8 NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2009
RLC need
TLC from
HMS
Trading places
IT’S all change in the Gulf
REFIT. £20m. Sea boat.
£90,000 (ish). Saving the Army’s
with HMS Ramsey and
blushes. Priceless.
Blyth swapping places
The Army has the quick with HMS Grimsby and
thinking (and bravery) of PO
Pembroke, bringing the
‘Brum’ Tuite to thank for saving
one of their landing craft which
curtain down on two years
was in danger of sinking six
in Bahrain.
miles off the Dorset coast.
The former are bound for
Thanks to a freak wave, the
Blighty, the latter have got a
craft’s landing ramp dropped
lengthy stint in the Middle East
The loss of
down and the English Channel
ahead of them.
raced in.
For most of Grimsby’s and
Two of the three crew had
Pembroke’s sailors, the Gulf is not
genuine,
to be winched to safety by a
a new experience, however.
Coastguard Search and Rescue
Every ship’s company of
helicopter, while the third
the eight Sandown-class mine
fun guys
struggled to keep the vessel
countermeasures vessels has been
from foundering.
rotated through the Gulf during
A TALEBAN ambush claimed the
The Royal Logistics Corps
Ramsey and Blyth’s stay… which
life of a talented footballer, doting
craft, heading from Marchwood
will be repeated for Pembroke and
father and popular commando
to Portland, sent out an SOS
Grimsby.
when Mne Darren ‘Daz’ Smith
– picked up by HMS Sutherland.
The aim of the Sandowns –
was killed during a search for a
The frigate was carrying out
operating alongside Hunts HMS
weapons cache.
engineering trials off Portland Atherstone and Brocklesby – is The 27-year-old green beret
in the wake of her £20m refi t in to work with other navies in the died of his wounds while he
Rosyth. Gulf region and to deal with the was being flown back to Camp
She immediately dispatched leftovers of confl ict at sea in this Bastion following an enemy
her sea boat with a rescue troubled part of the world, such as strike on the patrol by X-Ray
party, led by Brum. declaring the waters around Iraq Company, 45 Commando, near
He jumped waist-deep into mine-free. Forward Operating Base Nolay in
the water sloshing (technical Before departing Bahrain, the southern Sangin.
term – Ed) around the craft and old hands formally presented The Lancastrian felt the calling
using a grappling hook and the the operational baton to their of the Corps later in life than
boat’s winch managed to haul successors as half the entire many of his comrades.
the damaged ramp back up. MCM1 Squadron gathered 6,500 ● Four for good... The COs of the four Sandowns in Bahrain pose with their respective perry buoys (l-r) He trialled for Everton,
The Swanage lifeboat soon miles from Faslane.
HMS Ramsey’s Lt Cdr Nick Borbone, Grimsby’s Lt Cdr Adam Parnell, Pembroke’s Lt Cdr Simon Wallace Manchester City and Blackpool
arrived on the scene with a “The impact of these small ships
and Blyth’s Lt Cdr Des Donworth football clubs and worked as a
pump to clear the water and to should never be underestimated,”
fisherman in his hometown of
escort the stricken craft back to said the senior Royal Navy offi cer
in this region.” techniques; the Mediterranean isle barrels of engine oil. Fleetwood before joining the
harbour for urgent repairs. in Bahrain, Cdre Tim Lowe –
It has been a long (and most is grappling with a series of issues A RAS is a challenging Royal Marines, passing out of
“I know there is a lot of rivalry the UK Maritime Component
defi nitely winding) road from at sea from illegal immigration to manoeuvre at the best of times. Lympstone last summer.
with the Army, but when the Commander.
