons for competitorsin the Forces WindsurfingChallenge, a race between thethree Services — with the addedincentive of raising money forHelp for Heroes and, in theNavy‘s case, the RNRMC.

The race is expected tolast ten hours and will see thewindsurfers actuallycover I00miles as they have to beat upwindand sail off the wind, plus copewith strong tides.

More details at www.forceswindsurlingc-rg.uk.

(please refer to the table opposite for pncesl

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DUE to operationalcommitments onlyseven units were able tocompete at this year'sTunney Cup, the RoyalMarines’ annual footballtournament, writes JackyMcNamara.

The contest kicked off inglorious sunshine with 42 Cdooutplaying CHF, winning 4-2 witha sound display from all officials,especially W02 Robbie Buglasswho was making his debut as areferee at the 20l(lTunneyCup.

On Monday morning — beforethe 42 Cdo-CTCRM game —

all the referees were treated toa ‘ceremonial free kick’ masterclass by FA referee instructor andretired RN ref George McCaffery.

George very kindly gave uphis time to assess and mentorour newly—qualified refereesthroughout the week and we areextremely grateful to him.

Tuesday kicked off in rompingstyle with a ‘ding dong’ gamebetween 42 Cdo and RM Poole —

the winners going through to thesemi—finaI, the losers settling for aplace in the plate final

After a cracking end—to—endgame — superbly controlled byex-Bootneck and RN referees’secretary Barney Barnett ~ RMPoole emerged victorious 4-3.

The afternoon saw CTCRMease into the semis with a huge9-1 win over CI-IF, while FPGRJVIplayed out a tense 1-1 draw withfierce rivals «'15 Cdo that rarelydipped below I00 mph.

Wednesday morning broughtdifficult windy conditions for theplate decider which saw CLRconvincinglybeat CHF 9-].

Both semis were well-contestedwith 45 Cdo and CTCRMeventuallywinning.

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0 Eventual winners CTCRM (in red) defend a 45 Cdo comer in the rain-soaked final of the TunneyCup

The plate final saw 42 Cdoplay CLR in an evenly—contestedmatch which nearly boiled over inthe second half.

CPO Mark Scarisbrick and histeam did a fine job keeping a lidon proceedings, as tempers flaredwith the game ebbingand flowing.CLR eventually came out on topby 4 goals to 3.

In the annual veterans‘ gameThe Laurels, led by Shaun ‘Fo'/.zy‘Foster, edged out the Globes by

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5-4 in an entertaining game withplayers travelling great distancesto play in this fixture.

The much-anticipated final sawthe 2010 Navy Cup winners 45Cdo play the defending TunneyCup holders CTCRM.

The game was particularlyspecial as it was to be C/Sgt Ian‘Nobby’ Clark's last as head coachof 45 Cdo; Nobby has been astalwart of Corps football and willbe sadly missed by all who had thepleasure of his company.

The final was a Tunney Cupclassic: a great game played in verywet conditions — just a shame thatone team had to lose.

RN Level 4 referee Raymond‘Pogo’ Paterson described it asthe best game that he’d had thepleasure of taking part in for along time — his legs were still soreon Sunday.

CTCRM finally emergedvictorious winning 5-4 after extratime with Mark Petch of 45 CdoRM selected as the man of thematch.

An outstanding week washad by all and a big ‘thank you’must go out to all those involvedin the smooth running of thisyear’s tournament including,‘Fozzy’ Foster, C/Sgt Ian ‘Dutchy‘Mulholland,Johno, BJ Farrimond,Tigs Lemon and the rest.I TaunlonTown FC saw a recordcrowd at an ‘Armed Forces CharityDay‘ in support of the RN andRM Charity, Army BenevolentFund, RAF Benevolent Fund,Help for Heroes, and the Royal

Picture: P0(Phot} Christine Wood. CTCRM

British Legion.There were two great matches

— after the match ball had beendelivered in style, courtesy ofa Lynx from 702 NAS, whichdeparted trailing a White Ensignover the stadium.

And so to the sporting action:the first match saw the familiesof Cpls Jonathan Horne and TomGaden of the Rifles — killed inaction in Afghanistan last year —

take to the field.The match was a 3-3 draw and

decided on penalties, with thewinning kick struck by Jonathan’sfather.

The second match saw theRoyal Marines clash withTauntonTown (who play in the SouthernFootball League Division OneSouth St \Vest — four levels belowthe Football League).

The commandos edged homewinners 2-1 after some terrificattackingfootball in a hard—foughtmatch.

The event — which raised inexcess of £20,000 for the above-namcd charities — was organised byCPO Jim Kent (JSU Cheltenham),P0 Andy Cload (Raleigh),and POMathew Steele (702 NAS).

They received terrific supportfrom the local cadet forces withbattlefield and field gun displays,and music by the Devon andSomerset Air Cadets VolunteerBand. Players were joined byjunior cadets as mascots and localRoyal British Legion StandardBearers.

Blazing saddlesCYOLISTSfrom HMS Raleigh took the UK National 24-hour timetrial title for the second year running with a combineddistance of1,341 miles.

W01 Garry ‘Scooby’ Drew, C/Sgt Stuart ‘Nutty’ Edwards andformer CPO Bob Richards took on some of the best endurancecyclists in the UK to defend the title at Farndon, Cheshire.

Each competitor was required to cycle as far as possible on pre-marked dual carriagewaysand A and B roads in a day.

W01 Drew took third place— and his first national individualmedal — by clocking up 467.64 miles (equivalent of Raleigh toAlnwickl.

He would have covered an even greater distance but for acouple of problems with his bike.

WO1 Drew was followed over the line by C/Sgt Edwards whotook fourth placeoverall with 458.33 miles (that’sRaleigh toJedburgh).

He had been leading the race at the half-way point. but a coupleof bad patches and the saddle coming off, hindered his progress.

Bob Richards stepped into the breach as a memberof the teamfillinga gap left by the RN's main contender, CPO Sean Childs,whois currently taking time away from competitive cycling.

Having been stuck on 399 miles. theVT Flagship employee wasdetermined to break through the 400-mile barrier in 2010. He did— by some 16.36 miles in his 24 hours in the saddle. covering adistance equivalent of Raleigh to Chester-le-Street.

The three riders‘ tally ensured they held on to the title — althoughit took a little time for the realisation to sink in.

‘‘I had no idea what position I had finished in so I was absolutelydelighted when I realised thatwe had retained the team title andthat I had won my first national medal," said WO1 Drew.

“Will I do it again? Definitely,with the aim of getting a littlefurther.”

PBWBPIIITBPSraise the llal‘NINE competitors from the RNand entitled civiliansbattled itout for the title of Scotland’sRN powerlifting bench presschampion.

The clear overall winner with alift of 140 kg in the 90kg weightclass was CPO(ET) Andy Laing,equalling the record set earlier inthe year by Mid Nick Rikowskiand setting a new Masters record.

The 67.5kg class was won byET(ME) Andy Burn with a liftof l00kg on his second attempt,missing out narrowlyon I l0kg onhis third and final attempt.

The 82.5kg class was won

by Lewis Bysouth with a lift of1 10kg. He was closely followedby I_..'\/IA Nolan Tonks with 60kg,a gutsy effort from a man whoonly took up weight training twomonths ago.

In the 90kg class CPO Laingwon the title and the overall bestlifter title.

He was followed by ET(ME)James who unfortunatelycouldnot complete a 1-‘l0l<g lift on hissecond and third attempt.

The l00kg class was won byBabcock’s Mick Rybarczyk with alift of 140 kg.

Next came Calvin Szeles (alsoof Babcock) with a lift of l25kg.In third place CPO Lee Shawhoisted a respectable l00kg.

In the final weight class(1 10kg) EricTurneropenedstronglywith l50l<g (matchingAdam Cooper‘s record in thatclass) his second attempt at lfi0kgwas disallowed for changing theelected lifting position during thelift. His third attempt was a repeatat 160kg but luck was not withhim and he missed at thatweight.

CTCRM hosted the SouthWest regional bench presscompetition.

\Vhen the scores were tallied,only one point separatedplacings from sixth to third andan incredible three tenths of apoint separated first and secondpositions.

The competition was won byMne Mike Hemmingway (CLR)with an RN record-equalling liftof l50kg in the I 10kg class togive him 82.40 points.

In second place Cpl RobConde from CTCR.\Il in Lhel00kg class lifted just Skg fewerthan the bigger man to achieve82.03 points.

Of important note is that boththese lifters were competingin their first powerliftingcompetition and were liftingagainst several experienced andnationallyqualified lifters.

Cpl Rob Cooper placed thirdwith a personal best of l3Skg inthe 100 kg class.

Having progressed into the125 kg class this year, Lt AdamCooper set a new RN recordby lifting l50kg, equalling thecompetition winner.

However as powerlifting isscored proportionallybased ona competitor's body weight, thisimpressive lift was only goodenough for fourth place.

In fifthplace was Cpl Jim Coxwith a lift of l30kg in the l00kgclass. Later this year Jim will becompeting for Great Britain inthe single-liftDeadlift event attheWorld Drug-Free PowerliftingAss0ciation’s EuropeanChampionships in Malta.

In his first powerliftingcompetition Cpl Malcolm Belltook sixth place with a l00kg liftin the 67.5kg class, followed byhis training partner Mne MikeWhittle, also in the 67.5kg classwith a 92.5kg lift.

Finally in eighth place was ABNial Duncan (I-IMS Raleigh)who was also taking part in firstpowerliftingcompetition. Helifted an impressive 102.5kg inthe 90kg class and was unluckynot to complete a lift of 107.5 kgon his third attempt.

The action now shifts toHMS Temeraire and the RNBench Press Championships onSeptember 22.There will alsobe an Inter—Service full powerand single lift Championships, inwhich each competitor may enterthe bench press, deadlift, squat orall three disciplines.

More details from RNPowerliftingAssociation secretaryAdam Cooper on 07904 160039.

Deaths —

Marine Adam Brown RM. Si nalter with3 Troop. Alpha Company 40 ornmandoserving as part of Combined Force Sanginkilled in Afghanistan August 1. Aged 25.

Vice Admiral Sir Lancelot Bell DaviesKBE. Joined the RN College at Dartmouthtwo days before the outbreak of World War2 and cruiser Norfolk on Boxing Day 1943where at theage of 17 his action station wasin the gunnery director tower when he wasinvolved in the battle that ended with thesinking of Scharnhorst. His statutory ‘smallship time‘ was spent in the auxiliarytrawlerBen Torc. fitted as a minesweeper. After aspell in HMS Devonshire and Opportune hejoined the submarine service and by 1945was en route to the Pacific for two yearsin Tally Ho; then the Anchorits, Promotedto 2iC of Tireless and later a ‘teacher‘ ofthe submarine captains’ qualifying course.in 1962 appointed captain of the newfrigate Leander. developing her helicopteroperations; then as naval assistant to theController of the Navy. command of thesubmarine depot ship Forth [in Mombasato support the evacuation from Aden] andthe 7th Submarine Squadron at Singapore.He commanded Bulwark and learnt to fly ahelicopter. Promoted to rear admiral in 1973he went to Washin ton in charge of theBritish Naval Staff to urther Anglo-Americanrelations then promoted vice admiral andappointed KBE in 1977. Due to retire in 1978he was selected to lead the NATO DefenceCollege in Rome as its commandant forthree years. Afterfinallyretiring he spent nineyears as chairman of the Sea Cadet Counciland was vice-president of the TnncomaleeTrust. Jul 3. Aged 84.

Cdr ike Crosley DSC‘. FAA Pilot.volunteered 1940. flew in many operations:in a Sea Hurricane off Eagle during therelief of Malta in 1942 (Operation Harpoon).and he survived her sinking. He then joined800 NAS flying from Biter during the alliedlandings in North Africa (Operation Torch)and received his first DSC1or shooting downtwo Vichy French lighters over La Senia, nearOran. Appointed as senior pilot of 804 NASin Dasher he then taught new fighter pilotsat Dipper. near Yeoviltcn.where he flew theSealire. By D-Day he had joined 886 NAS.flying several sorties a day before takingcommand of 880 NAS based in Orkney.embarked in implacable and carried out aseries of attacks on German shipping in thefjords of Norway; then in the Pacific strikingat the Japanese mainland. Mentioned indespatches and in August 1945 received aBar to his DSC. Post-war he left the Navy totest Short's flyingboats in Belfast but on theoutbreak of the Korean War he rejoined theNavy helping to train new pilots and flew 75missions over Korea from the canier Ocean.He wrote pilots’ notes for aircraft thathe flewto their limits and was awarded the Queen'sCommendation for Valuable Services in theAir. In 1954-55 he was C0 of 813 NAS flyiggthe Wyvern from the new Eagle and in 19he was promoted and returned to lest-flyingat Boscombe Down, making the first decklandingsof the Buccaneer low-level bomber.He retired in 1970 aged 50. He logged 2.816flying hours in 147 different types of aircraftand made 415 deck landings. Throughoutthe war he kept extensive diaries. on whichhe based two books: The Gave Me :1 Seefire(1986) and In Harm's ey (1995). Memberof the former Isle of Wight branch FAAAssociation. June 20. Aged 90.

Lt Cdr David Foster DSO. DSC‘. JoiningtheRNVR when war broke out he volunteeredfor FAA but was not called as a naval airman2nd class until 1940 then appointed to 821NAS in 1942 flying Fairey Albacore torpedo-bombers in North Africa. carrying out nightsorties to mark German tanks and supplyvehicles for attack by Weilin ton bombersof the Desert Air Force. At alta he wasappointed flight commander for torpedoattackson Axis convoyswhere he developeda new lactic: one aircraft of three wouldilluminatean enemy ship with flareswhiletheothers would attack with torpedoes: if theship was not sunk then the first aircraft woulddive-bomb the I et: he was mentioned II'ldesgatches July 1 2 and awarded his firstDS in November. He spent five months in6-41 NAS flying Albacores against GermanE-boats in the English Channel then 00 of849 NAS when it embarked in Rajah for the

Far East in 1944. In 1945 from Victorious heattacked oil refineries in Indonesia. and wasawarded the DSC. Subsequenti as leader of849 and 820 Squadrons from In efatigablehewas involved in air strikes on the SakashimaGunto islands and Fomiosa IODErationIceberg for which he was awarded a Bar tohis DS

.He was theauthorof I00 Heroes of

Golf (1988) and Wings Over the Sea (1990).June 4. Aged 90.

Lt Cdr Michael ‘Jim’ Wastie. Joinedat 16 and served 1950-87 in Vanguard. StVincent. Concord. Carysfort and Ursa beforetraining as a PTI; he played rugby for severalyears. Commissioned 1970 and appointedto RNAS Culdrose. Nelson. Drake. Temeraireand Cochrane. Jul 19. Aged 75.

Frank David Di lon-Boylan.Boy Seaman.Joined Ga as 1946 and transferred to HMSBruce 194 then served HMS Vanguardleavin theService 1948 on medicalgrou nds.HMS ruce Association. June 26. 60.

J A 6 ‘Jack‘ Cranley. LTO ( RO(T)).Joined Ganges 1955. Served in MountsBay. Drake. Lynx. President. Acute. Mercury.Bulwark. Sea Eagle. Messina and Victory.May 12. A%ed 71.

Carole utler. HMS Sparrow Association.July 25.

Fred Parnell. CH M(E). Served 1939-71 in Renown. LSTs 12 and 19. St Angelo.Willcn. Drake. Holmsdale. Vanguard. Ocean.Messina. Raleigh. Narvik. Anzlo. RoyalArthur. Magicrenne. Consort. Tiger. Dampierand Fisgard. Received a commendationfromthe Commander. Task Force Grapple 1958(Bntlsh nuclear tests at Christmas Island)and awarded the BEM 1970 for exemplaryservice to the RN. HMS Consort Associationand the Tavistock branch Royal BritishLegion. July 18. Aged 89.

James Cameron. AB. Served Rowena.Algerines Association. April 4. Aged 82.

Bob Palmer. Sto. Served Clinton.Algerines Association. August 8.

John ‘Spegal' Spicer. CPOIGI). Served1935-60 in Penn. Paladin. Lightning. Deli Illand as an instructor at Ganges. July 6.Aged 59.

ROYAL NAVALASSOCIATIONLeonard ‘Len’ John Stanton. Entered

Ganges 1949 and served 10 years inVanguard. Loch Tralaig. Victory, Comus,Bellerophon and Concord. Past chairmanand vice chairman Colchester RNA. April 14.Aged 75.

Les Hossack RM. Beccles branch. July15. Aged 35.

Ronald Leighton. AM(A)1. Served 1945-47 in Theseus and Glory. Redcar 5 DistrictRNA. July 19. Aged 30.

John Dinnewell. AB Seaman Gunner(FCN2). Joined St Vincent 1954 as BoySeaman and served in Defender. Redpole.Cavalier and Excellent. Received the PingatJasa Malaysia Medal for services to theMalaysian Government 1957-66. WetherbyRNA. HMS Cavalier Association and 5thDestroyer Association (China Station). July25. A ed 72.

Jo n lsherwood. Served 1956-80 inRoebuck. Lagos. Shalford. Scorpion. Aurora.Aisne. Bacchante. Flintham.Grenville. Blakeand Newcastle. Aquitaine branch. July 20Perigueux. France. Aged 69.

John William ‘Tug' Vfilson. CPO M(E)Chief Stoker and submanner. Served 1947-69 at Dolphin. Tiptoe. Tradewind. Sanguine.Auriga, Solent. Acheron. Telemachus.Teredo,Adamant. Andrew. Opossum. Maidstone.Pembroke and Royal Arthur. Treasurer ofPonsmoulh RNA and recent life member ofPortsmouth Submariners' Association. July16. Aged 81.

Stanley F Lawrence. RN and RCN.Served in warspite, Cumberland andResolution also HMCS Micmac. St Laurentand Hudson. Life member Beccles branch.July 19. Aged 93.

Joseph Kelly. FAA. Served 1944-46 in888 Naval Air Squadron. Wolverhamptonbranch. July 13. Aged 35.

Stan Foulsham. PO REM. sewed 1948-55. Joined from the Sea Cadets to RoyalArthur then Collingwood. Whitesand Bay(Korean War and Malayan Campaign).Bramble (Baltic) and Flowerdown receivingstation (RN transmitters). Vice presidentand life memberHanworth branch. June 19.Aged 79.

Lionel Crcssley. AM(A). Served 1945-47 in Venerable. Instructor and CPO with

York Sea Cadets 43 years. York RNA. FAAAssociation and HMS VenerableAssociation.June 5. Aged 84.

can Crawford. Cook. Served 1945-48 atRoyal Arthur and indefatigable. CommitteememberNorth Manchester branch for manyyears. Aged 81.

Charles Le Clere. L/Writer. Served1954-66 in Seahawk. Blackcap.Tiger andRNAS Eglinton. Committee member NorthManchester branch and chairman of socialcommittee for many years. Aged 73.

Marine William Taylor RM. Served1939-53 in Penelope. Neptune. Hannibaland Collingwood. Affectionateiy known asa ‘Sea-going Poi1go'. Dartford branch. July16. ed 89.

Al Dane. LWM. Served 1943-46on LCTs 1090, 2222 and MMU24 (an LC).Darfford branch. Ju 14. Aged 85.

Philip Wardley. rved RN and also 1stMate in the Merchant Navy. Dartford branch.May 24. Aged rs.

SUBMARINERS ASSOCIA‘I1ONC ‘Chris’ Breeze. CPO SA. Submarine

Service 1972-87 in Repulse. Churchill.Cachalot. Spartan and Renown. Banowbranch. Aged 63.

Capt J E ‘John’ Moore. Submarineservice 1944-72 in Trident. Rover, Vigorous.U994. Trenchant. Tradewind. Totem (CO).Alanc (CO) and Tactician (CO). Sussexbraflch. A 88.

P R ‘ ill’ Poole. AB RP3. Submarineservice 1942-45 in Stoic. Bneiiey Hillbranch.Aged 35,

B L ‘Ben' Skeates. PO Tel. Submarineservice 1940-47 in Ursula. Upright. Utmost.P311. Slratagem. Slygian. Taily—Ho andRegent. Barrow branch. Aged 91.

HMS DUKE OF YORK ASSOCIATIONDavid Campbell Jeffrey RM. Served on

board 1944-46. Aged 84.Leonard Walkeden. Seaman. Served on

board 1944-46. Aged 85.Gordon Hill.Chef. Served on board 1945-

47. Aged 83.LST 8- LANDING CRAFTASSOCIATIONM E Plowman. Served LCT(E) 119 and

Base MobileUnit 35036. Doncaster May.R R Redford. Served LST 358 and

Rutherford. Farnham May 9.E J Sharp. Served LOT 858. Worthing

May 23.C R Ingham. Served LCT 7087 and Moray

Firth. Telford June.Atari Rolls. Served LST5 325 and 3514.

Torqua June 23.H llxcawen. Served LCT 555. Sandown.

IOW July 20.FLEET AIR ARM ASSOCIATION

AIan‘Doc‘Halliday.CEL(Air).Served 1 950-72 in Colli ood. Ariel, Seahawl-r. Theseus.Daedalus. amecock. Heron. Albion. ArielII. Boscombe Down. Royal Arthur. Condor.Fulmar, Hermes and Goldcrest where hereceived his chief's buttons 1970: Squadrons809 Sea Venom. B03 Scimitar and 893 SeaVixen. Membership secretary of the NauticalClub Birmi ham for 15 years and in 2005became its retary. Birmingham branchof the FAA Association and in 1981 becameone of the founder membersof the NationalFleet Air Arm Association: and was NationalSecretary for many years. May 3. Aged 88.

Ernest Coulthard. AM1. Served 1943-46RAF Hednesford. Kestrel. Pintail. Heron andPeregrine. Daedalusbranch. May 26.

Stanley I-‘ilmer.POAF(E).Served 1939-45Essex branch. January 21.

ArthurHawker. Uwireman. Served 1944-46. Birmi ham branch. July 7.

L1 SI ney Hayes. Served 1937-46.Fonner memberof Hanworth branch. July.

Ronald Hibbs. POA (TAG). Served 1943-49. Bournemouth5 District. April 2.

MauriceKemp. Served 1943-67. FisgardR§ATE, Daedalus ll. Solent branch. FebruaryKennethLowe. LAF(O). Served 1943-46.

Bournemouth& District branch.Victor Miller. POAF[A). Served 1040-46.

Bristol 8. District branch. February.Peter Smith.CAFIAE). Served 1946-66 in

Excalibur. Kestrel. Fulmar. Gannet (15 CAG).Vengeance (15 CAG). Gamecock, Simban

.Daedalus. Ariel. (800 Scimitar Squadron.Daedalus branch. Februa 28. A ed 51.

John Shearsrriilh. A N1( .Served

1961 -83. Solent branch. July 14.

TrophyI 'vesTrophy23,533, a gold wirecap ribbon from the fonnerSeabed Operations VesselHMS Challenger. is uniquein that. in the entire historyof the Royal Navy. it is theonly one to have been intoouter space.

It was carried into spaceby the American spaceshuttle Challenger onits maiden flight in April1983; sadly theshuttle wasdestroyed on 28 January1986 when it exploded 73seconds after lift-off killingall seven of its crew.

A previous HMSChallenger - a secondclass cruiser — was oneof several ships used inthe earty years of WorldWar 1 to blockade Dar-es-Salaam. the capital ofGerman East Africa.

The Germans had builta dockyard and wirelessstation therewith the intention that. in theeventof war. it could be used by theirown cruisers asa base and coating point in between their raidsagainst merchant ships.

In the summer of 1914 the German cruiserKdnigsberg arrived at Dar-es-Salaam; when

—_jNASA

"7!’

"9’

not actively involved in the sinkingKonigsberg she remained on the East Africastation for the remainder of the war. and was

war was declared she wasa thousand miles away inthe Indian Ocean, havingevaded the British CapeSquadron's threecruisers.

Aftera successful raidingcruise Kdnigsberg sankthe cmiser HMS Pegasusoff Zanzibar on September20 1914 and subsequentlysought refuge in thedelta ofthe Rufiji River — 100 milesfront Dar-es-Salaam - withthe intention of overhaulingher machinery.

Informed of herwhereabouts. the Britishwere able to fire on herand sank a blockship in theriver mouth; with escapeimpossible Konigsbergmoved further up stream —

she was finallydestroyed onJuly 11 1915 althou h herguns were later vagedand used ashore.

Although Challenger wasof the

involved in both the bombardment of Danes-Salaam on June 13 1916 and its capture onSeptember4 1916.

NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBER2010 33

NOTICEBOARD

'-SEPTEMBER2010

The Cutters Association: Reunion is onSeptember 15 at The Bull Hotel. Westgale.Pelerborough. PE1 1RB. This is the annualreunion lunch which runs from 1200 untilthe stories run out! New guests are alwayswelcome. Details from Ethna Cooke atethna.cooke6btinterrnet.comor tel: 01322660369.

HMS Sparrow Reunion takes placeat the Royal Maritime Club. Portsmouthfrom September 21 lo 23. Contact GeoffMiddleton on 01562 700669.

OCTOBER 2010MauritiusVeterans: Reunion for all those

who served at HMS Mauritius (shore base)in the 19605 and 1970s. This will be heldon October 9 in the W0 8. SR Mess. HMSNelson. Portsmouth. If you are interestedin attendin . please contact Tina Lowe attlna.lowe3 ntlworld.com or tel: 01329843347.

HMS Grafton Reunion (1997-2003):October 16 at the Courtyard Bar. Derby.Contacts for the event are Lynne Davidsonat davidsonlynriefihotrnsitcom or tel:07807 869129 and Stan Matthews atboreclsaitortsflgmailcorn or tel: 07545265145.

NOVEMBER 2010Ark Royal 25th birthday: Cocktail party

for officers and warrant officers on ThursdayNovember 4, 6:30-8:30pm. Senring andretired officers and warrant officers who havebeen part of the carrier's complement areeligible to attend. Tickets cost £10 each. andare limited to six per applicant. Each attendeemay be accompaniedby one guest. Dress is1C (negative medals) for servinrgepersonneland suit and lie for civilians. adiine forapplications is October 1 and numbers arelimited to 600. Cheques payable to Central

Ask Jack

Fund. HMS Ark Royal and sent to L1 PeteDavis. Silver Jubilee Bali Officer. HMS ArkRoyal. BFPO 212. Serving personnel shouldsee RNTM 154/10.

Ton Class Association: Pre ChristmasLunch party. in the High Wycombe areaon November 27 at 1200 for 1300 lunch.All members and their ladies are welcome.Grand Raffle in aid of the welfare fund.Places are limited. so please book earlyto avoid disappointment. Contact EdwardFreathy at edwardfreethyflbtinternetcomor tel: 01628 523711.

DURING 2011Portsmouth command Field Gunners

and Staff 1981: It is intended to hold a 30Year Reunion Dinner in 2011 for all FieldGunners and Staff of 1981. For more detailscontact Rob ‘Brum' Wyatt at robdon.wyatt@ntlwortd.com or tel: 023 9235 6868.

APRIL2011HMS Hemies Association: Annual

reunion to be held at the Bosworth HallHotel. Market Bosworth from April 7 to 11.All ranks. ratings. all commissions welcome.Contact Richard Tipping at rlchardtippingfibIueyonder.co.uk or tel: 01752 767697 fordetails.

HMS Duke of York Association: Minireunion will be held at the Stretton Hotel.Blackpool from April 15 to 18. Details fromthe Secretaiz. Rose Cottage. 103 OrchardF73§glr.7Elton. hester. CH2 4NO or tel: 01928

I.

MAY 2011HMS Glasgow (C21.fD88): 31st reunion

will take placeat theQueens Hotel. Paigntonfrom May 6 to 9. All ex-crew are welcome.Details from Gary Eaton. 10 EiderwoodAzgnue. Thornton-Cleveleys, Lanes. FY55

.

'Live Wire - The magazine of the

Electrical Department: This magazine wasproduced back in the 1950s and 19505and embraced stories, articles. reportsand other interesting snippets about theElectrical Branch throughoutthe Royal Navy.Reports and photographs of the departmenton various ships at the time such asNewcastle. Gambia. Eagle. just a fewfrom the copies we have. The Royal NavalElectrical Branch Association is looking formore copies for their collection and extractsfor future newsletters. Do you have anystowed away you are prepared to donateto the association? Sippers. Guipers. nodammit another for at the next reunion toanyone who sends copies to Mike Crowe.RNEBA. 7 Heath Road, Lake. Sandown.Isle of Wight. PO36 SPG. We like our Tot.check out the welcome to new members atthe HMS Collingwood Open Day at http:lIwww.rneba.org.uk. Membership form thereas well.

HMS Dreadnought Association: Weare seeking information regarding thewhereabouts of ERA Bob Killingleyand anyother crew members we have lost contactwith over the years. Please contact thesecretary Peter 'Fiorrie' Ford. 7 Van D-iemansPass. Canv Island, Essex. SS8 700 or tel:01268 6966 5.

HMS Lamerton L88; My father FrederickMartin Served on this ship. a Hunt-classdestroyer 1941-46. I would like to hear fromany person who may remember my father.also any relatives of people who sewed onthe ship at the same time. Contact TonyMartin on 01273 493924.

Gordon Bennett: Looking for my cousin.Gordon. who was in the Royal Navy forseveral years during WW2 and after. Thelast time I saw him. he was living in EastMolsey. If anyone knows where he iscontact Mrs Florence Chant (nee Bennett at

.chant1flvirgin.net or tel: 01 4328223.

Black Cap (Ratings Lid): When you nextopen your old sea-chest for a spring-cleanand wonder ‘do I real want that old BlackCap anymore?’ — wei. don't throw it overthe side, give it a home where it will bewell cared for. I have searched for said objectfor some time now. but due to ill-healthcanno longer do so. If someone somewherewould like to make an ex-mateiot happy.contact Keith Sowerby. 17 Grampian Way.Chilton. Co. Durham. DL17 DOF or tel: 01 388722063.

Fleet Air Arm 1949-57: Seeking Navypets from the FAA. and have placed aphotograph of all of us in 1955 at HMSSimbang. Singapore on the Navy Newswebsite at http:IIwww.navynew-s.co.uklWltereAreYouNdw.espx second page. I amBernard Morrison and can also rememberFred Marlin (Scouse) who lived with his

jLt Col Michael P Roddy to 539 Assault

Squadron RM as CO from November15.Capt M P Wareham to be promoted

Commodore to be Naval Base CommanderClyde from December.

Hon Cdre the Right Hon the LordSterling of Pfaisfow RNFI to be promotedHonorary Rear Admiral Royal Naval Reserveon August 1.

The Reverend S J Brown OHC to bepromoted Chaplain of the Fleet and to beDirector General Naval Chaplaincy fromNovember 1.

The Reverend M G Poll to be appointedHonorary Chaplain to Her MajestyTheQueenon November 1 and to be Principal AnglicanChaplain and Archdeacon for the Royal Navyfrom November 1.

brotherin Kingston-on-Thameswhen we firstmet in 1949. I know the faces of the othersbut have forgotten theirnames. if you were atSimbang dunrg this time and rememberme.contact me at pt 7. The Point, Pinesong. 66AvoneighRoad. Green Bay. Waitakere. 0604.New Zealand.

LCI[L)209: My father. Charles BernhardCyril Cooper. known to his friends as Bern.joined the Royal Navy halfway throughWW2. transferring from the Met, in Londonand ended up training in DartmouthCollege.He was the Jimmy on LCl(L)209 and wentto India and returned. He also participatedin the Dunkirk evacuations. Does anyoneknow of this vessel or serve with fatherduring this period. Contact Roger Cooper atroger6brightsterdasi'gt.com.au or writeto 21 Fleet Street. Holbrook. NSW 2644.Australia.

Gordon Richards Smith: Born 1940Edinburgh died Chisiehursl Kent 2001.Lived in Nazareth House Aberdeen asa child. Served RN during the 19605.Anyone who served with Gordon orremembers him kindly contact: Kay Morganat kay.rnorgan@angllaresearch.co.ukor tel:01704 518963.

RNAS Culdrosez Seeking a Naval Officer.Michael Ian Burnett, who in the 19605 wasa lieutenant. stationed at Culdrose andliving at Hillside. Mullion with his wife June(nee Wesson] and children Alison. Suzanneand Olivia. At that time my father. FrederickBlakeley. workedat thebase and as he was acabinet maker, sometimes repaired furniturefor the officers. When my mother‘s housewas cleared recently. I found a large packetof personal memorabilia (photographs.letters. cards and certificates) and I can onlythink that they were removed from a pieceof furniture which my father was repairingand were accidentally not replaced. I wouldlove to return them to the familyand wouldbe most grateful if anyone can help me findthem. Contact Mrs Jean Merrick on 01395573123.

PO David Mercer: Seeking myslepbrother David Mercer, originally fromLiverpool. He has two children. Emma Kateand Ian Anderson. Dave served on the ArkRoyal during the FalklandsWar. His birthdayis approx March 15 and he will be about 63years of age now. His dad died many yearsago and his name was Harry Mercer. Mymum. his slepmum. IS 85 and has movedhouse several times since she last saw him.She would love to make contact with him.considering her age and not brillianthealth itwould be good if this could be sooner ratherthan later. Please contact Bev Williams (neeClare) at williams—i<i1@sky.contor tel: 01773605247.

HMS Nubian 1964-66: I have losttouch with ex-communicator Graham‘Nolly‘ Rowlands. last heard of residing inLlanfechell. Anglesey. 1 am also still lookingfor Pete ‘Taft’ Price. and Paul 'Brummy'Williams. also ex comms. If anyone canhelp would they please contact me, DaveMillward at davemsparkststfiblueyonder.co.uk or tel: 01622 729692.

HMS Hood: I would like to find the Terryfamily from the Portsmouth area. I was only11 when the Hood went down in 1941 andcan remembermy motherand unclebeingsosad at thetragic loss of life. The sailor thatwelast was Gordon Terry. his father was lfictorTerry. I am now 50 years old and my sontakes me to Boldre Church. which is alwayslull, every year for the Hood RemembranceService. if anyone knows of the Terry familcould they contact me. Mrs L Connor,Arundel Road. Totton, Southampton. Hants.SO40.'lBJ.

Sports lottery

July 24: £5,000 - OC P D Cloutlng;€1,500 - ETWE D P Chldlow; C500 — AB2G P J Smith.

August 1: VW Polo — AET A D Richmond:£1,500 — Cdr J M Worthington;€500 — CPOR J G Knaggs.

August 7: 25.000 - Mne R A Homing:£1,500 - OM F A Foster: 2500 - Cdr C JSaxby.

Contactsheet________r-

Ministry of Defence: 0870 B07 4455.www.mod.uk

Royal Navy recniltment:0845 607 5555,www.royaInavy.mod.uk

Veterans Agency: 0800 169 2277. www.veterans-uk.info

RN and RM Service records: 01233227912. navysearch rcfitnt.co.uk

Royal Naval Assoc tlon: 023 9272 3823.www.royaI-naval-association.oo.uk

Rd at Na and Royal Marines Charity:023 9 54 807 .www.mrmc.org.uk

RN B13 023 9269 01 12 (general),023 92660296 (grants). ww-w.mbt.org.uk

British Legion: 08457 725725. www.britlshlegiorl.or\g.uk

Naval Families Federation: 023 92654374. www.nff.org.uk

Seafarers UK: 020 7932 0000. wvvw.seafarers-uk.crg

SSAFA Forces Help: 0845 1300 975,www.ssafa.org.uk

RN Community: www.rncom.mod.ukMedals enquiries: 0800 085 3600Royal Naval Museum: 023 9272 7562.

www.royefnavalmuaeum.orgFleet Air Arm Museum: 01935 840565.

www.lleetairarm.comRoyal Marines Museum: 023 9231 9385.

www.royaImmarinesmuseum.co.ukRN Submarine Museum: 023 9252 9217.

www.rnsubmus.co.ukNational Maritime Museum: 020 8312

6565. www.nmm.ac.ukImperial War Museum: 020 7416 5320,

www.iwm.org.uI<

IIOTIGEBOARDI Notices-forthlspage shouldbe'brl"e'f.'cleerlywrlttenortypedand addressed to -_'I'he Edlior.Navy News,-' _HMS Nelson.Poitsrriouth:P01 3l_lH oromall:

Ifyouaiesendinairournotlceirlvlaemall.Includeyour ft.ifIand telepliorleI R.'o'unf¢'>'r'1s.. "tn

end ' 1°‘an in in pafll,°l!!Br.edludn-°tI.nli°1 5° 9"3'¢."19°..d--

.

I Please send..ln Reunions-atleast; three months (preferablytour) before. the month-of theevent.I There be'_'a

"clue to the‘I Entttesnro free "to non-corn-meiclal organisations. Itemspertaining to commercial work.books and

..publications for

will have to ue.paid.ioi-atadvertialngrates.

Entries for theDeaths’column and SwapDrafts in October’s

Noticeboard must bereceived by

September 1 3

BRITANNIA SHIPPINGFOR BIIRIAL AT SEA

SpecialistFUNERAL DIRECTORSSpeak to john Lister01395 568028

www.buria|atsea.co.ukemai|@burialatsea.co.uk

or email:

Availablefrom 1998to the current editionPlease call 023 9212 6284 for details

subscriptlons@navynews.co.ukReporting from theFleet

3-‘I NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBER20l0

N V I News and informationfor serving personnel

Ace’s highfor single

livingLAST year the Royal NavalEstates Organisation (RNEO)wrote about an expectedprogramme of work thatwas to be completed in year2009/2010 on Single LivingAccommodation (SLA)through the Advanced CapitalExpenditure (ACE) funding,zvrites fackie A/lair.

The Royal Navy was set toreceive a £6 million share of the£50 million Advanced CapitalExpenditure to be spent in year toimprove Service accommodation.

This was a Government-announced budget measure tohelp stimulate the UK economy.

Although this money hadto be repaid later it did allowimmediate improvements to bemade to Service accommodationand additional funding of {L7million was also provided to theRN, under the Service PersonnelFirst Initiative.

Whilst a new—bulld SLAprogramme will continue,financial constraints make it morelikely thatwe will need to considerrefurbishment more often andtarget our improvements at thoseaspects of the SLA that canmake the biggest difference tooccupants.

After consultation and anassessment of individual siterequirements, a programmewas developed that covered themajority of Royal Marine andRoyal Naval Air Stations sitesincluding: 40 Cdo, Norton ManorCamp, 42 Cdo Bicklcigh, ~15 CdoCondor, CTCRM Lympstone,RM Chivenor, RNIB Stonehouse,Royal Citadel, RNAS Culdroseand RNAS Yeovilton.

The programme includedOfficers’, Senior Rates‘ and JuniorRates‘ living accommodation.

A recent refurbishment at theRM Citadel became the templatefor the refurbishmentof ablutions,redecoration, new furniture andcarpets.

Working through DefenceEstates (DE) and Regional PrimeContract (RPC) teams, all theplanned work was finished ontime with the exception of oneestablishment where buildingstructural problems provedinsurmountable.

The key lesson was thatco—operation works.

The teams needed to work fastand very hard to scope, cost, planand implement in-year.

That the projects progressedso well was down to the goodworkingrelationships and excellentliaison between DE, RPC and theestablishment stalf.

The result: a high standard offinish on projects that has beenparticularly well received by ourmilitary personnel.

The programme had toaccommodate different siterequirements.

Interestingly, because SLAMhas concentrated primarily in thefirst ten years on ORs, a numberof establishments wanted work ontheir Officer accommodation.

RM Condor wanted theirjunior Oflicers' accommodationimproved and brought up to date.

The Project ACE works at RMCondor were designed by TurnerEstate Solutions (TES), followingcomprehensive stakeholderconsultation, and managed on siteby Bell Group UK. a part of theTES Supply Chain.

Capt Farthing RM, 2iCBase Company, 45 CommandoRoyal Marines, RM Condoracknowledged that theenhancements to RM Condoraccommodation had been wellreceived, particularlythe increasedstorage arrangements thatincluded purpose-built storage forthe Royal Marines’ kit.

Althoughnothingcould bedone

to make the corridors wider theimproved lighting provisions havemade them look much better.

Shower facilities alsoupgraded.

CTCRM at Lympstone wantedthe ablutions improved as far aspossible across thesite as theywerevery old and in poor condition.

Chris Rawden, theInfrastructure Support Managerat CTCRM Lympstone, advisedthat despite the difficulties ofthe funding arriving quite late inthe financial year and CTCRMaccommodation being I10 percent occupied, the SLA ablution

\\-‘CFC

refurbishment was successfullycompleted.

He put the successlulrefurbishment down to detailedplanning and programming of theaccommodation plot, on a dailybasis, to ensure the minimum ofdiscomfort to occupants, maintainaccommodation availability andprotect CTCRM outputs.

Again a professional ethos and“can-do attitude” permeated theapproach of Estate Manager .-’ BaseSecurity Office Department staff,Training Wings, Contractor andDebut teams and close day-to-dayliaison with contractors ensuredthat the hard work paid off.

The refurbishmenthas achieveda higher standard and condition ofablutions for CTCRM trainees.

Norton Manor Camp improvedthe ventilation in the SLA withnew windows.

They also improved the utilityrooms and gave all floor coveringsa deep clean.

Chivenor also wanted toimprove their Officers‘ Mess andwith their allocation were ableto redecorate all rooms, providenew carpets, some new furnitureand an additional electrical doublesocket.

To accommodate the extraelectrical load distribution boardswere renewed to create additionalcapacity.

The central ablutions on eachfloor were renovated to provideadditional showers in place ofunder-utilisedbaths. Eight roomswere made en-suite.