Faslane to Bahrain for the new the formation of violent gangs. Add the complications of darkness Mne Smith (pictured above)
chips are down, we are always “They provide an invaluable
ships. With Grimsby fi xed and ready, and 25mph gusts, a berthing was assigned the task of light
there to help out,” said Brum. contribution and visible reminder
Grimsby spent quite a while the sisters reunited in Soudha Bay hawser snapping and it’s all the machine-gunner in Arbroath-
As for Sutherland, she’s of our enduring commitment.
in Crete undergoing some before making for Suez – after a more challenging. based 45 Cdo, a task he
resumed her work-up ahead of “They never fail to amaze me
(unplanned) maintenance, which brief pause for hands to bathe. Barrels safely aboard, the ship grasped with relish according to
a summer/autumn deployment as they constantly exploit their
allowed Pembroke to go off and That was the last chance either could continue in company with comrades.
to the Caribbean on an anti- professionalism and resources
do her own thing. ship’s company had to relax before Grimsby on to Bahrain and the “Daz was an excellent marine
drugs patrol. to enhance stability and security
And when in Crete, there’s only the Gulf. The passage of Suez baton transfer. – he was keen to volunteer for
one thing to do: pop across to was spent in defence watches, Now fi nally there, there’s not any job that came his way,” said
Malta. followed by a three-hour fuel stop too long a stint for the sailors to Cpl Pete Laurence, a section
The ship spent an ‘almost in Djibouti, and an even briefer pit endure in the heat – and they’ll commander in 5 Troop.
British’ Christmas in Grand stop in Salalah, Oman. miss the Gulf summer. “He is truly a great loss – Daz
Harbour (where the weather, Once out of Salalah, Pembroke They fl y home later this spring, was the nicest guy and I will
thankfully, wasn’t ‘almost British’) had a rendezvous with tanker RFA Pembroke’s men taking over HMS never forget his smile.”
and worked with the Maltese Wave Ruler – not to fi ll up with Penzance… whose ship’s company The 27-year-old would regale
Armed Forces on boarding fuel, but to receive some extra fl ies in the opposite direction. his fellow green berets with
legendary tales of fishing and
speak of his devotion to his
partner Kelly and their two-year-
old daughter Keira.
“He would speak of them with
The 145th Annual General Meeting
Magna Jakarta great love during quieter times,”
said Cpl John Ballance, another
of the Royal Maritime Club, Queen
section commander in 5 Troop.
AFTER several months focusing her efforts in process information from an earlier large-scale
“Daz was a truly genuine guy.
Street, Portsmouth, will be held in the
Singapore, survey ship HMS Echo left the South- survey.
He’ll never be forgotten by those
east Asian metropolis for the shores of Indonesia Not surprisingly, the Indonesian survey
who had the pleasure of knowing
Trafalgar Ballroom of the club on
– and a date with royalty. specialists were impressed with Echo – she’s
him.”
Singapore lies a smidgen (geographical term – somewhat larger than the fi ve vessels in the
In a separate operation,
Tuesday 21st April 2009 at 1030.
Ed) north of the Equator. A trip to Jakarta (600 Indonesian hydrographic fl eet (which includes
L/Cpl Stephen Kingscott
miles away) meant crossing into the Southern KRI Dewa Kembar – formerly HMS Hydra).
(pictured below) of 1st Battalion
Commanding Officers are requested to
Hemisphere. After ploughing through all that data, it’s only
The Rifles – the Army infantry
And that meant paying homage at the court of right that the sailors had some time to relax, catch
unit attached to 3 Commando
encourage maximum attendance from
King Neptune, whose ‘bears’ were dispatched the sights, visit a volcano (as you do), splash
Brigade – was killed on a mission
around Echo to round up all those who had never around at a water park and sample Indonesian
to root out insurgents in the
their ships and establishments.
enjoyed the pleasure of crossing the line (which cuisine.