The Royal Naval Air Stationat Culdrose also wanted work toimprove Officer accommodation.

They adapted communalablution areas to create selfcontained individual shower orbathrooms with each containing ashower, WC, washbasin etc.

One bath with a shower overwas also created on each floor.

Also provided were moreelectrical sockets and aredecoration of cabins.

Corridors and entrances werealso redecorated.

All in all, the hard work by allthe teams has been worthwhileand has gone down well with theoccupants of the SLA.

This financial year the workcontinues but, inevitably, witha reduced [1 million allocationfrom the Service Personnel Firstallocation.

0 LH MichaelMonnington,CPO Ross Perrin andLH PaulWeedon in Sydney G’day fromown under

HAVING recently returned lrorn‘Down Under‘ the participantsof Exchange Programme LongLook 2010 (EXPLL1D) are keento pass on the experience oftaking part, writes WO1 AndyWhale.

Now running for over 30 yearsthe exchange takes place on anannual tri-service basis betweenAustralia, New Zealand and theUnited Kingdom for a four-monthperiod.

This year's participants fromthe RN contingent numberedsome 25-strong ranging fromdivers, submariners, engineers,logisticians, warfare and amusician.

With the team beingpredominantly based in Sydneyand Auckland many took theopportunity to explore the sightsthat these two cities had to offer.

LH Kirstine Lowcn, HMSBulwark,who was based in Sydneyfor the exchange, said: “What anopportunity, Sydney is a fantasticcity with so much to do.

“As expected I had a great timeand thoroughly recommend theexchange programme."

Some of the team in Australiawere based outside Sydney.

Royal Navy divers ABs SimonLund and Damien Sandersdeployed to Cairns with theirdive teams for the majority ofEXPLLIO.

They spent much of their timehoning their skills on the GreatBarrier Reef.

This was in—between assistingwith underwater ship repairs andchecking Cairns Harbour for IEDSand assisting in mine clearance.

LA(l’hot) Alasdair Macleod,Faslane, deployed to Indonesiawith I-IMAS Pirie during theexchange.

The quality of the images hecaptured were good enough toadorn the cover of the AustralianI\’ut-y i\’ettvs, which was a greatachievement.

CPO Pete Cassar, Yeovilton,had the opportunity to assisthis Australian hosts with thedevelopment of a new aviationsupport branch of the RAN.

“This was a great experiencefor me to be able to have somuch influencebecauseof my RNskills and background which wasprofessionally very rewarding,”said CPO Cassar.

The NZ exchange team wereexposed to the Maori culture earlyin their time with the RNZN andfound it to be a real insight.

“The Marae Maori welcomingservice was one memory I willnever forget during my Long Lookexperience," explained LH BeckyMudie, HMS Edinburgh.

“The Marae explained thesignificance of the carvings, theirbeliefs and how they affect everyday life.“

Lt Jane Ruddock, HMS Sultan,added: “I have found my time inNZ to be very enjoyable and allaspects whether working, meetingpeople or travelling have beenbrilliant.”

LPT Jonathan Platt, HMSRaleigh, worked in the FleetGymnasium and took theopportunity to learn differenttraining methods from those inthe UK.

’ -' ' _-* -x\n..

0 Australian LLA(Phot) AJ Macleod

He also used his time to dosome preparatory work for theRN Rugby League tour to NZ andorganise some AT for the LongLook personnel.

“I‘ve had a great time out herein NZ, can't recommend theexchange enough to those in aposition to apply", enthused LPTPlatt.

Some of the exchange positionsinvolved an element of sea time.

I-Hs Paul \Weedon, DarrenSmalley,Michael Monnington andCurtis Morris were all assignedto different RAN vessels andparticipated in exercises in coastalwaters and around Indonesia andthe South China Sea.

This was in addition tonumerous Australian port visits tosuch places as Hobart, Newcastle,Brisbane and Cairns, which wasone way of getting around the vastexpanse of Australia.

Many of the participantsembraced the work-hard play-hard ethos of the exchange.

CPOs Luke Malone and RossPerrin took the opportunity toshare professionalexperienceswiththeir host units and demonstratedifferent working practices.

Many of the Long Lookers tookthe opportunity to take in an‘Aussie Rules’ or Rugby Leaguematch whilst on exchange.

CPO Malone, however, wentone better than his colleaguesand along with CPO Perrinvisited theTVshrine of .\’eigI:buitr.<Ramsay Street - “an experiencenever to be forgotten,” said CPOMalone.

CPO Lauren Cobby, SFMPortsmouth, toured the Northand South Islands of NZ duringher leave which was a “trulymemorable" highlight of theexchange.

All oftheEXPLLIOparticipantshad a chance to take leave; some

ong/ookers phoogrphby one of the participantstoured their countries of exchangewhilst others took the opportunityto take a holiday with relatives orfamily that had flown from theUK to join them.

Another poignant part of theexchange was the opportunity forthe participants to take part in theANZAC Day ceremonies both inAustralia and New Zealand asrepresentatives of the Royal Navy.

All oftheEXPLL10 participantsfelt they were privileged toparticipate in the ANZAC Daycommemorations.

\VO2 Barry Johnston, HMSSultan, explained: “We wereinvolved in a march throughSydney with huge crowds liningthe route.

“The RAN led the marchfollowed by the war veteranstotalling nearly 10,000 personnel;the reception we all got wasfantastic.

“All in all it was a trulymemorable day."

CPO Jan Hamlyn, HMS Drake,laid two wreaths on behalfof theRN on ANZAC day at HMNZSPhilomel and Devonport andcommented that the participationof the Long Lookers on the daywas greatly appreciated by theirNew Zealand hosts.

If you’re interested in beinginvolved in the Long LookExchange in 2011 then here’swhat to do...

Exchange Programme LongLook takes place on an annualbasis and is available to all RNand RNI personnel of Rank/RateJunior Officer to Leading Hand.

Applications to participatein the 2011 exchange are beingaccepted now.

Exchange Programme LongLook application forms can nowbe found in RNTM l8l/10.

Submissions should be made byNovember27 2010.

on R&RTHE policy on rest andrecuperation (R&R) for Servicepersonnel deployed on operationshas changed.

People deployed for six monthswill continue to be eligible forone period of I4 days R&R; andfrom July 22 2010, anyone wholoses out on R&R because ofoperations or disruptions to theairbridge, will be granted PostOperational Leave to compensate.

However from January 1 201 1,personnel deploying for shorttours will be posted for less thanfour months — hence theywill nolonger qualify for R&R.

This change will reducepassenger traffic over theairbridge by l l per cent, andthereby increase its resilience forpeople who are entitled to R&Runder the changes.

Despite best efforts, theairbridge is prone to delays dueto its distance and hazardousenvironment, which is why thecompensatory boost to PostOperational Leave has beenintroduced for anyone affected.

Anyone who is currentlydeployed, or who has receivedFinal Assignment Orders todeploy, will not be affected bythis change.

It is expected that the majorityof Service people affected bythis change will be RAF,whohave a typical tour lengthof fourmonths.

For people who deploy forperiods of between four to sixmonths, the seven-day R&Rpackage remains in place.

cheekiiyou’reeligibleIT is now possible to qualifyfor the Afghanistan OperationalService Medal and the IraqMedal without 30 days ofcontinuous service in theatre.

People ~ both in the militaryand civil service — who deployfor short stretches can build upaccrued days to a total qualifyingperiod of 45 days service.

In addition, these changeswill be backdated to the start ofoperations in Afghanistan andIraq — that’s September I l 200]and January 20 2003 respectively.

People with 30 dayscontinuous service qualifyingperiod are unaffected by thechanges.

Eligibilityis restricted topersonnel who have served underthe command of the UK JointTask Force Commander on adesignated operation within thequalifying area appropriate toeach medal (see JSP 671 formore detail).

Visitors to operational theatreswill not qualify.

In order to get a medal, peoplemust apply through their unitadmin staff (military), throughthe PPPA (civil service) orthrough the MOD Medal Office(for those no longer under theMOD).

For Naval personnel thisis a change to the previousprovision for 45 days cumulativeseagoing service in the NorthernArabian Gulf as it is no longerrestricted to a single operationaldeployment.

To date, over l26,000 IraqMedals and 98,000 AfghanistanOperational Service Medals havebeen issued.

For those people outside themilitary or civil service who wishto apply, please contact:

MOD Medal OfficeBuilding 250Imjin BarracksGloucesterGL3 l I-IW.

r:£7’? 21174! F'.f"3i‘D

NFF takes yourviews to the topI THINKit’s fair to repeat thefamous lyrics, "The timesthey are a changin'," so toassist in keeping Navy Newsreaders in step with the flowof business from the NFF itseems appropriate to startthis month’s contribution byincludinga slightlyshortenedversion of the brief that wasgiven to the Minister forDefence Personnel, Welfareand Veterans, AndrewRobathan MP, by me afew weeks ago, writes KimRichardson, Chair of theNaval FamiliesFederation.

I began by congratulating himon securing the most soughtafter post in Defence — the onethat engages most regularly withthe special group of people whowhen feeling valued and contentcontribute to and enhanceoperational capability;the family.

I explained that our meetingswere an opportunity for theMinister to gain an undiluted ‘asit is‘ view of where our familiesare finding Service life more thana little challenging.

And most importantlyitprovidcsan independent perspective thathewould not find inside the Service.

I then painted a picture of ‘theNaval Service family‘ who are, inmy view, extraordinary.

I explained that the NavalService is at sea, whether at peaceor war!

Our separated service ismuch higher than the other twoServices.

Having a serving person awayfrom home is a reality for ourfamilies.

Simply put, we are used to it!Of those families who are

eligible for Service FamiliesAccommodation, only 30 per centtake it up.

The majority of eligible familiesput their roots down and integrateinto local communities‘miles awayfrom traditional Naval areas.

For example the number ofRoyal Navy personnel domiciledin Wales is 1,468, and this figuredoes not include personnelstationed there.

Naval Service families arefiercely independent and tend toask for little.

Our serving person may bea weekender, which brings itsown challenges (or light reliefdepending on how you look at it).

Service FamiliesAccommodation in the RN tendsto be taken up by those for whomhouse ownership is unaffordableor for those who are determined tolive together as a familywheneveran opportunity presents itself.

I asked the Minister where weare with a ]PA compliant methodof communicating directly withfamilies.

I explained that what we wereseeking is a replacement for whatthe RN already had pre JPA.

We gained permission fromfamilies to contact them directlythat satisfied data protectionand did not rely on the servingperson.

JPA swept that abilityaside andit has never been recovered.

We need to ensure that we arecapturing the views of parentsand partners and the \vidcr familyin order to gain feedback that ismodern and inclusive and real.

\l(*'e can’t hope to make progresswith families unless we establish away of communicating with themthat works.

My next item has me drawingon my nursing experience andbeing the wife of a husband whoserved in the FalklandsWar, wasbombed and lost his ship. He waslucky, 19 of his colleagues andfriends on board died.

I have intimate understandingand knowledge of the impact warcan have on a family.

I recently visited Selly Oak, notto talk to the patients, but thestaff.

This professional group ofpeople works alongside NavalPersonal FamilyService and RoyalMarines Welfare in going the extramile to care for our injured andsupport their families.

I gave the Ministersome observations on

IcounciltaxCouncilTax can be a confusing

subject but with an addeddimension for Serving personneland their families.

There are circumstancesin which the standard rules donot apply to the Armed Forcescommunity.

The Serving person can beexempt from paying, or have topay Contributions in Lieu of

CouncilTax(CILOCT).For a clear guide

where I believe we explaining whencould and should personnel canbe doing better and cannot claimwhen caring for various councilthe carers. tax discounts

I couldn't such as thehave met the 50 per centMinisterwithout second hometouching on discount, orhousing. single occupancy

Our.\lavalestates discount if thehave in the past been Service personrecognized as being inpretty good condition.

Thingshave changed.The NavalService patch is looking tired andrun down and the kerb appeal thatled to pride in where we lived isnot evident in many areas.

I asked the Minister to takethe time to visit the patch whenout and about on his travels andsuggested he adopt the practiceof the AFPRB and look at thebest and worst accommodationon each site, perhaps startingwith Faslane which has particularsignificance to the RN.

The modern definition of afamily and how we support thosewho balance childcareand Servicelife is an area I could talk about forhours, but I didn't.

I simply registered my concernthat we have people doing anexceptional job in the ArmedForces who also happen to beparents.

They have often been servingfor some time and have waited tostart a family.

These personnel, men andwomen, may at some point in theirlater career require some flexibilityin their work practice outside ofthe norm, often because childcarethat dovetails with Service life hasbecome a challenge.

I asked the Nlinister to look atho\v we can help familiesmaintaina balance that allows them tocontinue doing the job they loveand are well trained for, withoutfeeling they are an inadequateparent.

I finished with a question forthe Minister -- “\‘l’here can wehelp you?"

The Strategic Defence andSecurity Review is under way.

Dillicult decisions that willultimately impact on families willhave to be made. We know that.

Please engage with us and useus where you think we will addvalue and perhaps provide youwith an independent perspectivethat you may find useful.

We have been given anindication that our families’ viewswill be sought.

We will keep you posted ondevelopments on our website:NFF.org.uk.I Rownerplans

The site ear-marked fordemolition and rebuild is stillfirmly on the radar.

The Strategic Defence andSecurity Review announcementsdue in October will shape thenext step, but a public meeting isplanned for the autumn to confirmboth timescales and plans, soplease look out for meeting dateflyers and posters.

In the meantime if there are anysecurity issues Hampshire Policeask that these are reported directlyto them using telephone number:I01

is serving away from

home, please go to nff.org.uk and follow the prompts throughthe Money Section; please note aportion of the page relates tocouncil tax discounts in Wales.I Forces Discount

Whenever you are out andabout don't forget to ask aboutdiscounts...

To keep up to date with offerscheck the website: http://www.forcesdiscount.comII Relocating to HMNB Clyde?

Royal Navy and Royal Marinesfamilies who are relocating toHMNB Clyde can claim a freetwo-night stay at Braeholm inI-Ielensburgh, Scotland.

Braeholrn is an accommodationand families centre for Royal Navyand Royal Marines personnel, andtheir families, serving at I-I.\-INBClyde.

The house is run by the RoyalNavy charity Royal Sailors Rest(RSR). It is a beautifulold building,set in gardens overlooking theRiver Clyde.

RSR have made this gesture toassist families relocating.

The offer includes free bedand breakfast for two nights, toNaval Service personnel and theirimmediate family, and includesfree use of the property’s fitnessroom and sauna.

Guests can extend their stayat preferential rates. The offer isopen to all families relocating toHMNB Clyde and is subject toavailability.

For further information pleasecontact Braeholm, tel: 01436671880, e-mail: braeho|m@rsr.org, or visit: www.braeho|m.org.uk.I Tn‘ Service FijiNetwork Launched

The Tri Service Fiji SupportNetwork (FSN) was launchedin July 2010. The Network actsas a channel for communicationbetween the MOD and servingFijians.

It is the signpost for the Fijiancommuniryonpolicies,informationand regulations that affect themas Foreign and Commonwealth(F&C) Servicemen.

It is a social network forFijian Servicemen and theirfamilies, providing a platformfor communication within thecommunity and offering adviceon the way forward.

The FSN will not replicate thefunctions of the existing WelfareOrganisations and the Chain ofCommand, but will work handin hand, offing advice on Fijiancultural and protocol issues.

A website will be establishedin due course to act as the mainmedium of communication,spreading the word to the FijianCotnmunity.

President of the FSN, MajMike Nawaqaliva RLC said: “The

Support

launch was a historic event inthe sense it formalised the dreamthat some of us have in ensuringthat Fijian Serviccmen and theirfamilies are fully aware of what ismade available to them and whatis currently being planned for thefuture.”

The points of contact are: MaiMaikali (Mike) Nawaqaliva RLC/ Tel: 05241 732773 -’ c-mail:24FtLC-98-OC@mod.uk; Flt LtToga Loco RAF — Tel: 01902704636 — e-mail: 30008287@cosford.raf.mod.ukI Continuity of EducationAllowance (CEA)

If you are planning to makeany changes to boarding schoolarrangements where youclaim CEA, contact Children'sEducation Advisory Service(CE.-KS) first. Tel: 01980 618244or email: enquiries@ceas.detsa.CO.UkI Dentists

The latest FamiliesContinuousAttitude Survey indicated thatsome Royal Navy and RoyalMarines families are experiencingdifficulties with finding a dentist,if you are one of those familiesplease get in touch with NFF.

Please contact the NFF on02392 654374, e-mailAdmin@nl‘i.org.uk or write to us at CastawayHouse, 311 Twyford Avenue,Portsmouth,P02 SRN.

NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBER2010 35 Trumpet the

Senior Servicefor the

THE time has come fornominations for the third yearof The Sim Military Award — orMillies as they are affectionatelyknown.

At the end of last year, MAKate Nesbitt (piciiired right will:.ilir.‘l'1l’IC') won the title of ‘mostoutstanding sailor or marine’.

Other Senior Service honourswent to: Nine Ben McBean whowas singledout for the‘overcomingadversity’ title; CPO Dave Riggof 771 NAS who won the ‘truegrit‘ award for a daring rescue;and ‘best reservist' AB EdmondGrandison.

You have until September 30 toput forward your nominations forexceptional people.

The period covers SeptemberI 2009 to August 31 2010.and categories are: overcomingadversity; most outstanding sailoror marine; most outstandingsoldier; most outstanding airman;best reservist; support to theArmed Forces (open to civilians

only); life saver award; true grit— home; true grit — overseas; bestunit; and a final category whichisn’t open to public nomination— the Judges‘ award l'or specialrecognition.

Nominations can be doneonline through The Szm’s websiteat http:/lwww.thesun.co.uklrnillies.

It’s your 2-6, on page and TVNEED to get your messageacross to the rest of the RN?

The 2-6 TV DVD has beenaligned with the PersonnelSupport Brief providing anenhanced package for use insharing information.

Feedback received regardingthe new-look 2-6 TV DVD isencouraging. Your thoughts andopinions are invaluable.

Please forward any

constructive ideas about whatshould be covered to W01 BazCooke or PaulineAquilina.

To feature in the Navy News2-6 pages contactLtCdr HeatherLane or W01 Cooke.I Lt Cdr Heather Lane, 93832

8809, FLEET-DCS-INFO-IC802I W01 Baz Cooke, 93832

8821. FLEET-DCS-INFO-ICW0I Pauline Aquilina. 9621

85984

THE ROYAL NAVAL

ASSOClATllOl\l(Charity Number: 266982)

Once Navy Always NavyWhat theAssociation does:

Supports the Royal Navy Maintains Naval traditionsEnjoys social activities Re-unites ShipmatesRemembersthe fallen Helps the disabledLooks after the needy Cheers up the distressed

Stands together in Unity Full Members

Consist of Serving and Ex-Serving membersof the The Naval Service,WRNS, RFA,RNXS and RMAS, regardless of Rank. Any person whoserved in the Naval Forces of a nation which is or was a memberof theBritish Commonwealth.

Associate MembersThose in sympathywith our Objects, especially families.

Contact Nigel Huxtable or RNA HQRm 209 Semaphore Tower, PP70, HM Naval Base, PORTSMOUTHP01 3LT

Phone - 023 9272 3747 E-Mail — Nigel@royalnavalassoc.comWebsite - www. royal-naval-association.com

Unity, Loyalty, Patriotism and Comradeship

36 .\lA\*'Y l\'I£\l\'-"S, SEl’TI;‘MBER 2010

FoulienewsflashMAKE time to nip down to theUniform Stores to pick up yournew Royal Navy chest flashfor your Mk.lV Foul WeatherJacket.

The new flash (NSN 8455-99-598 6703) features theRoyal Navy logo as well as thewording.

Personnel are asked to swapold flashes for new when theycan find time.

The intention is for themajority of personnel to bewearing the new flash by theend of this year.

More details in RNTM 177/10.

Pensionreviewunder wayTHE Independent Public ServicePensions Commission is expectedto produce an interim report bythe end of this month.

The Commission isconsidering the affordability,fairness and impact of currentpublic service pension schemes— whetherArmed Forces, civilservice, .\lHS, teachers, UKAEA,local government, police,firefighters or judicial.

'lhe Commission will outlinethe objectives that should guidepublic sector pensions in thefuture, and argue if there is a casefor more immediate action withinthe spending review period.

Following on from the interimreport, the Commission willconduct a further round ofe\'idence gatheringon forms ofalternate pension provision.

The terms of reference of theCommission state that existingaccrued pension rights will beprotected, but the Chancellorhas said that options for reformmust be considered that are fairto the taxpayer and to publicsector employees, so there is noguarantee about what willhappen to pension arrangementsin the future.

Further information can befound in DIB '3-l.-"10.

Iraq Inquiryseeks veteransSIR ]ohn Chilcot,chairman ofthe Iraq Inquiry Committee, haswritten to UK military personnelwho served in Iraq between 2003and 2009 inviting them to attendan event atTidworth Garrison,near Andover, on September1-! to hear the views of militarypersonnel, serving or retired,l'L'gLllflI'UT I'L‘Sl.'|'\-'L‘.

The chairman’s letter said:“The Inquiry is primarilyaboutlearning lessons so these meetingsare crucial to our work.

“We need to understand whatwent well and what could havebeen done better.

“I hope that the lessons thatthe Inquiry identifies will helpus, as a nation, to continue toimprove in many areas, includingthe way in which we approachexpeditionary campaigns andnation building,and the impacton military personnel."

If you as a Serviceman orveteran would be interestedin attending this event, pleasecontact the Inquiry by email tosecretariat@iraqinquiry.org.uk before midday on FridaySeptember 10.

If you are unable to attend, butwould wish to submit your viewsand thoughts of the campaignas a written submission, pleaseLise the email address above orwrite to:

The Iraq Inquiry35 Great SmithStreetLondonSWII’ 3BQ

News one! infoirinationfor serving personnel

Peaks andtroughs forDrafly in Air

manningTHIS month's Drafty isbrought to you by FAA(AE&SE) CareerManagement.

The D\‘l’l€RS AE & SF.Career Management team isbased at \‘i’hale Island along withtheir \V.\-IO (Air) colleagues atRNAS‘ Yeovilton, Culdrose andRAF Wittering, managing 3,500FAA Squadron, Flight, SE andTechnical Support personnel.

The ‘Hub‘ team at \‘\'-"hale Islandconsists of Lt Cdr Steve Sa_vwell-Hall (RCMSO2Al-7.), \‘C-’O2AF.TPaul Clarke (RC.'\-IWOZAE),POLogs (Pets) ]o Fraser(RCl'\riAF.2) and POI.ogs (Pars)‘Mac‘ .\-lcliarlane (RC.\vlAl-I3).

InlinewithcurrentRNpriorities,the team’s primary focus is theprovision of trained personnelto support CH1’ and SK.~\SaCoperations in Afghanistan.

Both communities havereceived significant manpoweruplifts above their designatedestablishments enabling them tofulfil their enduring commitmentto operations in theatre.

Air Engineering BranchDevelopment (AEBD) is a farreaching project which aims torestructure the AE Branch andmeet the demands of2 lst centuryNaval aviation.

Its main aim is to replacemechanics and artifieers with asingle technician stream as wellas merging radio and electricalsub specialisations into a singleavionics trade.

The finalised, post-AEBDbranch structure is not expectedto be in place until 2018 andthe changes necessary to completesuch an ambitious project providea continuous manning challengefor DNPL-rs.

The transition towards theAEBD model finds the branchwith an LAET shortage of 281although this is offset slightly withextra numbers at CPO level.

An iinproved focus on trainingand increased selections forpromotion are tools which shouldease the l.Al£'l'deficit by 2013.

Running in parallel withAEBD, aircraft and equipmentupgrades are likely to provide themost significant challenge in themedium term.

The introduction to service ofMerlin MR2 and Merlin Mk3 forservice in the RN, the acquisitionof the Lynx replacement aircraft(\‘(-"ildcat) and the arrival of theJoint Combat Aircraft in 2015mean that, within a five—_vearperiod. each and every A13 ratingwill undertake a re-trainingpl'(lgI'3l"l‘Il'I'lL’ on 3 l'lC\V' lTl§1I'l( 0!‘different type of aircraft.

ME Branch UpdateAs stated in BRl066. ETs have

:1 max of 48 months from ET2 toachieve OPS.

If the_v do not achieve this, the_vwill mark time at increment level(IL) 4 and should be consideredfor warning.

LETs have 30 months fromCPD to achieveOPS that includesl\'IE()()\‘i"2 and ti SOC, otherwisethey should also be considered forwarning.

BR 2000(2)(3) and (3)(3) tirejust about to be released.

The AB population is liealthy

and the promotion prospectsremain very good indeed.

All promotion eligibi|it_vsifts areconducted in JPA so details mustbe up-to-date and accurate.

There are more spaces availablefor promotion to LET thaneligiblecandidates.

LH positions must be filled firstso that, in turn, the P0 plot canbe filled,moving the specialisationtowards sustainability.

The next board for ET to Ll.-ITis ;\lo\/ember2010.

The LI-I population remainsunder home.

However, 63 I-Z'l‘s were selectedat the last board and following43 weeks training, that includesLRLC, the_v’ll return to the Fleet.

As above, branch sustainabilitystarts with developing andpromoting the.-\l3s and promotionrequirements for LET are nowclearly detailed in RNTM121509.

The POET population remainsfragile.

Sea billets are being filled byCPOs and this will remain thecase during the transition phase.

As with LHS, there are morepositions to fill than eligiblecandidates.

The P0 to CPO selectionboards will take place in September2010.

Although overborne withChiefs, they are conducting a vitalrole by filling in Section HeadPositions that would otherwise begapped.

Be assured that promotionboard members recognise theCl’Os employed as Section Headsthat merit promotion to W02 inthe mix with Group Heads.

‘W015 remain slightlyovcrborne and the \‘(-"'02population is currently ten percent underborne.

The \V"02 promotion board willsit in Oct to address this.

As the time based advancementof Artificers becomes a thing ofthe past, promotion of suitablecalibre personnel to the next rate\vithin the ME specialisation willincreasingly be determined solelyby the number of positions calledfor in each rate.

As the requirement and thestrength fluctuate, so the demandliir promotees at each rate risesand falls regardless of the numberof highly-capable personneleligible for promotion.

Whilst this presents a challengeto the promotion board whenselecting a small number ofpersonnel from large bodies ofworthy contenders, the currentboarding process using the SJARis coherent and equitable.

However, this does place a hugeemphasis on the reporting systemto demonstrate an individual'smerit for selection, underpinningthe need for the individual to takea great interest in the content andpresentation of their report.

WE Branch UpdateET recruitment is healthy at

125 per annuin but LH shortagesare being felt throughout theFleet.

Great emphasis is being placedon ensuring that selection to LETis increased and over the last year,88 ETs have been selected forI.ET course.

DraftytCOITIEI‘

This trend will continue toimprove providing SJARS reflectsuitable merit for selection toLET.

Promotion prospects remainexcellent.

Shortages at the PO levelcontinue to be covered by thesurplus of CF05, however workis in progress to better match thenumber of P05. to the numberofjobs.

'.'\'otwithstanding these efforts,sustainability will continue to bea challenge given the shortage ofLETS from which all POs will begenerated having advanced thelast of the Artificers (circa 2011).

The first CPOET Group Head'scourse has now taken place, withall students providing positivefeedback.

Completion of the five—week(three weeks if already qualifiedas a DO) Group Head course willbe considered by the promotionboard as positive evidence that'\"lr'O2 skill-sets are being activelydeveloped, however it should bestressed that all eligible CPOs.who demonstrate they possess theappropriate Group Head skills,will be considered for selection.

The Group Head role is not tobe underestimated — it is not justanother CPO billet, it carries theextra responsibility of mentoringand day to day running of thewhole Group.

The number of CPOET shorepositions will reduce as shoreUEI.s are updated to rellect theET competence profile, but thiswill not impact on SeparatedService/Harmonyrequirements.

In the future all CPO ETs willbe employed in HoG level typeroles and will only back—lillPOETpositions in e.\'m:mr'.\'.

The '\‘€-’02 shortfall hasincreased although once againthe overbearing of CPOs isbeing used to mitigate this whereappropriate.

\‘Z-'ork is ongoing to look atoptions to address pressure ontheW02 plot, and it is recognisedthat this rank in particular hassuffered as :1 result of the deletionofposts in DE&S which in turn hasconstrained promotion numbers.

Warrant Officer 1 numbersremain broadly in balance.

r-7' 1-».‘(‘i will’ "U‘H-flfillaeoriv “tiiii LIVES

We flickbackthroughthepages of Navy Newsto see which stories were drawing attentionin past decades...

O RFA Fort George won .3 Fleet Commendationin 2000

September 1 970MORE than 50 tomier sailors from the first HMS Sheffieldattended a reunion in the city's Shiny Sheff hotel, hosted byWhitbread's Brewery.

Many memories were shared among theold shipmates of theold Town-class light cruiser. which in 1941 had helped to sinkthe Bismarck.

The pub sported several stainless steel fittings from the ship,which had been broken up in 1967, including her deck plate.In tribute to her namesake city (or perhaps to spare her sailorshours of polishing?) HMS Sheffield was fitted with stainlesssteel instead of the traditional brass.

At the time members of the branch were hoping to berepresented at the launch of the new HMS Sheffield. in build atBarrow-in-Fumess

This was the Type 42 destroyer which was launched in 1971and sunk in the Falklandsin 1982.

WITH the official opening of the Mountbatten Memorial andConcorde Halls, the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeoviltoncouldboast the largest collection of historic aircraft under one roof inthewhole of Europe.

Countess Mountbatten of Bunna officially opened the hall.named in memory of her father. Sir George Edwards, joint-chairman of the Anglo-French Concorde project, opened theConcorde Exhibition Hall which housed the British prototype,which was part of the National Science Museum's aeronauticalcollection.

The museum was constnicted and financed entirely by publicsupport, and was expected to attract a quarter of a millionvisitors in the course of theyear.

~._,.{,.‘. -' L.., ..

5-THE Russian destroyer Bezuprechny (lrreproachable) paid agoodwill visit to Portsmouth — the first by a Soviet warship for14 years.

The 6,000 tonne Sovremenny-class ship was welcomed byher host, HMS Invincible,and thespirit of glasnostwas much inevidence during her five-day stay.

A series of events was organised to entertain the Sovietsailors, including visits to HMS Victory and the RN museum.sightseeing in London, a trip to the Royal Tournament, and asporting day and barbecue at HMS Sultan.

Veteransof thewartimeconvoyswere among thevisitors. Oneof them, Bill Weeks, of the North Russia Club, was presentedwith a plaque featuring a polished shell from a Bofors gun filledwith earth from one of the graves at Murmansk, where Britishsailors from the Royal and Merchant navies were buried.

T C} L7 it I.

' ‘q-‘ —

RFA FORT George was awarded a commendation from theCommander-in-ChiefFleet for her exploits on theeast and westcoasts of Africa.

The ship was operating with a task group led by HMSIllustrious in the Gulf when she was ordered south. Two weeksof hectic activity off Mozambique followed as she helped theintematlonal flood relief operations.

Aircraft of 820 NAS and theship's boats delivered more than530 tonnes of food, fuel and otheressential supplies to isolatedvillages as Fort George worked in treacherous and oftenuncharted waters around the Beira peninsula.

She then accompanied Illustrious south to Sierra Leonewhere they were joined by an amphibious ready group led byHMS Ocean.

Fort George kept the RN ships supplied, undergoing regular500-mile trips to Dakar in Senegal to replenish fresh water andfood.

The Commander-in-Chief'scommendation stated: "The shipnever failed to meet any demand placed upon her, reflecting_grea|t etaredit on the skills and professionalism of everyoneinvo v ."

EDUCATIONThe Best Start In Life

.-\ Navy News udvertorial feature Stabilityfor Service

familesat (IVSQI_.'EEl\' Victoria School (QVS) isa non—academiCullyselective. fullyboarding, co—educational schoolfor the children of Armed Forcespersonnel who are Scottish or whohave served in Scotland (_m'ctm-edabate).

A small parental contribution(currently around £1,100 a _\-‘ear)is levied, but there are no fees.

In cases of need, the parentalcontribution can sometimeshe paid by one of the Services’Benevolent Funds or similar.

Entry to QVS is decided on thebasis of need.

The reason for existing is toprovide continuity and stabilityofeducation for children who wouldotherwise be moved around thecountry. and perhaps the world.several times in the course of theirschool careers, as a result of theirserving parent's postings.

The school is also tasked bythe Ministry of Defence withproviding for those ftimilieswho Could not otherwise affordboarding education.

Children can come to QVSfrom Primary 7, around the age of

ten and a hall", and this is the mainpoint of entry: this is where mostplaces are available.

A very happy and impressiveGrand Day Parade recentlybrought to :1 conclusion anotheracademic year of hard work andsuccess in the classroom, on thegames fields and in the CCF, PipeBand and Dancing Team, not tomention the many extra-eurrieularactivities enjoyed by QVS pupils.

Because all QVS entrants arethe children of serving personnel,there is ct \-'er_v special kind ofsupport provided by them for oneanother.

Nmtatiays, when many parentsare on unaccompanied tours. itis particularly reassuring to thechildren and to their families toknow that they are not unusualhere.

l-Lver_vone knows what it is liketo be part of 21 Service ftuiiily.

Several staff have Serviceexperience too, and all arecommitted to the uniquerequirement of looking afterServices children in a fullyboarding environment.

The

NAVY NEWS, SI£l"I'EMBl£R 2010 37

Truro High SchoolTHE year 2010 has beenanother important year forTruro High School for Girlswith the celebration of its130th anniversary and astring of further successes.

In February. an Ofstedinspection report confirmed theoutstanding level of boardingfacilitiesat the school.

Boarders, it said, enjoy an“excellent system of pastoralcare", "high quality. wellappointed, safe and secureboarding accommodation" and“excellent sporting, study andrecreational features."

Thanks to first-class teachingand small class sizes, Truro Highis frequently top of the Cornwallleague tables and is in the top200 of all schools nationally forGCSE results.

“We create an environmenttailored to girls, one thatencourages their desire to learnand which fosters an increasingconfidence in their ownjudgement and risk taking," saidheadmistress Caroline Pascoe.

"We have a very strongwork ethic and a committed,dedicated staff who have theexperience and expertiseneeded to bring out the verybest in everyone."

With work comes play andthisyear has seen a multitude offun activitiesand trips.

Anniversary celebrationsincluded hosting some specialguests — including the crewof an 849 Naval Air Squadronhelicopter who landed on the

._ L

Royal HospitalSchool

The Royal Hospital School provides exceptionalacademic and extra-curricular education for

boys and girls aged 11 to 18 years.

Saturday 2nd October 2010at 9am

Academic. Music, Art. SailingandSports Scholarships.

Generous discounts for Service Families.Means-tested Seafaring Bursaries.

For more information visitwww.royaIhospitalschool.org

or contact Susan Lewis on 01473 326210or email admissions@royalhospitalschool.org

is flyinhischool's sports field.

Other highlights have beenthe school's participation inthe 50th Ten Tors eventand a month-long expeditionto the foothills of theHimalayas, led by theheadmistress. which resultedin the 20 gins who went allachieving their Duke ofEdinburgh Gold Awards.

"We spent almost a week in avillage school in Burua helpingto decorate it and then set off ona 12-day trek through the SpitiValley on the Tibetan border."said Mrs Pascoe, a formerBritish Olympic rower.

“It was a wonderful way oflearning about different culturesand lifestyles."

For more information aboutTruro High School. visit www.trurohigh.co.uk, call 01872272830 or email admin@trurohigh.co.uk to organise ataster day or tour.

The school is running an OpenMorning on Saturday October1 6at 9.30am to 11am. and 10.30amto midday.

-//o.

O A Sea King and its crew from 849 Naval Air Squadron visit TruroHigh School

38 NAVY .\iE\Y/S, SEPTEMBER2010

ffim EDUCATION

0 Royal Marine Col Jim Hutton and Queen's College's Ms Carterchat after the recent seminar Boarding Schools in the Front Line

llilil HI"\l I\\'I-.NI'\IlI.\I ll)I).\\' I-till \'|)l5I( l IIlIIIl(I.'V'~ ll)Ml)lllll‘l\l

were

“Think where man’s glory most begins and ends,and say my glory was I had such friends”

- ask for our new Services Packa e

Tivetton. Devon. EX16 ADN Tel: 01384 252543

Children's% Egucation-' ~ visor

'' Servicey

0ueen’s collegeadapts to life inthe front line

OVER the past nine years Queen’sCollege, in common with manyother UK boarding schools,has needed to adapt to the factof having Forces pupils with aparent on active service in Iraq orAfghanistan.

At the very least it means

long separations, at the worst itcan mean dealing with family

Blundell’sl'v'rp i-..:.r.. l"u]Infnqur-

11-18 Co-t.-ducutionnl SchoolBoarding (Full. Weekly. Flexi) 8- DayBoys: 335 Girls: 235

www.blundeIl5.org

CURRICULUM CONCERNSEDUCATIONAL ALLOWANEDMISSIONS TO SCHOOL

CESS

bereavement.“As a parent I need the school

to have its skills and drills in placefor a scenario of injured Dad. oreven dead Dad.

“It‘s awful but these thingshappen," Col Jim Hutton, RoyalMarines, told the audience at :1recent seminar, Brml'dl'ng Scimoirin tin.‘ I-‘mm Line, organised byQueen‘s.

Fortunately such drastic eventsare few and far between in anyschool but the daily realities oflife for 3 child with a parent in thefront line can be tough.

“\Ve’ve currently got four dadson operational deployment inAfghanistan and I know that evenwhen nothinggoes wrong, a phonecall from me or a houseparent to amum on her own is appreciated,"added headmaster Chris Alcock.

Sometimes the child — and theschool — can get used to regulartext or email messages from a

parent, then :1 sudden silence.“You get to 3 FOR [forward

operating base] and there's almostnothing there, and what is theredoesn’t work.

“In an operational theatrethere’s nothing to think aboutbut the job and you have to knowthat back home Caring, competentpeople are supporting your family,"said Col Hutton.

Senior Queen’s houseparentAndrew Free added his own day-to-day perspective: “Just last weekI had an email from a dad inAfghanistan asking me for twothings; get the boy to ring hismum and help him get to therugby club for training.

“l try always to behave as aparent would in the samecircumstances.

“l'l| go with them to hospital,for instance, after a sports injurybecause that‘s what I'd want formy own son."

Inspired TeachingAutumn Open Morning:9.30-12pm Saturday October9th- Table-toppingA-level & GCSE results- Long familiaritywith Services families- Huge DoE programme,

with over 300 Gold awards- Adviceon Continuing

Education Allowance

ceaselessactivityat

CEASCEAS provides a high-qualityservice in response to anyquestions or concerns Servicefamilies may have about theeducation of their children.

CEAS is made up of a smallteam of nine dedicated civilservants and five educationalprofessionals.

They are mostly based inUpavon in Wiltshire. with ParentSupport Officers working fromhome in the UK and a ParentPartnership Officer based inFiheindahlen.

The Upavon office is openfrom 08.30 to 17.00 Monday toFriday (although the helpdeskcloses at 15.30 to allow thechance to deal with queries onthe day of receipt).

CEAS will respond toenquiries from Servicefamilies, and will alsoprovide information to otherorganisations and supportservices that may be workingwith a Service family.

They have specific expertisein UK school admissions.boarding school advice,overseas education and specialeducational needs.

In the past year CEAShave taken over 26,500 callson the helpline and receivedover 6,000 e-mails requestinginfonnation or help.

CEAS has sent outover 45,000 pieces ofcorrespondence including2.770 CEA EligibilityCertificaterenewals and 2,567 BoardingSchool Certificates.

They have written to support545 families in retaining theirquarter for educational reasonsand have supported 228familieswith School AdmissionAppeals.

As you can see, the peopleof CEAS are all very busy. soplease bear with them if it takesyou a while to get through onthe helpline.

If your call is put through tothe answer machineduring theworking day. it is becausebothhelplines are busy.

Please leave a clear messageincluding your phone numberand CEAS will get back to youas soon as they can.

Contact CEAS for anyother advice relating to yourchildren's education:I tel: 01980 618244 (Mil:

94344 8244)I fax: 01980 618245

(Mil: 94344 8245).I website: www.mod.

ukfceasI email:enquiries@

ceas.detsa.c0.ukContact‘ 01823 340830 or

admissions@queenscollegeorg.ukTrull Road Taurlton TA1 -QQSwww.queensco|lege.org_uk

;‘;PEC|AL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS The helpline is staffed 08.30to 15.30 Monday to Friday. Ananswer—phone is availableat allother times and when the linesare engaged.

QUEENS.!® (I()l_l_l-'.(§l-.

Contact us on:01980 61 8244 or

enquiries@ceas.detsa.co.uk

Providing outstanding education for girls oged 3 - l8

Ranked in the lop 200 of all UK schools for GCSE resulls

Roled lop 20 girls‘ boarding school [besi—schools.co.uk)

'Oulslonding‘ pastoral care. leachingand boorclingfacilities [SourCe: ISI 2008 ond Olsled 2009)

Truro High School for GirlsFa ri'cuil1 Float:

Tel: 0187')’ ?'r".3B3() il'l{l.iR() l'll(ill.‘r(:l'l()(3l. Trurt‘. El’\18il2c1‘L‘llY‘.Il‘."'lllIlUli:;ll22DLil-.Com.-.r.1llTill EHU www.lruroh|gh.co.uk

'.:.;.r'' I

0 You’re hired: Year Six Pupils at St John's College embraceEnterprise Week withan Apprentice Style ChallengeSt John’s college:

You’re hiredYEAR Sis pupils were challengedto make a new drink, rnarketit, prepare an advertisementfor television and deliver aprofessional pitch in an /lpprt~nti'ce—style contest,

The pupils had just a weekto work in small tennis, and thebudding entrepreneurs attackedthe task with great enthusiasm.