Nawa district.
shouldn’t have taken long with a ship’s company Thirty members of the ship’s company also paid
ALL MEMBERS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND
The 22-year-old trooper from
of just 46). a visit to the Pondok Pesantren Asshiddiqiyah
Plymouth, known as ‘Schnoz’
The junior rates mess were particularly Islamic College in the outskirts of Jakarta
to friends, was working with
reluctant attendees, ‘camoufl aged’ with as part of a British Embassy-sponsored
the Operational Mentoring
boot polish and ‘armed’ with water pistols project, watched by Ambassador Martin
specialist legal advice
and Liaison Team (‘omelette’)
and talcum powder. Hatfull.
training and working alongside
They nevertheless succumbed in The aim of the visit was to boost
the Afghan National Army.
to forces personnel
the end and joined the rest of the relations between the two countries,
That meant learning Dari
‘polliwogs’ (those who have never giving the ship’s company a valuable
– the form of Persian spoken
crossed the line before) on the insight into the lives of the school
in Afghanistan – as well as
quarterdeck to face King Neptune children and those who care for
introducing the locals to
Suffered a Military Injury? (aka CPO(MEM) Roy Burdon) and them.
volleyball, among other sports.
We deal with all types of injury claim involving
his queen (XO Lt Cdr Derek Rae) and The college’s pupils greeted
“Schnoz was a good bloke,”
the military.
their court. the sailors with a display of fl ags
said L/Cpl ‘Deaks’ Matthews of
We can assist you with your claim under the
Having all been found guilty, the and music before welcoming them
C Company, 1 Rifles.
polliwogs were duly punished – covered inside their mosque for speeches and a
new AFCS and advise you on whether to
“He had a great sense of
in shaving foam, forced to down ‘special presentation of gifts.
pursue your claim in the civil courts under our
humour and was a fun guy to
medicine’ by Neptune’s surgeon, then dunked in The sailors then planted trees around the
be around. He was also a great
‘no win no fee’ specialist military legal
a pool by the bears. college grounds helped by the youngsters,
soldier and did everything to the
advice scheme. The reception in Jakarta was rather more before getting down to an afternoon of sport.
best of his ability.”
civilised: a platoon from the Indonesian Armed The Echo teams were ordered ‘to go easy’ on
His CO Lt Col Joe Cavanagh
Police Interview/
Forces and a military band, while Echo’s the 14-year-olds’ football and volleyball sides...
added: “Steve was a splendid
Courts Martial
Commanding Offi cer Cdr Gary Brooks was who promptly defeated the sailors.
representative of the battalion
Nigel Burn and Gilbert
contact invited to take part in a traditional dance on Having been warmly welcomed at the college,
and The Rifles. We are all very
Blades are well known for
Nigel Burn or Tean Butcher the jetty (much to the amusement of his ship’s it was only fair that the sailors repaid that
proud to have served alongside
Bank Street, Lincoln LN2 1DR company). hospitality.
their Courts Martial
him.”
Tel: 01522 512345 between 9am - 5.15pm Anyway, when not dancing, Echo’s survey Eighteen students and staff were invited to
expertise throughout the
marina Helmand round-up, pages
or for Military Discipline Matters only contact specialists were helping their Indonesian tour the ship, sample some of the finest food
UK and Europe.
counterparts with the art of studying the world’s from the galley, and dress up as a fire-fighter.
16-17
Nigel Burn Mob: 07775 860608 after 6pm
www.wilkinchapman.co.uk
oceans. Having been roundly beaten by a bunch of
We can also advise on: The ship hosted a three-day training and teenagers, Echo’s footballers restored their
Employment Issues
discussion session for a dozen survey offi cers reputation – and how – at the Police Academy
Family Problems
from the Indonesian hydrographic organisation Stadium.
Dishidros, ranging from a tour to an in-depth There were three hat-tricks – from Logs
House Purchases
look at survey planning, data collection and data Marong, ET Donnelly and AB Preston – as the
Wills
processing. sailors demolished a local media side 12-0.
The visit ended with the Indonesians watching The ship has now spent ten months of her fi ve-
A LEADING SPECIALIST IN MILITARY LAW the Echo team use their specialist software to year deployment in the Far East.
008_NN_Mar.indd 1 18/2/09 13:58:40
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