A tirst round ofpitehes includedsome searching questions fromHead of the Lower School MrTony Shrubsall and a taste test,and from this the four finalistswere selected for the final round.

The eventual winners were teamSAS Smart and Successful fortheir juice and sparkling waterproduct Pure and team membersCliinenye lizeuko, MatthewMcG|inchey, Louis Mccubbin,Keelan O’Connell and Georgial’almer—Goddard were all ‘hired'at the end of the contest.

Mr Martin Field is Head ofBusiness Studies at the UpperSchool and listened to the pitchesof the final four.

Speaking about the winningteam, he said: “Team SASpresented a clear business planbased on good market researchand put together a line advertisingcampaign aimed at their targetmarket.

“They kept their cool throughthe questioning process andshowed an impressive grasp ofconcepts such as profit and loss.

“’l'he_\' deserved to be hired!“t\-‘lr Shrubsall added: “All the

pupils worked really hard on

L’..uk

._.

€—0

._Iool-‘

__

U%

I:o...:1::E$.5.55

this challenge, and we were veryiniprcssed with how well theteams worked together and tookon the tasks.

“We think I.ord Sugar wouldhave been impressed with all ofthem."

St _]ol1n‘s College is an

independent. co—educational dayand boarding, school for childrenaged two to eighteen situated inthe heart of Southsea.

l-‘ounded as a boys school in1908, the college now attractsover 700 pupils and students to itsnursery. lower and upper schooland sixth form.

The eo|lege’s ethos is inspiredby the teachings of St John BaptistDe La Salle, the patron saint ofteachers. It provides an academiceducation within a Christianenvironment, but welcomes boysand girls of all faiths and beliefs.

St John’s aim is to assist thetransition from childhoodto independent and sociallyresponsible adulthood, withina caring Christian context inkeeping with the ideals of theirLasallian foundation.

High stzmdards are set by thecollege through its programmeof investing in pupils, staff andfacilities.

An exciting \'ariet_\' of extra-curricular activities are on offer,along withacademicand emotionalsupport to ensure students feelsecure and stable at the college.

Visit their website for furtherdetails: www.stjohnscollege.co.uk

Wellington SchoolGenerous Forces Allowance

Outstanding academic results

Academic. all-rounderand music scholarships

Entry at all ages 9 - I8 years

i‘ 8 just offjunction 26 on the M5

E131’ '~c«..‘ Cinfjr; Z:;‘.‘,

01823 668800admin@wellington-school.org.uk

0 Old Swinford Hostal school

There’s somethingabout Old SwintordFOUNDED in 1667, Old SwinlordHospital is now entering a newand exciting chapter in its longhistory with a new teachingblock, performing arts centreand boarding house all nowcompleted.

School numbers will rise from600 to 750 by 2012.

Recent improvements to thesports centre and the creationof a multi-purpose, all-weatherpitch will further boost theschool's success in the sportingarena.

Almost two-thirdsof pupilsarefull or weekly boarders, drawnfrom the local area, throughoutthe United Kingdom and furtherafield.

Old Swinford Hospital issituated in the heart of England.witheasyaccessto themotorwaynetwork and BirminghamInternational Airport.

As a state boarding school itwelcomes applications from UKand EU nationals for whom theeducation is free.

Parents pay for boardingwhich from September 2010 willbe £3,300 per term.

Girls are admitted as daystudents into the Sixth Form.

Old Swinford Hospital is aHigh Performing School withspecialist status in business andenterprise and science.

A broad curriculum embracesboth traditional and modernsubjects and includes manysubject-based enrichmentopportunities unique to theschool.

While academic results areclearly important, they areonly one element of life at OldSwinlord Hospital.

The school has becomesynonymouswithan outstandingrange of extra-curricularopportunities that enrich schoollife, develop potential and play asignificantpart in creating happy,fulfilledand well-adjustedyoungpeople.

_ ‘There is always something to

look forward to at the weekend.The popular cadet force now

numbers over 150 recmits.A wide variety of sports is

available, including minoritysports such as golf, archery andtrampolining.

Forces families can feelsecure in the knowledge thatstudents are supported by astrong pastoral care system.

For further details contact theregistrar on 01384 817325 oremail admissions@oshsch.com

NAVY NE\‘i'S, SEI"I‘E.\-IBER 2010 39

EDUCATION

OLD SWINFORDHOSPITAL

.»‘3'\l': Ul,..'Slt‘i'1Ci "lg ‘ U ' Er.l.,i.

I AffordabilityI Academic excellenceI Boarding fees iusi £3300

per termI Strong pastoral care systemI Impressive range of extra-

curricular andweekendactivities '

I Coclei Force with over150 recruits

I Easy access to motorwciyondairport links '

For. fu rlher details contactThe R'e_9islrctr "on

O1 384 8l"7*325or email udmlsslons@oshsch.com

OLD SWINFORD HOSPlTALHEATH LANE‘. '5TOUFlBRlDGE_ [W8

websrltrz www.cislischcorn

Co-educational Boardingand Day SchoolTavistock, Devon

St John’sj An independent day & boarding school for boys & girls aged 2-18we

A

community‘Ill for all

Tel: 023 9281 5118 Visit our website www.sljohnscollege.co.ultSI lo|1n’s (Ttillt-gt-, (irovt- Roatl South, Soullistra, l|.'unpsl1irt~ l-‘()3 5(\)W

E.l‘lJ KELLYCOLLEGE

l s ' 1.: x A small, friendlyschool where pupils thrive. For further

information about fee reductions for Service familiesor toarrange a visit, please contact admissions.

E: admissions@kel|yco||ege.comT: 01822 813100

www.ke||yC0||ege.C0m

lidflliimufxdlkfifillllhn..*~kOfsted

lives lot ldliilllt-"-3 ( l.1iminglli(»-§l'l\'l('t‘litiartling tlll()‘.V.tll('(? .irt> sol so that lot llll.' t urrt--nl year parental ('.t)ll|lll)llll(lllis only I. l .01").Open Dates: 2} September li.ll()pIn—f.l.llllpm rt 3 Or tolier '*l.Hldll1-l l.(lUdl‘l'l

-10 NAVY NEWS, SEl"1‘EMBl;'R 2010

EDUCATION

Savings for Servicefamiliesat HHS

THE Royal Hospital School isa coeducational full boardingschool for 11- to 18-year-olds setin 200 acres of Suffolk countrysideoverlooking the River Stour.

Eighty-five per cent of the700 pupils board full time andthe experience and provision forpastoral care is unsurpassed.

As a result of its seafaringheritage and the generous supportof its parent charity, GreenwichHospital, the school is able tooffer generous discounts for thosecurrently in any of the ArmedServices and eligible for theMOD Continuity of EducationAllowance.

This special fee is set so thatthe total parental contribution isthe minimum ten per cent whichequates to approximately £1,873per annum.

Alternatively, the children orgrandchildrenof serving, or retiredRoyal Navy, Royal Marines, Ro_valAuxiliary Fleet or UK MerchantNavy personnel and certain otherseafaring families can apply for ameans—tested bursary or discountoff the full boarding fee.

These fee remissions make aboarding school education allthe more affordable for servicesfamilies.

With excellent resources and

dedicated staff, pupils at the RoyalHospital School are encouragedto aim high, achieve their personalbest and most importantly toenjoy doing it.

The curriculum is broad andbalanced, combining the finest ofacademic traditions with the latesttechnologies and with small classsizes, every pupil receives closeindividual guidance.

The school has a proudreputation for musical excellenceand creativity and imagination arefostered through the performingarts. Fitness and well—bcing arepromoted through the enjoymentof a wide range of sports, fromtraditional team games to morespecialist pursuits.

Uniquely, all new pupils in Year7 receive RYA sailing tuition as

part of the curriculum and, as aresult of the school’s seafaringheritage water sports play animportant part in the sportingprogramme.

Consequently, every pupil hasopportunity to pursue a hugerange of interests, to discover newpassions and develop importantvalues and commitment that willlast a lifetime.

For more information call01473 326210 or go to www.royalliospitalsc?1oo|.or-g

West HillParkfostersindependence

A RECENT Ofsted Inspectionof Boarding at West Hill ParkSchool has judged the provisionto be ‘outstanding.’ Particularnote was made of the excellentpastoral and medical care thechildren received.

The extent and variety ofafter school and weekendactivities were highly praisedand reflected in the fact thatmany childrenchose to board atthe weekends.

The inspector remarked thatthe catering was of a very highstandard and was impressedthattheBoarders had significantinput into theselection of menusas well as other developmentswithin the Boarding House.

Mention was made of thenewlyrefurbishedand decorateddormitories and the range andquality of recreational areasavailableto the children.

Safety was noted as a priorityfor thestaff team but thechildrenhave the space and opportunityto learn by experience whetherit is managing pocket money ortheir own free time.

west Hill Park School offers asafe and happy environment inwhich pupils can beprepared forlife in a senior boarding schooland learn all the skills requiredto live confidently away fromhome or just simply to feel partof a happy community when theneed arises.

em.:-all

www. bromsgJ .

Preparatory School. Years 3, 4 & 5: Saturday October 9thPreparatory School. Years 6. 7 & 8: Saturday October 16th

Senior School (13+ ): Saturday October 2ndPlease telephoneAdmissions for details.

Heart of England location. Over 400 full time boarders.Academic excellence coupled with a wealth of sporting and

extra-curricular opportunities.International Baccalaureateand A levels offered.

Generous Forces’ Bursaries available.

Bromsgroveadds pizzazz

AS one of Britain’s oldest andlargest independent boarding andday schools, Bromsgrove is utterlydedicated to the individual pupil.

Bromsgrove looks to producecreative citizens with a strongmoral compass and a dash ofpi7.za:I.:I.to boot.

Ofsted, who were focusingexclusively on the experienceof boarders at the school, arebound by the vocabulary ofappztratchik convention, and thisyear, 2010, the_v once again gavethe school their highest accolade:“outstanding“.

Boarders can be full time orweekly, and a healthy minorityare from forces‘ families andduly entitled to appropriateallowances.

1110 (;UOLl. Si.‘/lt)r)f.\‘ Gllldc, lL‘5Sprosaically, says Bromsgrove"inhabits the academicstratosphere” and lauds the titanic

extra—curricu|ar programme asone of the finest it has seen.

But accolades are worthlessunless the pupils are happy,focused and keen to make adifference for the better.

They are.One thousand five hundred of

them from two to eighteen yearsold.

Five hundred years old but ascontemporary as the moment,Bromsgrove’s scope is staggering:from A—level to the InternationalBaccalaureate,da_v to boarding, thearts to sport (soon to be enhancedby a further multi million poundbuild),pupils can soar.

Friendly,engaging and despiteits ranking — not driven by leaguetables, Bromsgrove is a local,national and international centreof learning.

You will receive the warmest ofwelcomes should you visit.

The why ofWellington

WHY do so many Forces familieschoose to send their children toWellington School?

is it becauseof its consistentlygood academic results?

Or perhaps its highlyacclaimed reputation for musicand theatre. sport and outdooractivities. including an activeand enthusiasticCCF withArmy.RAF and Royal Navy cadets?

Or maybeis it therealistic feesthatmakeindependenteducationa very real possibility?

Or is it. as so manyprospectiveparents say, the welcomingatmosphere they feel on firstentering the School and theevident enthusiasm for learningseen in every classroom fromthe youngest in the JuniorSchool right through to theSixthForm?

The ethos of Wellington

School is simple: that each andevery pupil should be helpedand encouraged to develop hisor her own particular talents tothe full.

Traditional values of hardwork. good behaviour andunpretentious manners are heldin high esteem. complementedby the total commitment of thestaff to the individual needs.personal welfare and happinessof every single pupil.

If you can spare an hour or soon Saturday 25 September, whynot pop along with your familyto the open morning?

The school will be openbetween 9.30am and 12noonso why not come and see whatmakes Wellington so special?

For directions. please go tothe website '.'.".-.-t-.r.\-rcllingl0n-scl1oo|.org.ul<

Shebbear’s strong beliefS}-IEBBEAR College continues inits belief that it is the ‘best smallschool in the south—west’.

Head teacher Bob Barnes saidthe college, which “never standsstill", is continuing to build on itsalready impressive infrastructure.

Recent years have seenimprovements right across theschool.

Not only have all of the teachingareas been subject to considerableinvestment but the addition ofa full size all-weather pitch aswell as a professional standardcardiovascular suite; dance studioand weights room, have ensuredthat the sporting facilities areexceptional.

Work started in the summeron a new build on to the existing

Junior School with the addition ofan assembly hall, and classrooms.

The kindergarten has recentlybeen redeveloped and now boastsone of the best facilities in thesouth-west.

On the music from a newrecital room will complement thesuccessful choir — and the newminibuses will ensure that theywill arrive on time at the nextNorth De\'on Music Festival.

The school currently has itshighest number of pupils in 18years and still has waiting lists forsome year groups.

Sixth form scholarships andbursaries are available.

Contact Mrs Jacky Rowe on01409 28200] or re§j:strar.'.=:~:=shtablar:arc:o:iegr2.co.uk

fitDay and Boarding

School forboys and girls25/: - 13 years

West Hill ParkPreparatory School Open MorningSaturday 2 October

l0:00 - l2:30

$3‘T

TitchfieldHampshirePOI4 4BS

Q.

Sipper sessfor Kelly collegeKELLY CollegeCCF Navy Cadetshave been doing well as DaySkippers. Chris Barbour (17 yearsold) achieved his Day Skipper lastyear through Kelly College and isnow working towards his CoastalSkipper.

George Harold (lb years old)successfully completed his DaySkipper in June this year throughthe CCF at Kelly. And picrirredabmw: ‘Will Jones (16 years old)also successfully completed hisDay Skipper alongside George inJune this year.

Kelly College, founded byAdmiral Kelly in l877, is proudof its 130 years of service to theRoyal Navy.

Kelly is situated in the beautifulsouth-wcst of England and offersa co-educational full and weeklyboarding, and day education forpupils aged ll—l8. It is a schoolof 360 pupils of whom half areboarders.

Kelly offers all the facilitiesof alarger school, while retaining theadvantages in the individual careand class size ofa smaller school.

The Preparatory School isco-educational and has a further190 pupils aged 2‘/.»~ll years.The Prep School shares many ofthe facilities of the senior schoolincluding boarding from Year 5.

Kelly provides a high—quality,well-balanced education with astrong commitment to a wholerange of extracurricularactivities.

The staff are fully involved sevendays a week, 24 hours a clay.

Kelly enjoys an establishedreputation for excellent academicresults (98.5 per cent pass rateat A-level, with 59 per cent atGrades A and B in 2009) andfor its cultural and sportingachievements.

The sporting record of theschool is very strong; Kelly has anational reputation in swimming,rugby and athletics,while hockeyand netball teams have achievedcounty and regional success.

At the same time, Kelly is

particularlyproud ofits music anddrama and delighted to be takingadvantage of the Performing ArtsCentre.

One of Kelly's strengths is therange and di\'crsit_\‘ of its societiesand activities — from squash toshooting, debating to drawing,sailing to surfing, public speakingto pottery — with dozens to choosefrom there is something foreveryone to enjoy.

The school aims to nurture theacademic potential of all pupils.

In recent years, every leaverwho has wished to proceed toHigher Education has done so.

Small class sizes ensureindividual attention and acommitted staff seek to workwith parents to achieve thepersonal goals of each pupil,whether that be a place at a topuniversity, international sportingrepresentation, or a chosen career.

Entry to the Senior School isb_v examination andlor interviewat ll+, 13+ and at Sixth Formlevel.

Scholarships are available at allage groups and full details areavailable from the registrar.

Kelly welcomes visits fromprospective families and wouldbe delighted to arrange a tourof the school so that you canexperience the happy and friendlyatmosphere of Kelly. meet some ofthe pupils and discuss your child’seducation with the headmaster,Dr Graham Hawle_v.

For further information aboutbursaries for Service Families orto arrange a visit, please Contactthe registrar, Candace Greensted,on 01822 813100, 01822 612050(fax)oratln-.issions'?‘kc||ycollegc.com or visit the website at W\‘.".‘l.koll\,'collcg;.-.c0iii.

Kelly College invites allprospective families to its annualOpen Morning on SaturdayOctober 2 2010 between 10amand 12 noon. If you would like anyfurther information please do nothesitate to Contact the registrar.

Ages 5 to 18 YearsStrong Cliristian 8: FamilyValues

Excellent AcademicResultsChalle

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OPEN WEEK:For Iunlor & Senior Sdiool

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42 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER2010

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Still the benchmarkTHE best ideas, so theaphorism goes, arewritten on the back of tagpackets.

This one was written on theback of an envelope.

From I5 programmesuggestionsmade by the Imperial WarMuseum's then director, the greatNoble Frankland, four decadesago grew the greatest historydocumentary ever produced.

In a multimedia age, it’s almostalways being screened on somechannel, while TV historiansvoted it into the top 20 Britishprogrammes of all time.

Nearly 40 years on from itsfirst airing and the 26—episodeThe World at War (ll-discDVD, £79.99, nine-disc Blu-Ray,£99.99,available from September20) has been ‘reinvented’ for a2 lst-Century audience.

Every frame of footage, everysecond of audio has been restored,enhanced and cleaned up — morethan 3.6 million changes acrossthe entire series — for whatFremantleMcdiacall the ‘ultimaterestored edition’ released thismonth.

These days we’re lucky if we geta documentary series lasting morethan four or five episodes. Back intheearly70s, ITV(rememberwhentheymade qualitydocumentaries?)committed themselves to 26 hour-long episodes at a total cost ofnearly ,C1m (the figure todaywould be 12 times that).

They did so at just the righttime.Today’sWW2 documentariesrely either on diaries and letters totell their stories, or the accountsof increasingly-frailveterans whoinvariably held very junior ranks70 years ago.

The team behind The Wor.'dar Mir had access to ‘ordinary’men and women, but also manyof the wartime commanders: awonderfully-entertaining GeneralBrian Horrocks, an urbaneAnthony Eden, an unrepentantOtto Remer (he helped to crushthe July 20 plot against Hitler)and a wizened Karl Donitz whosetestimony, in halting English, is

Loch, Jocks and a towSEVEN decades afterthey were forcibly tamed,Hitler’s U-boats continueto fascinate historians.

Enter two books on the subject,one from a local historian, theother from one of the Germansubmarine service's leadingauthorities.

David Hird's The Grey Wolvesof Eriboll (Wltiltles, £16.99ISBN 978—l—904-145-326) isan excellently-researched andextremely accessibleaccount of theU-boats’ demise. ‘

When the warended in May l9-15,there were more thana good three dozenGerman submarinesat sea, 20 or so ofthem on patrol in andaround the UK, andscores more in foreignports.

More than 30surrendered U-boatswere directed to Loch Eriboll, ableak natural harbour, 15 mileseast of Cape Wrath, and, beforeI945, a regular haunt of the RoyalNavy.

Their stay at this remote spotwas brief — within a few daysmany had been escorted to LochAlsh and, subsequently, Lisahallyin Northern Ireland.

A couple were eventuallytransferred to the Soviet Navy,one was handed to the Americansfor evaluation, the rest weresunk as targets under OperationDeadlight.

So Eriboll’s place in the sun wasextremely short-lived - but it’s animportant moment in the RN’:20th—Century history.

And those ten or so days arecharted with some wonderfultestimony‘ gathered by the author

0 Steppe change... original and restored colour cine-filmfootage of Axis troops advancing in Russia

juxtaposed with his former foe in‘\Volfpack’ — the episode dealingwith Battle of the Atlantic (andthe one most .N'at:_y Nero: readerswill perhaps turn to ftrst...).

For all the excellent restoredfootage and the even-crisper—soundingtones of Sir Laurence

by U105 in May 194], some 500miles off Freetown, Sierra Leone.

For 13 days he guided 58 sailorsin an open boat made for 48 men,guarding the meagre rations — a

dipper of water and abiscuit per day.

Some of his Chinesecrew panicked. In true

Olivier’s narration, Benny Hill fashion,it’s the ordinary Eyton-Jones tried tohuman testimony assuage their fears:which still has thepower to move.

Imagine adocumentary in 2010giving three minutesof continuous airtimeto an elderly sailor.There are no dramaticreconstructions, nofancy graphics.

Yet the testimony of Capt‘William Eyton-Jones remains ascompelling now as it was in theearly 1970s.

The Liverpudlian skipper of thesteamer SS Benvrackie, Eyton-Jones watched his ship sink in fourminutes when she was torpedoed

from Allied and Axis veterans.The victors were curious

about their foe — and their kit— and were shown around. Thecrew of HMCS None were mostdisappointed when they touredU295, however.

“We got practically nothing,”their furious CO complained.“The RN boarding parties lootedour U-boats like a bunch of thugs,even taking some personal gear.Two of us got helmet and badgesbut no blondes. Hope for better

luck in Derry.”As the boats

surfaced preparing tosurrender, messagesfrom headquartersin Germany werebroadcast cu clair.

“Comrades nearingEngland, we have tocarry out a missionand obey the law oftheir people,” oneintercepted messageread. “We must obeythe orders of our Fiihrcr

and take a bite of the sour apple."Official naval correspondent

Eric Williams interviewed thesurrendering German Matrami(matelots). They were aremorseless bunch.

“Nowhere did I find anyadmission of guilt or regret,” hewrote. “Discipline came first.Unquestioning obedience. WhenI asked an officer whether hewould obey an order he knew tobe wrong,he smileddeprecatingly.‘We do not get wrong orders.”I Few people know more about theU-Boom-aj]‘c than the prodigiousJak Mallmann-Showell, the sonof a submarine engineer who waskilled in the Battle of the Atlantic;he’s devoted his life to the researchof the German silent service.

Hitler's U-Boat Bunkers(Ht'sror_v Press, £14.99 ISBN 978-

“\Vhat's all the bothery,lot of ta|ky—talky."One man jumpedover the side. On thefirst occasion he wasrecovered, but not onthe second.

The lifeboat waseventually spotted by

a hospital ship; 58 liveswere saved. The skipper earnedthe OBE for his skill in sailing theboat towards shipping lanes.

His account is a timely reminderof the perils of the sea — navalwarfare may change, but theocean remains as unforgiving toshipwrecked mariners now as it

-u-_.

07 509-45554) charts the birth,life and slow death of the concreteand steel carbuncles which pepperthe French Atlanticcoastline.

The fall of Francein June 1940 presentedthe German Navywith the opportunityof striking at Britain’slifelines from bases onthe Atlantic.

To safeguard theinflux of U-boats, 4.4milliontons ofconcretcwere used to buildbombproof shelters -

pens or bunkers — inseveral French ports (thecomplex at La Pallice, famously,can be seen in the final scenes ofDas Bum).

For three years, the RAF triedto get at the boats in theirbunkers— but with little success until the

ever was.Indeed the whole episode is a

timely reminder of our nation’sreliance on its maritime supplylines.

It's one hour of viewing whichshould be compulsory for anysailor joining Raleigh or BRNCDartmouth.

The remaining 25 hours (plusa myriad of extras) are eminentlywatchable too...I We have two copies of theDVD box set to give away — andfor runners up two copies ofthe accompanying book by ProfRichard Holmes.

To win, tell us for which 1944colour film did Laurence Olivierreceive an honorary Oscar.

Send your answer, plus your fullname and address, either in thepost toWorld AtWarCompetition,Navy News, Leviathan Block,HMS Nelson, Portsmouth, POIBHH,or via e—mail to worldatwar@navynews.co.ul<.

We must receive your entriesby mid-day on October 15 2010.Normal I\'avy Nexus rules apply.sing bunkersfinal 12 months of the \var.

Enter Tallboy (l2,000lb) andGrand Slam (22,000lb) bombsghich would ruin most people’s

av.The first Tallboys were dropped

on the pens at Brest. Ninelanded on the huge structure,five penetrated the previously-impenetrable roof (pirttzred left)but did little damage to the boatsthemselves.

The morale effect, says theauthor,was considerable.

Until that moment, the bunkerhad been a refuge — now it hadbecome “a deadly liability", theeffect of a Tallboy exploding “asif the men’s chest were being hitwith sledgehammers".

There were more than a dozenraids using these ‘bunker buster’bombs in the closing months ofWorldWar 2 - yet the raids provedsurprisingly ineffective.

There’s only one documentedcase of a U-boat being sunk by anattack on a pen — the brand-newU4708, sunk inside its protectiveshell in April 1945. Such was theair

pressure caused by theblast, the instrumentsof a neighbouringsubmarine (whichdidn’t sink) wereconvinced the boatwas 40 metres down.

Nothing remainsof the Kiel complex,the Kilian bunker, butmost ofHitler‘sU-boatpens survive and some,such as those at Brest,are still in use (undernew ownership, of

course).Mallmann-Shown.-ll’s book is

part history, part photo chronicle,part battlefield guide — whichmakes it indispensable either forthose interested in the U-boat arm,or in a spot of military tourism.

NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER2010 43

REVIEW

snide and

prejudiceTHE second volume of NedWillmott’s magmmz opus onthe supposed Last Century ofSea Power. Volume 2: FromWashington to Tokyo. 1922-1945 (Indiaria Unitrcm't_v Press,£29.99 ISBN 978-0-253-35214-9) covers the period from theeponymous treaty of I922 to theend ofWW2.

It does not disappoint; ifanything,thegratuitous insults areeven more obvious than in the firstvolume (Rn-'t'e£Lz,ApriI2010), rt-ritesProf Erit‘ Grave of the b'iiis'ersity ofSalford.

This time it is British Navalofficers ratherthannaval historianswho are on the receiving end ofthe abuse.

After asserting that the ‘RoyalOak Affair’ was “the intellectualhigh water mark of the BritishNavy (sic) in theinter-war period” he goeson to write that “thisinvokes the imageryof the (apocryphal)story of the incidentin which a British na-val officer was almosttrampled to death by ahorse while two otherBritish naval officerswho tried to come tohis assistance were alsobadly injured: in theevent, all were savedwhen the manager ofthestore came out of thestore and unplugged the horse."

Clearly RN officers do notqualify for the tolerence to which,along with dissent and uncertain-ty, he has dedicated his book!

The offence is compounded bya footnote that reads: “Alternative-ly, the point might be made by theassertion that the surest means ofmaking the eyes of a British navalofficer light up is to shine a beamoflight into one of his ears.”

That a university press in theUSA allowed this crude abuse toappear in one of its publications,is a sad comment on both its edi-torial standards and perhaps ananti-British impulse in parts of theUSA thathas not gone beyond thehostility of the WashingtonTreatyperiod.

The authorcan make such de-meaning and unhistorical remarksbecause, as usual, he cannot bringhimself to read the serious histori-cal works on the inter-war period,that have, generally speaking, castthe actors in naval policy of thattime in a relatively good light.

In particular,Willmott’s wrong-headed assertions about neglectof anti—submarine warfare, couldnot have been sustained if hehad bothered to read the worksof Franklin and L]we|lyn—Jones.Presumably “the finest navalhistorian writing today”, as thecover blurb repeats, is unwilling tohave his prejudices affected by se-rious historical analysis.

Even Americans might beslightly concerned withWillmott’sargument that the maritime waragainst Germany was largelyperipheral and the only front thatmattered was the Eastern.

He does admit - but under-states the importance of — directWestern aid to the Soviets but,more importantly, he completelyignores the effect of the invasionof Sicilyon the decision to call offZitadellc, the last German offensivein the East.

Never again were the Germansable to mass their whole forcesagainst the Sotaet Union and ifone compares the German force-to-space ratios of mid-I943 andmid-I944, one can see the effectof Allied sea power in drawingforces away and enabling Sovietoffensives. There is more to warthan thecrude butcher's billsuponwhich Willmott bases his ratherold-fashionedviews.

The author delights in figuresand much of the book is taken upwith tables, that makes reading itmore rapid than one might thinkfor a 680-page tome. These areboth comprehensive and usefuland make the book a convenientreference tool and a most useful

The GroveReview

addition to a naval library.The author also allows himself

to make good use of his figures toprovide sound analyses of mer-chant shipping losses and the im-portance of international shippingto theAllied cause. He also has ex-cellent coverage of the unfortunatestory of the French Navy in WorldWar 2.

For old times’ sake, I waspleased to find myself in fullagreement with his critical assess-ment of Mers-el-Kebir. His briefaccount of the battle between theFrench and the Thais in January

I941 will also come asnews to many.

Willmott is strong-est in his discussion ofthe PacificWar, wherehe provides a well-supported analysis ofthe reasons for Japan'sdefeat by the over-whelming industrialstrength of the USA.

He correctly em-phasises, based onfigures in more ta-bles, the importanceof Japanese supplyshortages and ship-

ping losses. These were in-deed, as the author argues, moreimportant than the usual accountsof battles and the conduct of ad-mirals — although he cannot resisttaking a swipe at Admirals HalseyandYamamoto.

He also demolishes Fuchida’saccount of the supposed demandfor a follow—up raid on PearlHarbor.

The |attcr's memory has alreadybeen heavily criticised by ParshallandTullyin theirground-breakingreassessment of Midway, whichappears in \Villmott’s bibliogra-phy, but not in a footnote to hisbriefaccount ofthebattle.

As I said in my previous review,Dr'\Vil|mott is his own worst ene-my. He cannot resist gratuitous in-sults which he, and his publisher,confuse with witty criticism. Moreseriously, he resorts to these in-stead of addressing the literature.He seems not to want his preju-dices to be challenged. He hidesbehind tables of fact, which hesometimes uses to great effect.

However, it is such a pity thatthe author’s sheer self-indulgenceis not kept more under control byhis editor and publisher.

They do theirauthorno favoursby puffing him in their advertisingand allowinghim to produce com-mentary like this.

One hopes it is not too late toexpurgate volume three which,based on the final comments ofitspredecessor, might be a very oddbook indeed.

INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERSEEKS NEW NAVAL

AND MILITARYBOOKSFOR PUBLICATION

For further delalls please write to:

Melrose Books(rel:NH)St. ThomasPlace

Ely,Cambridgeshire,(B7 466,UK

IIb'I'.'\BIJSIIIEII liiitl

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4-1 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER2010

,3 9..9'4

Awardsin NorthWestCADETSand adult volunteers inthe North-West of England havebeen rewarded for their efforts ina series of presentations aroundthe area.

POC Hannah Burton, ofBarrow unit, was awarded theLordLicutenant's Certificate of Merit,presented by the Lord Lieutenantof Cuinbria, Col James Cropper,at a ceremon_\' in Carlisle.

Hannah, officially the best SeaCadet in the county thanks to thisaward, is presently studying for aDiploma in Hospitality at FurnessCollege and has ambitions of acareer with the Royal Navy.

Lt (SCC) Ann Lewis RNR, theCommanding Officer of Runcornunit, stepped into the spotlight ata ceremony in Chester.

Lt Lewis was presented with theLord I.ieutenant‘s Certificate forExceptional Service by the LordLieutenant of Cheshire, DavidBriggs.

The citation for her award —— oneof three for the county ~ praisedLt Lewis's “inspirational leadershipand motivational skills that havebuilt a strong team of adultvolunteers for Runcorn’s Sea CadetCorps A enabling the youngstersnot only to be trained in all subjectsfor their personal development asSea Cadets but also as responsiblecitizens within society."

At the same event POC AnnabelBroad of Crewe unit receivedthe Lord Lieutenant’s Certificateof Merit her reward for beingselected as the best Sea Cadet inCheshire.

Among her achievements withthe unit was the negotiation of aspecial discount from the localcanoe club, enabling many cadetsto gain British Canoe Unionqualifications.

Meanwhile the l_.ord Lieutenantof Greater Manchester, ColWarren Smith, made awards tothree members of the Corps.

Lt Cdr (SCC) Alan WilliamsRNR, North ‘West Area TrainingOfficer, received the LordLieutcnant’s Certificate forExceptional Service, with hismanagement and charity workbeing cited; Lt Cdr (SCC)Graham Broadbent RNR, C0 ofTameside unit, \von the sameaward for his modernisationof the unit; and POC DanielEdmondson, of Bolton unit, wonthe Lord Lieutenant’s Certificateof Merit for being the top Seacadet in Greater Manchester.

Speakeris hostSOUTHWARK cadets took partin a prestigious Cadet I50 evemhosted by the Speaker of theHouse ofCommons,John Bercow,in his apartment in the Palace ofWestminster.

POCs Kerry Szmidt and GeorgeWhitfield mustered in HorseferryRoad before marching with othercadets to the Palace.

The youngsters and adultvolunteers then spent two hourschatting to politicians, includingDefence Secretary Dr LiamFox, Home Secretary TheresaMay, Defence Minister AndrewRobathan and former DefenceMinister Bob Ainsworth.

Rope trickMEMBERS of Waltham Forest,City of London, Clapton andEdmonton units took part inthe Armed Forces Day eventorganised by Chingford RoyalBritish Legion.

Also there were sailors from theHMS Sultan engineering schooland other cadet organisations.

TS Acorn, the Waltham Forestunit, provided the guard for theunit's Colours, carried b_v P()CEarle.

And Acorn also supplied thetug 0’ war team which took ontheir RAF and Army counterparts

and took the victory laurels.They finished oil"with a display

of club swinging and a hornpipe.

-‘ 1 SEA CADETS

’i' ‘. ,I/'.. 1 C I

remains of which can be seen on the leftFalklandsveteranstravel Sfllltll again

AVISIT to the most southerlySea Cadet unit was also achance for two members ofstaff to take a briefstroll downMemory Lane.

And for one ofthetwo, SouthernArea Troop Commander Mai(SCC) Steve Crawley RA-1R, the

lane was exactly how he left italmost 30 years ago.

.Vlaj Crawley and Cdr AndyGiles,Area Officer South, travelledto Stan|c_v to see how cadets in theFalklandswere getting along.

The pair conducted the annualAuthority to Train inspections anda Royal Naval Parade, witnessed

ix5-.0 Mai (SCC) Steve CrawleyRMR at the trench he dug at AjaxBay during theFalklandsConflictin 1982 — complete with green tarpaulin, the

cadet activities and pt'o\-'idt:d theMarine Cadet detachment withspecialist guidance and advice.

Highlights of the visit werethe parade, where the cadetsproduced an impressive showcaseof their talents, and getting afloatin Stanley I-{arbour alongside theyoungsters.

0 The Duchess of Cornwall meets cadets during her visit to Wallasey unit TSAstute

Royal visitor llll‘ WallaseyWALLASEY cadets welcomed

Cadet detachment.The Duchess enjoyed a rigging display and cutlassv

swinging by the Sea Cadets and a drill display by theRoyal Marine Cadets.

She then took a tour of the unit with the chairmanJohn Mason and First Lieutenant PO Chris Hughes,

the Duchess ofCornwall to theirunit - then put on a series ofdisplaysto show what they have learned in the Corps.

The guard for the royal visitor, who is patron ofTS Astute, was provided by the unit’s Royal Marine

posing for photographs withvolunteers, committee members and cadets.

She also drew the raffle ticket for a six-piece tea setprovided by Clarence House.

The Duchess was presented with flowers by Cdt

the unit’s adult

Chloe Caldwell and a Corps crcst by AC Dean,Astute‘s V11’ guest praised the unit and its

members, who were very excited by her presence— among the comments were: “She actually spoke

Pulling powerHARD work paid off when theOxford unit open boys crew wonthe Southern Area pulling title.

Their reward? More hard workin advance of the national regattathis month...

The performance of the crew(picturcd riglir) thrilled teammanager PO (SCC) Sue Sherlock.

“I am absolutelydelighted withthe way my team won through tothe national competition," said

PO Sherlock."lt is something we have

worked on for a long time now,and is something I have wantedto achieve for many years. I amextremely proud of the team.

“We will now have to spendmany more hours on the riverdown by Donnington Bridgetrying to improve yet further andhopefully pick up the nationaltrophy."

to mel”, “\‘C-"hen is she Coming again?” and “Doesshe live in a palace?”

1

Both visitors are Falklandsveterans, and were invited totake part in commemorationceremonies at the British cemeteryoverlooking San Carlos Water —

otherwise known as Bomb Alley.On completion of the service

a trip was arranged on a landingcraft across the water to Ajax Bay,the site of the field hospital andlogistics base in 1982, and theexact spot where Maj Crawleycame ashore 28 years ago.

This part of the visit wasparticularly poignant for MaiCrawley, as he accurately locatedthe trench he had dug by handand lived in for seven weeksalmost three decades ago — and theremnants of his green tarpaulinwere still clearly in place over thetrench and intact.

Portrushwins grantPOFlTFlUSH cadets have helpedmark the cadet movement's 150thanniversary at events in Bangor,Northern Ireland.

Portrush cadets also took partin a visit to Buckingham Palaceearlier in the summer, and asNat'_v i\'c::u' went to press twomembers of the unit travelledto the Netherlands to take partin the International MaritimeConfederation sailing camp atDen I-lelder.

Having suffered storm and flooddamage to their headquarters lastsummer, the unit was delighted tobe awarded a youth capital grantof [H-0,000 b_\' the Departmentfor Education.

The grant is being used torefurbish the entire unit building,which was built by volunteers andcadets in I961.

Which means the unit shouldbe in good shape for its 70thanniversary in 20l2.

EII9l|lBBI‘lIl§IWOI‘l(Sll0|lrefurbishedBUDDING engineers in Barrownow have a state—of—thc—artworkshop and classroom to mastertheir skills, thanks to CentricaEnergy Upstream.

The East Irish Sea operationdonated £6,500 to the Barrow-in-Furness unit to refurbish itsengineering workshop centre atcadet headquarters.

It was officially re-openedafter cash was donated fromMorecambe’s community budgetand the Morecambe HelicopterMemorial Fund,set up in memoryof the seven people killed in ahelicopter crash in 2006.

Ted Creighton, the cadets’commanding officer, said theassistance and investment hadtransformed the facility.

“We moved into the buildingfive years ago to teach thecadets mechanical and electricalengineering,"he explained.

“The area we were teaching inwas an old working mcn’s club ina garage.

“It was very cold in the winter,with a concrete floor and a garagedoor so it wasn't the best teachingenvironment.

“Between September and Aprilthe room was unusable because if_vou were in there for more thanfive minutes you were too cold.

“We had to use other roomsthat weren’t kitted out for thepurpose.

“Now we have an excellentteaching environment to do thetraining."

The donation paid for buildingmaterials and labour to insulatethe workshop, install heatingand modernise the electrics andplumbing.

Centrica Energy also providednew tools, workbenches and aprojector, as well as redundantvalves, pumps and motors for theCadets to take apart and work on.

Cadet Alex Sales thanked thebusiness, saying: “I hope it willhelp me get a good job at sea."

Cadet Steven Eaton agreed,saying: “I’m looking forward tolearning about electrical andmechanical instruction in the newclassroom.”

B031 stationIIBIBIIPEIIESTHE North West Area boatingstation TS Palatine celebrated 50years of training adults and cadetswith an open day.

With Sea Cadets fromWhitehaven, Buxton, Rochdaleand Wigan, plus members of theAir Training Corps who use thecentre on a regular basis ioiningin, the open day's success wasguaranteed.

On hand to support the day’sactivities and celebrations was theNorth West Deputy Area OfficerLt Colin Jones RN (Rtd) and hiswife Barbara.

Laser Performance UK, whobrought some of their sailingboats, had a representative onhand to oller help and advice.

Anotheroftheguests was AlbertLight, from thePortsmouthbranchof the Masonic Lodge — the lodgedonated six new Laser Bugs andhe was delighted to see the cadetsenjoying the new boats.

With sailing boats, power boats,canoes and windsurfing boards allon the water at the same time theorder of the day was serious fun.

Once the day's activities wereover the centre held a party for thestaff thathad helped over the yearsto make the centre a success.

Speeches by the centre ChiefInstructor PO (SCC) Ian Bowmanand the centre Superintendent LtCdr (SCC) Tom Bowman RNR.praised all the adults who havehelped to bring about the changesthat have improved the centre andmade it so successful.

They also thanked the Areaoffice for all their support,

The centre welcomed manyvisitors throughout the day andthe open day gave the public anopportunity to see the facilitiesavailable.

.t._u'u.n._ no role ‘F ‘V37 i O From left: Bruce Clark, lanClarkand John Simm

Steamercrew lot-mSci: linkIT IS not just sleek grey l’usser‘sships which have strong links withthe Sea Cadet Corps.

The same goes for the last sea-going paddle steamer in the \vorld,the\‘C='averley.

One of her captains, chiefollicers and second officers are allserving Sea Cadet staff.

Lt Cdr (SCC) Ian ClarkRNR isthe Master of the\‘("averleyand heand his son, Chief Officer BruceClark, are both staff membersat Ashford unit, while SecondOllieer John Simm is it PettyOfficer at Paisley unit.

All three are professionalMerchant Navy officers who havehad wide experience at sea.

Ian and John are permanentmembersof the crew, whilst Bruceis a relief and works full-timeelsewhere.

They all came to their careersby being Sea Cadets and havecontinued their involvement withthe Corps into adulthood.

The paddle steamer \V':iverle_vwas built on the Cl_vde in 19-17 toreplace her predecessor. sunk byenemy actionduring theevacuationof Dunkirk 70 years ago.

The ship is operated b_v\\'v'averlc_\'Excursions Ltd, carryingout day excursion trips from portsall round the country during thesummer, but she is owned bya charity, the Paddle SteamerPreservation Society.

“It is a tremendous honour tocommand such a fine ship as the\\"'averley,"said Lt Cdr Clark.

“It is also a great responsibilityto be the custodian of a vessel ofsuch historic importance.”

\Vaverlcy was restored in 2004to a high standard but retains allher period features, including heroriginal steam engine.

Blllltflll thanksSll|l|l0I‘tB|'SSTAFFwere able to report anothersuccessful year at the Buxton unitannual general meeting.

Recently,several cadets have beenon courses — two on Tradewindsyachts, five at HMS Raleigh andtwo on instructors’ training.

A new team of three cadets,who had won the District smallbore rifle shooting competitioncame second in the North WestArea competition.

And at the time of the meetingthe unit was also preparing fora busy programme of sailingcompetitions.

Staffand cadets at theunit wouldlike to thank the people of Buxtonfor their financial support in June,at the Rotary Bazaar, the StreetCollection, which raised £325.42,and the stall on the Market Place.

There was also a particularmentionfor theBuxtonand DistrictLions Club, for their donation ofan overhead projector which willbe used in cadet training.HIB-l‘lI8l'l|l!IWlllSOUTHWARK cadet AC CallumMalone has won a place in thenational finals of the 2010 RYAHonda Youth RIB Challenge, dueto be staged in Southampton thismonth.

Callum had to heat offcompetition from 46 units inthe local heat at London’s RoyalVictoria Dock, then repeat theperformance at a regionalevent in Abingdon, taking on

teenagers from a number of youthorganisations.

DEFENCE Minister Andrew Robathan visitedthe Frimley Park National Cadet TrainingCentre during one ofits most prestigious events— the annual Cadet Leadership Course (CLC).

The Minister for Defence Personnel,\\l"elfareand Veterans watched cadets and instructors inthe grounds of the centre as they took part insome of the most challenging activities of theweek—long course, which has been staged formore than 50 years.

Centre.

He spoke to some of the 114 top cadetsfrom across the UK engaged in commandtasks, leading teams tackling the formidableobstacle course, or simply learning aboutcommunicating effectively with their teams.

Of his visit, the politician said: “I have verymuch enjoyed my visit to the Cadet Training

“l’ve seen some fantastic enthusiasm fromgood young people who are being given real

NAVY NEWS, SEI"l'EMBER 2010 45

SEA CADETSfin,Minister meets leading contenders Jump-start

challenges and opportunities in a safe and well-organised environment.

“There is some great work going on here foryoung people."

The leadership course, open to Sea Cadets,theirair and army equivalents and CCF cadets,see youngsters involved in a range of sportingand military activities,from volleyball and boatraces to a final exercise involving an escapethrough enemy territory.TPBIBSS cadets tlllll‘

namesake submarineEIGHT cadets from T8Tirelcss waved off theirnamesake submarine as shesailed on deployment fromDevonport.

The youngsters from Rugbyunit were privileged to be givena guided tour of the nuclear boatonly hours before she sailed on anine-month deployment outsideUK waters.

Witnessingthefinal preparationsfor sea first-hand, the cadets hadthe opportunity to meet the crewand discuss life and workon boarda Trafalgar—classsubmarine.

Exploring many areas of theboat, they tried breathing throughthe submarine’s emergencybreathing system in the forwardescape compartment, and cameface-to-face \vith the torpedoesand missiles stowed in the ‘BombShopi

Following the visit, the Cadetswere whisked away to nearbyDevi1’s Point which enabled themto wave Tireless off and wish thecrew a fond farewell.

Tireless’ deployment will seeher supporting British interests inthe Middle East and, somewhatremarkably for a 26-year-oldfront-line unit, this will be the firsttime that she has transited theSuez Canal.

Her C0, Cdr Jason Clay, said: THE Exeter Flotilla has presented a

cheque for £300 to Exmoulh unit to enablea cadet to go sail training this year.

The cheque was presented b_v flotillachairman Capt Ian Brannam RN to unitchairman Teresa Goodair and Officer-in—Charge CPO (SCC) Neil Gregory, ata ceremony in the Commando TrainingCentre Royal Marines, Lympstone.

O Cadets from T8 Tireless on board HMS 'l7reIess in Devonport“This is an extremely excitingtime for the ship’s company ofH.VlS Tirelcss, not least becauseit represents the culmination ofmonths of hard work.

“Deploying on operations is

Capt

NATO HQ affiliationTHE Commanding Officer ofChiltern, CPO (SCC) KeithJones, has set up a formalaffiliation between his unit andthe NATO Maritime CommandHeadquarters at Northwood inMiddlcsex.

The current Commander of theNATO HQ is Admiral SirTre\-'orSoar, who is also Commander—in—Chief Fleet.

A small ceremony was organisedat Northwood with staff from theHeadquarters and members ofthe unit meeting up to celebratethe occasion, with Admiral Soarpresenting an affiliation certificateto CPO Jones.

As part of the affiliation, Capt

Ian Turner, UK Senior NationalOfficer on the staff, ran the10th Broloppet Half Marathon,crossing the Clresund Bridgefrom Copenhagen in Denmark toMalmo in Sweden, thereby raising£120 towards an offshore bursaryfor a cadet.

The cheque was handed overby Capt Turner at the sameceremony.

O AdmiralSir TrevorSoar handsthe affiliationcertificate to CPO(SCC) Keith Jones. attended by(from left) Cdt Scott‘ Kilbey,LCEmilyJones. POC Zoe Jones andCPO (SCC) Mark Stephenson,First Lieutenantof theunit

Show.Arena displays included the

Warrington Field Gun crew,

Static displays for recruiting anddry land rigging also proved to bepopular.

Throughout theday an inter-Serviceorienteering competition was held inthe arena, with teams of eight being

llllllfltlllllBrannam said that the

Flotillawas an organisation of retired Navalofficers which met regularly at Lympstone,often calling upon the l.-Ixmouth unit toprovide a Colour party at their functions.

CPO Neil Gregory said a cadet wouldbe chosen through a competition, reportingback to the flotilla on what they had doneand where they had been in TS Royalist.

core business and, as such, weare all ready to face the potentialchallenges that might lay ahead.“

The men of the hunter—kiIlersubmarine have promised to keepthe cadets of TS Tireless up to

Picture: LA{Pholi James Crawford

date throughout the deployment.And they hope that they can

all meet up again when the boatreturns to Devonport which, allbeing well, should be in the springof 20l l.

A window on the corpsAS part of the celebrations for ArmedForces Day, units across the NorthWest attended the Preston Military

given a route to follow front a selectionof 24 tagging points, in relays.

The results were calculated againstthe number of points visited in the

Tameside‘s window ladder (see lqfi),F|eetwood‘s.swinging and the Ellesmere Portband.

hornpipc and club

correct sequence and the time takento complete the course.

A team of Royal Marine Cadets fromBlackburn and Preston eventuallyemerged as winners, beating teamsfrom the ACF, ATC and CCF from

Exeter

across Lancashire and the Isle ofMan.

Commentsorganisers were most complimentaryabout the quality and professionalismof Sea Cadet displays.

received from the

Cabins are replacedPARENTS and staff have beenLoughborough unit removing modular buildingswhich were damaged by weatherearlier this year.

Support from Premier Tool Hire. Travis Perkinsand TBD Morris means the cabins could beremoved to make way for newer ones, pur-chased with the help

busy at

of grants from Lufbra Rag,Loughborough Welfare Trust and the RNA, plusgenerous donations from fonrier Sea Cadets.

The new cabins should be in place this month.

llll‘ llIll|lllI|8initiativeCHESTER-le-Slreet‘s minibusappeal got off to a roaring startthanks to a donation by theAlexandra Rose charity.

TS Clark cadets undertake anumber of activities throughoutthe country and have started toraise money for a minibus to allowthem to do even more.

Alexandra Rose is an umbrellaorganisation which assists smallercharities through collections andthe Rose Rallle.

Spennyrnoor and Ferryhill RNAhave been holding Alexandra RoseDays for the past seven yearsraising money for local and Navalcharities.

And it was SFM ChristopherLewarne, chairman of the RNAbranch, who presented a chequefor £1,000 to the unit CO, PO(SCC) Steven Grainger during anevening parade.

PO Grainger said: “We wouldlike to thank everyone at theAlexander Rose Charity andSpcnnymoor and Ferryhill RNA.

“This is a fantastic start to ourminibus fund.

“The support that we havereceived from the RNA over theyears has been unbelievable andwe are truly grateful for all of thehelp that they have given us."

The unit also had cause tocelebrate the award of an efficiencypennant from Sea Cadet HQ —

continuing an unbroken sequencewhich stretches back to 1077.

Enfield teamwins IlIl'Illl9llSIX cadets from Enfield unitbeat off competition from otherLondon units to win the top prizein an expedition competition.

The event, which involvesassessmenton variousoutdoor skillssuch as buslicraft and navigation,was held over a weekend on anArmy training area in Kent.

Despite only having two weeksof intensive training, they pulledthrough to win against stiffcompetition.

CO PO (SCC) Allan Hollowaysaid: “To win only after two weekstraining speaks volumes about thededication and commitment ofthese young cadets - absolutelyremarkable — and they have doneme and themselves proud.”

The team now progresses toanother competition involvingother cadets from all over Londonand the South East.

Prize presentedHUYTON with Floby unit cadetPOC Beverley Marriette hasreceived a prestigious award forher outstanding achievements.

At a ceremony in London,Beverley was presented with theCVQO Directors‘ Prize for herefforts in both the Corps and thewider community.

Beverley and four other Dukeof Westminster Award winnersthen went to Downing Street,and later undertook a three—weekexpedition to South Africa.

46 NAVYNEWS, SEPTEMBIER2010

ffim SPORTA tl‘l0 Ill llllllt|l8I‘llII‘IlIfllIIIBSII Continued from page 48RN were unlucky to give awaya penalty two metres off theirgoal line, which put the Cavalryinto the lead with 30 secondsremaining on the clock.

Refusing to give up, the Navyimmediatelyattacked and wona foul for a spot hit deep in theirown half.

Suzuki set off at full pacefor theArmy goal and. helpedby excellent markingby therest of the Navy team and anunfortunate misunderstandingin theAnny camp. calmly puttheball through the posts withjust five seconds left on theclock for a 5%-5 victory.

The final tournament of theInter-Services programme tookplace two weeks later when theNavy met the RAF to contestthe Duke of York Cup, wherethe RN team of Aplin, Suzukiand Wilson were joined by MneMike Ball.

Starting with 11/.» goals onhandicap. the RAF were firstto score following the very firstthrow-in.

The Senior Service wereslow to respond but eventuallystarted to find their form andAplin scored a good goal toopen the Navy tally.

Almost immediatelyafterwards the RAF addedto their tally but. just beforetheend of thechukka, Suzukiconvened a penalty to leave theNavy trailing 3'/in-2.

The second chukka was fastand furious but although bothsides had an equal share ofattackingruns. neitherteamscored.

in thesecond half theNavy moved up a gear. Theydominated the third chukka.

A really excellent goal byBall was followed by a goodattackingrun by Suzuki whichresulted in another Navy scoreand then a further penalty bySuzuki increased the Navy'slead.

in the final chukka Ballscored once again to give theRN a convincing win 6-3‘/& atthe final bell.

'|"wenty2Ovisionaries5’! Continued from page 48in reply and lost three of theirfirst four batsmen for 0, soat 15-3 the situation was notgood.

‘Skipper Burt steadied theship with a fine 48 and hadsupport from Pollard (21) andHill (38 NO). but when Lt JParker (Raleigh) was run outfor 24. the writing was on thewall and the RN finished theirinnings 31 runs short of theirtarget.

With the RAF defeating theArmy in a rain~affected clashto take the IS title. it was left tothe soldiers and sailors to fightfor second and third place onthe final day of the tournament.

The RN managed to score200. Mid K Hewitt (RAFCranwell) (54), Pollard (36), MattThompson (Raleigh) (32) and alate flurry from ET(ME) S Louis(Edinburgh) 28 and for some,that looked a respectable total.

An early caught-and-bowledby Parkerwas cause foroptimism. but a second wicketpartnership of 99 dampenedspirits until three Army wicketswere taken in quick succession.raising Navy hopes again.

At 144 — 5. it was anybody’sgame, but the experiencedArmy heads of Heyns andHoughton saw off the challengeand they reached the targetwithout further loss for a five-wicket victory.

MIIPB 8|llII'ton page 32

FOR the first time inits history, the RN IceHockey Associationwas invited to the UKRecFest tournament atIce Sheffield.

The contest brings together15 of the best recreational icehockey teams in the country for aweekend of short but very intensegames — each side would playeight matches over the weekend.

As usual, the RNIHA had anabundance of volunteers on theback of the recent tri-Service andlnter—Service tournaments.

But as the week of the RecFestdrew ever closer, the numberof available personnel dwindleddramatically (due to operationalneeds of parent units) leavingfewer than ten players available.

The team stepped on to theice with seven skaters and twogoalkeepers for thefirst game oftheday against Bradford Cannibals.

The game ended in a 3-1 defeatfor the RN, but it did shift a fewCobwebs and set the pace for therest of what would be a tiring dayfor the sailors and marines.

This was followed by threevictories (1-0 over MedwayMadness, 2-0 over ClevelandComets and by the same scoreover Shefiield Blaze) which putthe Navy in fourth place overallafter the first day. That placedthem in the top group to battle forthe cup on day two.

After a surprisingly sedateSaturday night in Sheffield(probably due to the average ageof the team being over 30 and theabsence of a physioi), the teammustered at Ice Sheffield for thesecond and what would turn out tobe the most physicallyvdemandingday of the tournament.

The team lost the servicesof PO(ET) K Wfilson (MASF),who went to sea on the Sundayafternoon and was one of themore influential RN players onthe first day, and AB J Armstrong(RNAS Culdrose) who had afamily entergency on the Sundaymorning. This left the Navywith only live skaters (minimumrequired) with no changes on thebench.

After some quick thinking bymanager Kevin Cave and theoutgoing and incoming generalsecretaries, Lt Cdr Al Bernard(UKHO) and Lt Adam Lappin(DMLS HQ Raleigh), player kitwas borrowed so that one of ourgoalkeepers, Mne C Chaplen (42Cdo), could play as a defencemanand AB D Patterson was contactedto play at short notice on his dayoff from P_]T’s to help ease theteam’s manning issue.

The RN started day two as they

Portsea island.The 13-mile trip

later.The aim was to introduce novices to sea

paddling in calm conditions — and to acquaintthem with the change from daytime to night

began at the sailing centre onWhale Island and ended there some four hours

O L! Adam Lappin charges down theSheffield ice with thepuck

had ended clay one: with someimpressive defence and the abilityto quickly convert an opposition’smistake into a scoring chance forthe Navy.

The first game againstBlackburn Falcons was a tightly-contcsted game which ended in ano-score draw.

Then came a chance to settle ascore from day one with anothergame against Bradford. whichunfortunately ended with sometired Navy skaters and a 3-0defeat.

\Vith only two games to go(joint favourites Invicta Knightsand Wltitley Bay Islanders), theNavy team had to face the factthat the day would not be ableto etch the letters RNIHA on thecup this year but spirits were liftedby a motivational speech from aveteran of the sport in Canada, LtCdr Bernard.

The Navy went out to facelnvicta with renewed vigour andoutplayed the team from Kent formost of the game.

The score was 0 -O with onlya minute to go and RN legs werebeginning to feel the strain ofhaving a short bench (Invicta had17 skaters).

The RN goalkeeper, MneT Chamberlain (45 Cdo), wasdoing a sterling job in holding thelnvicta attack at bay but with only[2 seconds left in the game he wasbeaten by a fortunate dcficctionwhich sealed an Invicta victory of1-0.

\‘\"ith only one game to go, theNavy stepped on to the ice against\Vhitle_\-' Bay with all the pressure

Picture: Grant Woolwayon the Gcordies.

The game started with all theaction around the \‘(-’hitlc_v Baygoal and a good period of play bythe now-fatigued Navy skaters,but the pace of the fastest teamsport in the world was too muchfor the R.\l as their defence wasonce again breached by a late goalto give \Vhitlcy Bay a 1-0 victory.

At the tournament’sconclusion,the RNIHA team finished fifthoutof the i5 — it good achievementfora lightly-mannedteam at theirfirstcivilian national tournament.

A special mention for theira|1—round efforts during thetournament must go to goalkeeperChamberlain and defenceman ]Rutter (845 NAS).

“The team has shownexceptional character to play thetournament in good spirits witha drastically-reduced number ofplayers,” said Lt Lappin.

“They have shown and upheldthegrit and determination — valuesthat the RN is famous for.

“Our teamwork and team spiritwere rewarded at the prizegivingwith the‘Teamof theTournament‘award, as voted for by the inanagersof the participating teams."

The team are looking for newplayers of all standards. Trainingis currently at Gosport Ice Rinkon Tuesdays at 22 30 for players inPortsmouth; players in Plymouthand the West Country are invitedto train at Bristol Ice Rink andplayers north of the Border canjoin the RAF training in Dundeeduring the week.

Further details at www.rniha.org.uk.

ring journeyLT SARA Collen leads membersof theRN KayakingAssociation past warships on North West Wallin the opening minutes of a circumnavigation of

kayaking (the trip ended at 10pm).The other aim of the paddle was to highlight

the shortage of qualified instructors, desperatelyneeded to oversee pool sessions on Tuesdayevenings at HMS Collingwood.

So four hours of sea paddling under Lt Cdr JoeWood (collingwood)allowed the kayakers to buildup the necessary experience in preparation forinstructor assessment.

More details on the sport at www.rnka.co.uk.

swing of Sultansand ileeps

LT OWEN Smithhits his way out of a bunkerat theMarriottMoon Valley(pictured by LA(Ph:2"DarbyAllen) during a highly-compotltlve 11th lfls open.

A field of 81 took part in the36-holecompetitionon thee y challenging but beautifull -presentedchampaigriship course. writes CPO Dave El ioft. thisyear's openseem .

The favourableweathercontributed to a challengln day'sgolf and competition throughouttheclay was fierce w fit a highstandard played ttirou

Coming out on top in 2010 was CPO Mike Nickson withanoverall medal nett minus Si Stableford score of 31 points.

Runner-up NathanGeddis narrowlyfinished ahead of W02Marty Wallaceon count-backwitha score of 36.

The aim of thecontest— open to all Sultan Service personnelas well as her affiiiates - is to provide a unique opportunity forService players to compete with retired personnel. civil servants.civiliansupport staff as well as a host of sponsors on theday.

Ex-aircraft engineerJon Temple, who left theRN more titan12 years ago and one of thisyear's sponsors, commented: “Itwas terrific to be invited to play in such a fantasticcompetitionand meet some of my old colleagues.The healthybanter of thedag reminded me of thegreat times I had whilst I was serving."

ultan an eye one of thelargest society roups in theregionwithaver 7 rrgolfsoclely.co.u

Meanwhilein Scotland. theWestenirood Hotel. Cumbemauld.was thevenue for the2010 fillSulrniorlno Gomrnondchunplonolilpo.a contest withmore than 30 years‘ history.

This year. thecompetition took placeon theSave Ballesterosndesigned course set in thebeautifulsurroundingsof the

members- details at wwvnsu

Campsie Hills.20 milesoutside G vii. and was attended bymorethansorepresentativesof the bmaitneservlcepastand

t.The promise “to challenge you to every shot imaginablein the

game of golf‘ was an understatementon thisrecently-modifiedcourse.

Despite thechallengingconditionsimposed by horrendousweather. therewere plentyof outstanding demonstrationsofcourse management.

LtSteve Trotman(SCU HMS collingwood)was crownedchampion iivithan impressive gross score of 155, withLSConnor Mccieod (HMS Vengeanceéstarboardklaclose runner-up (161). The best nett score was PO Al Mu olland (15withCPO Fred McEvo HMNB Clyde) winning theStablcompetition (64 points ;_ k Rogers (ex POMEM) retained theex-submarlnertrophywitha nett score of 155: thesubmarineteam prizewent to HMS Ambush.

A full list of results can befound on thecompetition website.www.submar-Ii-iegolf.corn.

Organiser LtTltch Evans thanksall participants and thoseaha supported theevent which raised over £600 for Help forareas.A course near Bristol will bethevenue for the2011 event

hosted by W01 ET(MESM) Richard Thompson, MOD AbbeyWood.

And at Elfordleigh near outh.threesubmarinersfrom HMSTireiess went to ‘hell and ' (their words not ours) for theMacmillan2010 Longoot Bay Golf‘ challenge.

The trio — Tony Burgess. Keri Donohoe and Adam Grimley —

completed four rounds of the course in a little over 14 hours.walking 22 miles in theprocess.

The club waived all fees for the day and ensured the first teawas always clear for rounds two, three and four (oddly, thereweren't many people on the fainniays for round one which teedoff at 4.45am...).

Familymembersof all three have suffered from cancer.hence theday's golf which raised .200 for Macmillan.

0 Picture of concentration... LLogs Vernon Ralph (815 NAS) propelshimself upwards in thepole vault Picture: SAC Kearney. FIAF Cosford

Trackto the tutureTHE Royal Navy Track and Field team exceededexpectations in the 2010 Inter-Service championshipsat RAF Cosford.

The haul of 15 medals was aslight improvement on recentyears, witha mix of medallists fromperennial achievers and emergingtalent. tt'i'itc.~‘ Paul’ll"t'n!<=.=I.

A strong wind benelittedjumpers and throwers,but prevent-ed good sprint times and posed asevere challenge for enduranceathletes in the final third of eachlap.

LS(M\‘(-") Andy Dawkins(SRJVIH Crew 7. currentl_v HMSRamsey) and CPOPT NealEdwards (BRNC) have beenthe top performing Royal Navyathletes at Inter-Service level overthe past ten years.

Both now qualify as veterans(over 35) where theyare top-three-ranked in UK.

l)awkins won the shot putt ina keen|_\'-contested tussle with hisregular Army opposition, afterwarming up with a third place inthe hammer, later just missing outon another medal in the discus.

Edwards finished a close secondin the ~l0t)m hurdles where theRAF victor accepted he was thefortunate recipient of the st:\rtcr’sdiscretion to avoid disqualification.As ever. these two athletes setthe tone and example for theremainder of the RN team withmedal-winning performances inthe opening track and field events.

The women's 800m wasarguably the most exciting tracke\'ent of the da_v.

LPT Julie Stroud (Raleigh)and Lt I-Imma Bakewell (Sultan)both approached the race with :1sequences of excellent results andperformances, including personalbests.The entire field were closelymatched in a fast—run race;Stroud‘sstrengthand determinationcarriedher to a deserved silver medal.

Bakewell engineered fourthplace as both women again set P135and pondered sub—2m 20s timingsnext year.

F.T(.‘\vlE) Daryn Jackson(Sultan) burst on to the scenethis season, setting the best sprinttimes by a Royal Naxy athlete formany years.

i\'laking the most of his naturalability,he gradually refined his rawtalent over the season, culminatingin bronze medals over both 100mand 200m, thereby upsettingthe traditional balance with theother two Services as he won thefirst Royal Navy men's sprintingmedals for over 20 years.

Future sea service presentscareer and sporting challenges,but he has ready capacity tofurther develop strength, powerand technique to realise improvedperformances in 201 I.

LReg Shelly Prescott (Drake)matched Jackson’s achievementin the women's sprints as shefinished 3rd in both, equallingprevious placings, albeit not in thesame year. AB Kenisha Asquith(Diamond) was close behind inboth races.

Surg Lt Gordon Irvine (Sultan)made his debut at this level in hisfinal few weeks of service.

Competing in the 3.000111steeplechase. he ran a brave raceto finish second with a stormingsprint linish. His long duel battlingfor third-fourth place reapeddividends as the long-standing,butfast—fading. second—place runner

was caught and passed.Std Sol .\’larong (FPS) returned

to the Royal Navy team after atwo—year absence, finishing third inthe men‘s 400m »- exactlythe sameplacingand fractionallyfaster thanhis last outing at this level.

.\lne Jim Galvin (42 Cdo) has:1 strong n1u|ti—events backgroundreachingback to his schooldays.

\\'"hilelong-term injuriespreventhim undcrt-tilting some specialistevents within a dccathlon, he hasCommitted to :1 wide range ofevents over the 2010 season.

Justmissingoutonsprintmedals,he won silver and bronze in thehigh and long jumps respectivelywith his best performances of theseason and was ecstatic with a longjump approachingseven metres.

Another double medallistwas Lt Irish Sirmons (.\':iv_vCommand). A regularly strongperformer at British League-level,predominantly in the hammer forwhich there was no Inter-Serviceevent, she won silver at bothwomen’s discus and shot putt,just missing out on a medal in thejztvelin.

Ably backed by Ll_.ogs RhianHanson (SFM Portsmouth).herself a previous lnter—Servicesmulti medallist, the combinedperformance of these two throwerswas the best by RN women formany years.

Team spirit was abundantamongst the 15 men and 9 women

comprising the Royal Navy team asmany covered a number of events.I;"I‘(.-V115) Marcelle John (NBCSF.\"l Portsmouth) exemplifiedthis as she scored points in liveindividual events and both relays:NA(SF.) Nicole Lindo (RNASYeovilton) was not far behind --

the joyous smile on her face as sheregistered a legitimate distancein the women’s triple jump was anoted highlight.

l..\rlA Glen Long (CTRM) worehis lucky ‘black l’usser‘s socks‘ inthe long jump, triple jump andpole vault, aided by the ever-willing LLogs Vernon Ralph (815NAS) in the triple jump and polevault.

Distance athletes Lt EllieBerry (Dauntless), l.t Jon Wriglit(Triumpli), Cl’O(l"I‘) \\lv'ayneHodkinson (Excellent) and AETDave Scott (RNAS Yeovilton)confronted strong opposition, theirefforts were matched by POAEMSi Parry (RN.-KS Culdrose) andLAI-IT Phil Palmer (-1 Sqn, RAFWittering) who did so twice eachin 800m and l,500nt.

The RN will host the 201]lnter—Services Track and FieldChampionships,with real potentialfor further success if indi\'idualand team performances continueto develop.

The RN men finished mid—tablein the Southern lVlcn's LeagueDivision 3 West (SML 3\X-") afterfive matches over the summer.

The standard in SML 3W islower than Inter-Services level socompetition at this level providesan excellent opportunity for a widerange of athletes and age groupsto establish and develop athleticperformance.

Interested.-"emerging athletesshould make contact with localPT staff or Paul \‘€*'intori on 9380236-14.

I\'A\«"t’ .\'l:".\‘\'='S,Sl:‘l"l'F..\-IBER2010 -I7“.3” F4SPORT -

ltacketeers ll‘ll|Ill|lA DOUBLE triumph forthe men and women atthe Inter-Service LawnTennis Championshipscrowned a crackingsummer for FlN sport.

Both tennis teams successfullyswept away the opposition overthe t\vo—day cliztmpionships andparticularpraisemustbepaidtotheRN Ladies who unceremoniouslydumped the Army and RAFout ofthe competition b_v winning I I oftheir 12 rubbers to secure the winand break the Army‘s dominancesince 2007, ‘EUl'f!¢'S L! Richie i'lIo_~'s.

After the first day's play theladies had won all six rubbers.On the second day and after onlytwo matclies the competition wasover and the title was in the bag byI lam.

i\len‘s tennis is also very muchin the ascendency and the teambuilt on last year's Inter-Services‘A‘ win at Wimbledon and thisyear's Inter—Services ‘B' win inAldershot,bysuccessfully retainingthe lnter—Services title, a feat neverachieved, indeed. the last timethat both men and ladies won atthis level was back in 1992.

Last year saw the emergenceof a great talent — I-2'l‘(\'l’l€SM)Scott Nicholls, so there was hugepressure on him as he faced hisfirst match ever as the RN No.1but he ably demonstrated histalent.

In his first match against RAFNo.1 (Flt Lt Chris Evans), Scottwon easily in two sets despite thefact that Chris was hitting hard onboth wings from the baseline.

.\-leanwhile,RN No.3,CI’()(I"l‘)Steve Losh (back from sea andshort of match practice) drewupon his wealth of experience tofind a way past the Army No.3,Cpl Taff\\"illiams.

In Round 2, promoted to the ‘A’team after his exceptional displayat this year's Inter-Service-s ‘B'competition, ET(MF.) RichardDrew faced a considerablechallenge in his first A match;Flt Sgt .\'lark Lane. a stalwart ofRAF tennis who has played thistournament for many years,

Despite being 23 years olderthan Richard, the RAF veteranhad vast experience to draw uponand repeatedly found the cornersof the court with his forehand andbackhand slice.

LK O A winning forehand from Lt Oliver Craven in a three-set thrilleragainst the RAFin the men ‘s doubles

Richard’s nerve held hissuperior agility provided him themeans of winning a very closemateli that had the potential to goeither way.

l\lean\vhile, Scott Nichollsplayed a superb match againstthe Army No.1 I_."Cpl LawrenceTen: to thoroughly vindicate hisposition as Singles No.1.

Steve Losh faced Flt Lt JonBond in his second match. On thebig points at the end of the set, itwas Steve-’s experience (again) thatproved to be the deciding factor.

Richard Drew faced the ArmyNo.2. Pte Jonn_v Abosi (withseveral years‘ experience of InterService tennis behind him).To hiscredit. Richard found a way to mixup the play during the linal fewgames but by this stage Pie Abosihad already got the vital break inthe second set and was able win :1

very close match.At the end of day one, the RN

led the Army by 5 rubbers to 4with everythingto play for.

The first two doubles matchesof the second day were vital - theRN team needed to maintain theirwinning momentum.

Steve Losh and Scott Nichollsproved their pedigree with astraightforward win over theirRAF opponents. However, the

/////llMore sI6”t‘§ moreat lrientlliistat! ‘k latest Machines ” ii

crucial rubber in this lirst roundwas taking place on the adjacentcourt.

Richard Drew and .\-In-.- NathanJackson were able to draw upontheir success at the ‘B’ tournamentin April (where they had won bothdoubles matches) and beat theArmy in straight sets. Tliis crucialwin opened the lead over theArmyto 7-5.

In round 2 Steve and Scottfaced the No.l Army pair. 'Ih-.-irbig-serving opponents presenteda considerable challenge butyet again the RV duo won thepressure points.

\\""itli three matches remaining,an overall RN victory was notcertain until the RAI-‘ No.3 pairdefeated their Army opponents

— thereby denying the Army Lhcchance of equalling the RN tall_v atthat point.

The RN No.2 pairing — CaptSimon Brand and Lt OliverCraven — confirmed the resultby prevailing over their RAFopponents in three sets. Althoughthe final two RN matches werelost, the team had done enough towin the championships and retainthe trophy.

Some of the players competingat the lnter—Services had alreadyscored successes in the RN

\\\\\-...\_..if in‘ii,

P:cture: Lt Richie Moss

championships at the UnitedServices Sports Ground,Portsmouth.

Scott Nicholls (Neptune)capitalised on his No.1 rankingwinning the men's singles againstRichard Drew (Diamond).

In her last RN Championshipsas a serving member of the R;\'.Surg l.t Lara Herbert (INMAlverstoke) went out in style bywinning the ladies singles againstLt Cdr Katharine Rackham(JSCSC).

There were also wins for: men'sdoubles Capt Brand (ISCSC)and Lt Craven (MOD) who beatDrew and Nine Jackson; ladiesdoubles — Lt Cdr Rackham andSurg Lt Cdr Southern (Sultan)beat Surg I.t Herbert and MusnHudson (R.\-I School of Niusic);men’s veterans singles — CaptBrand (JSCSC) beat R Reynolds;men’s veterans doubles — A Millsand M Pepperday beat R Reynoldsand 'l' Reynolds; and finally inthe mixed doubles — Lt CdrRackham and Nine Jackson beatS»‘Lt Driscoill (M\‘v'S) and MusnHudson.

More details at www.navytennis.co.uk and freecoaching at Portsmouth IndoorTennis Dome. (opposite HMSTemeraire),.\-londays 7-8pm.

Call in Tod yme relresliments at Ton £500 laclinuts

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0 Opt Alvin Pollard (CLR) thumpsa six for thewinning runs against theArmyat Lords to clinch theTwenty20titlePicture: Matt Bright. Moc

Twenty20visionariesLORD'S. A beautifulsummer’s day. Victoryover the Army and RAF incricket’s Twenty20 Inter-Services tournament. Itdoesn't get much betterthan this.

.-\t'ter an opening RAF-.-\rmyclash at the home of cricket whichthe soldiers won b_\' 55 runs and alunchtime display of Kwik cricketfrom colts of US PortsmouthCC and Shrivenham along withService cricket coaches, the Royalf\’:.tv_\-' joined the fray against theAir Force.

The RAF were initially" heldback but picked up the pace intlte second half of their innings tobuild a competitive score of 141,t:'n'rc.\' Lt (Idr Du~:'r'd (Eunice. R.\'(}C.

The R.\"s response was led bya spirited innings of 71 from 1.tJon Bailey (PJHQ). playing his lastday's cricket in the RN.

As is the way of T20, wicketsfell. nerves jangled and the RAFfought back to produce the perfectclimax with the Airmen requiringthe wicket of the last man andthe Navy needing one run oft" thefinal delivcr_\-', Cpl Jon Grasham's((I'I'(‘.R.\-I] only ball.

Grashani took guard. swung thebat and top edged the ball over thewicketkeepv.-r‘s head for four runsin front ofthcpavilion.Thccrowdof nearly 73.000 went wild; the RNhad won by one wicket.

With one win apiece, the finalgame between the RN and theArmy would produce the victorsof the tournament.

The soldiers batted first andthanks to some exceptionally

" 09>

9 770028 167122

tight bowling from li'l'\‘iv’li{SM)Matt Thompson (Raleigh) '3-I5oil‘ four overs. AB Mike Green(Daring) 2-19 (4) and 1£T\'\"liJoeHill (Ark Royal) 2-19 (4) and veryiinpressive fielding,were restrictedto I It).

In reply the RN got into theirstride s1owl_y with the Artnyshowing that they too couldexcel in the bowling and fieldingdepartments; the required run ratemounted and the .\laval batsmenstarted to succumb to the pressureas wickets began to fall.

\‘\'-"itIi five overs to go and 50runs still required the ship ap-peared to he sinking.The one stal-wart of the RN innings howeverwas opening batsman Tltompson,who displayed great technique andenormous maturity to reach 50 off5?. balls.

\‘{*'ith vital assistance from CplCullum Smith (R Sigs Blanford)(24) and ultimately Cpl AlvinPollard (Cdo Logs Regt) (H),the Navy closed in on the targetrequiring just 17 off the last twoovers.

In the event, it was Pollard whohit the winning runs in style — a sixover the bowIer’s head with justtwo balls to spare to snatch victoryfront a shell-shocked Army team;the RN won by four wickets.

The crowd went wild once more,MCC President john Barclaycongratulated all three teams fora tremendous dt-ty’s cricket andjudged Matt Thompson player ofthe tournament for his line all-round performance.

The ladies were sadly unableto match their male counterpartsin the female Inter-Services T20contest in Portsmouth.

They came a most creditablesecond. well in front of the RAF.but not even close to a very strongArmy side.

100% NEW LIFEPublished by Navy News. HMS Nelson. Portsmoutharid printed by St Ives (Roche) plc.

I-Ilsewhere, the lnter—Ser\-icesU25 competition was held atRAF Uxbridge where a relatively-inexperienced RN side, whichincluded five new caps, took onthe might of the Army on thefirst day... and fell 153 runs shortof the target of 292 set by thesoldiers.

An unchanged RN side whichwas still recovering from thisinauling then faced the RAF.

All five Navy bowlers tookwickets ET S Louis 2-R. Hill2-22,Thompson 2-28, Green 2-29and Logs (CS) I;"1‘empro (Albion)2-"31 ~ to bowl the airmen outfor 151.

The RN lost two quick wicketsin reply, but Hill and Thompsonrestored order with good knocksand finally Hewitt and li'l'(.\-11'?)J Richards (Argyll) finished thejob off in ~12 overs — a resoundingvictory.

ln Portsmouth, live Commandteams (Royal Marines.Portsntouth. Scotland, 1’Iyniouthand .\la\'a| Air) took part in thelnter—CommandTwenty20 cricketcompetition, a round-robintournament over two days withthe two top teams competing inthe Iinal on the grass wicket atBurnaby Road.

Two teams stood out as likelylinalists: last year‘s winners theRoyal l\larines and Portsmouth.who had dug deep to unearth anumber of Navy players from thewoodwork.

There were some very fineperformances throughout thetournament — perhaps the moststaggering from P0 S Sheakey(Collingwood) who scored 10]not-out in just 22 balls whenbatting for Portsmouth againstScotland

He was named player of thecontest —— and it was his team

which triumphed. boating thecommandos by 17 runs in thefinal.

The Ladies lnter-Services wereheld at Aldershot where the RNplayed the strong favourites theArmy on day one.

The RN opening bowlersrestricted their opponents to amanageable run rate, but laterloose bowling and an impressive()4 from an Army middle orderbatswoinan restored somecredibilityto their score.

In reply to a target of 232, theRN started steadily. with S Lt HGarton (Sultan) opening with 2'3.Lt U Frost (Fleet) (35) and usefulcontributions from lower orderbatswomen, but the RN fell shortby -I8 runs.

The following day, the ladieswere out for revenge and wereprepared to put the RAF to thesword. Batting first. the RA!-‘scored 70 before the loss of theirfirst wicket but then wicketsfell very quickly and they onlymanaged to scramble to 115-8after their -10 overs.

In reply. despite :1 couple of rainstoppages, Garton and Boswellwere in a hurry to get a victoryunder their belt and duly did so injust 18 overs: Garton made 55 notout and Boswell 22 from 10 ballsto claim a nine—\vicket victory forthe Navy.

After the euphoria of the RNvictory at Lord's, the senior Inter-Seryices in Portsmouth seemed tohave a feeling of anti-climax

First up were the RAF who lostsix wickets for 101 runs. Thingswere looking good for the .\'avy_.but the foot was taken till thepedal and the late.-‘middle orderbatsmen were allowed to ainass ascore of 207-9 in '30 overs.

The RN never really got going5'! Continued on page 46

A trio of mintperformancesNAVYriders made a clean sweep of thethree principal Servicepolo tournaments- theRundle Cup, the Inter-RegimentalTournamentand the Duke of York Cup - for thefirst time in 14years.Starting on a gloriouslysunny afternoon at ‘fidworth,theArmyand Navy met for theRundle Cup, thehighlight of theServices‘EoIo)season (pictured above by CPO(Phot) Rob Harding, FRPUast .

This year thesenior RN team of Cdre Richard Mason. CaptAdrian Aplin. Lt Cdr Al Wilson and S/LtHiro Suzuki facedathree-goal Anny side.

As theslightlyweaker team on handicap. the Navy startedwith ‘Ar oal lead and immediatelymade themselvesfelt.

Attac ing from thestart, a very fast run by Suzuki culminatedin a beautifulpass towards theTedworthHouse goal whereWilson was perfectly positioned to elegantly run theballbetween theposts and open thescoring.

The Army were quick to respond but excellent defensive playby Mason and Aplin prevented them from findingtheposts,leaving the RN in the lead 1‘/5-0at theend of thechukka.

In thesecond chukka theArmy stepped up thepressureand scored an extremelygood goal. but the RN were not to bebullied. Suzuki quickly replied with a scorching goal from the40-yard line. However. shortly beforethewhistle for half time. theArmy won a penalty which theysuccessfully converted to leavethemjust trailing 21/5-2.

In thesecond half both sides played hard. aggressive polo buttheSenior Service's cohesion and discipline gave them theedgeagainst a very talented but occasionally-muddledArmy side.

The Army were not short of attacksbut theRN defence wasupdto themarkand threegood attempts at goal were pushedwt e.

In response the Navy pressured theArmy's goal and scoredtwice; a well co-ordinated attackhad Mason neatly runningthe ball home before theend of thethird chukka and, half-waythrough thefourth, Aplin overcame very robust defence byCowleyto score a clean nearside goal. thusputting the Navy inthe lead 4%-2 at thefinal bell.

The following day the Navy team met at Guards Polo Club atWindsor for thefinal of the Inter-Regimental tournamentwheretheyfaceda very strong three-goal Household Cavalry MountedRegiment (HCMR) side.

Although starting as theunderdogs, the Navy knew thatiftheyplayed as theydid on the previous day theycould upset thecava|ry’s plans to carry away thesilver.

Starting witha half-goal lead, theNavy began well but it wastheCavalry thatopened thescoring. Refusing to be daunted.the RN immediatelycounter-attackedand Suzuki successfullyconverted a penalty. The first half continued withexcellent,closely-fought end-to-end play with two furthergoals from theArmy and another30 yard penalty by Suzuki leaving thehalftime score at 3-21/5to the HCMR.

In thethird chukka theplay remained evenly-matched;anaggressive Navy attackculminated in an excellent backhandbyAplln keeping the ball in play; it was then neatlytapped round byWilson to score a fine goal, putting the RN ahead 396-3.

The Army also scored beforetheend of thechukka. Neitherthe umpires or goal judge saw theball cross the line but the RNgallantly insisted thatit had and a goal should be awarded.

The fourth chukka started 4-3% to theCavalry and wasundoubtedlythe most exciting of thematch.

Both teams came out hard, however theAnny conceded a 40yarg penalty which Suzuki convened allowing the RN to take theea .

The HCMR were determined to go down fighting. Twominutes from theend. Mann picked up theball from thehalfwayline to run towards goal. In thedefensive mélée thatfollowed the5! Continued on page 46

STYLE. NEW ZEALAND. NAVYSee page 41 for infonnationon the exciting new opportunities availablenow.