24 NAVY NEWS, APRIL 2009
● HMS Clyde as seen fromom
San Carlos cemeterery
STOOPING sharply as we make
our way up a steep road, we cling
tightly to our caps (his a smart IN THE fiIN nal of two reports on life and operations
dark blue beret, mine a not-so- in the Falklands in 2009, in Richard Hargreaves
smart RN beenie). looks at the work of the islands’ two naval lo
The road to Stanley is closed to prevent
stalwarts, HMS Clyde and RFs A Black Rover
vehicles toppling over. The White Ensign
billows furiously from the flagstaff. The
gangway whistles as the austral wind
buffets it.
The crest of the waves scurrying – there’s
Teamwork isn’t just limited to the confines “We get out and about, get to work with
no other word for it – across East Cove, a
of the ship herself. the RAF a lot more, even go fl ying with the
natural harbour for which the description
“We regularly exercise with the local Search and Rescue helicopter.”
‘bleak’ seems woefully inadequate, are
infantry company – with a lot of success. Her shipmate PO Harding adds: “There
white.
They seem to have a brilliant time on board,” is much more to the islands than Mount
“This is not windy,” Lt Phil Burgess, HMS
says Lt Cdr Lovatt. Pleasant and the Globe [a popular hostelry in
Clyde’s marine engineer officer hollers.
“In fact, you work with the Army and RAF Stanley…]. Get out and enjoy the islands.”
What?
on a weekly basis on a scale which you
WHICH a lot of people seem to be doing
“This. This is not windy.”
would not in the UK.”
– ‘eco tourists’ mainly.
No? THE RN is very much in the minority Tourism is big bucks in the Falklands. Ten
“No. The week before Christmas gusts of on the islands; of the 1,000 or so million bucks (well, pounds actually) each
80kts were recorded – we were alongside British personnel concentrated ‘on year.
and the ship was bouncing up and down...” camp’ – Mount Pleasant – two thirds The waterfront in Stanley – where visitors
I can believe it. are RAF, there are 300 or so soldiers, (and locals) look out upon the names of
For ten years I’ve written about the with around 50 matelots either in the previous guardians of the islands spelled
Falklands, studied the history books, peered complex, or ten minutes’ drive away at by giant boulders: Endurance, Protector,
at the photographs, but never actually been East Cove Military Port (often referred Dumbarton Castle – is a mini Mecca for
there – the only one of the Navy News team to as Mare Harbour… but Mare Harbour visiting cruise ships.
not to have the ‘South Atlantic experience’. is actually the next inlet along). There’s no Ye Olde Falklandse Tea Shoppe
What’s it like? And the smallest presence of the smallest (yet). But there are plenty of gift shops where
Wet Wales. No trees. A bit like the Service on the islands can be found at the you can (and people do) pick up penguin-
Orkneys. Windy. top of that steep road which runs down to related souvenirs.
Unremittingly windy, I might add. Clyde’s jetty, Naval Engineering Falkland At the height of summer one, perhaps two,
And for me, like most RN visitors to the Islands or NEFI. cruise ships a day squeeze through Stanley
South Atlantic, a few days of such weather Visiting destroyers, frigates and RFA, plus Narrows and berth at the port (larger liners
is probably enough. the tugs which support the British military must drop anchor in Port William and come
For the 40 men and women aboard HMS effort in the Falklands make use of the dozen ashore in small craft).
Clyde, there’s no such escape. Indeed, most or so engineers, shipwrights and four sailors Every cruise ship generates at least £18
of the time they’re out in it. looking after the stores and (very long) per passenger for the islands (and that’s
Finding her alongside at East Cove is supply chain. before they start spending; the Falklands
the exception, not the rule. Three out of The engineers also have the poignant duty charge a landing fee).
every four days, the patrol ship is on, er, of maintaining all the naval war memorials Fifty thousand such passengers set down
patrol, somewhere around the Falklands, around the islands – easier said than done in Stanley each year – and the fi gure is
occasionally beyond – the canals of as they’re almost all in far-fl ung, inaccessible rising.
Patagonia, the fjords of South Georgia. locations. They are here to sample the islands’
“If you ask a sailor, they probably enjoy the Looking after HMS Clyde is the number- wildlife: its penguins, its crystal-clear
‘Clyde experience’,” her CO Lt Cdr Graham one priority – although the team is only waters, its starkly-beautiful landscape, the
Lovatt says emphatically. responsible for her boats, not the ship cormorants, the albatrosses, the petrels, the
“We have the best military accommodation herself (which is owned and maintained by dolphins.
on the island.” (Having stayed on camp, her builders BVT). All of which, if they’re lucky, they’ll see.
I agree.) “We have the best food by far.” “Because of where we are and the facilities And they’ll also see (and certainly hear…)
(Having eaten on camp, I agree.) we have, there is a challenge fi xing things two F3 Tornados passing low over Stanley
Indeed, outside the RFA, the Rivers have – we’re 8,500 miles from home where there Harbour – “the roar of freedom” some
probably the best ‘creature comforts’ in the are parts and equipment on tap,” explains islanders call it.
Fleet – spacious en-suite cabins, TVs with WO1 Mark Badstevener. It’s all part of a subtle effort, a propaganda
access to four channels at sea or in port, plus “So we’ve got a ‘can-do’ attitude. If we campaign for want of a better phrase
email and internet access, as well as the 30 can, we will make it work.” (‘info ops’ is the correct offi cial term), to
minutes’ phone calls home each week. Like Clyde’s ship’s company, the demonstrate inwardly and outwardly that the
Which all sounds rather nice. There’s a engineers do six months at East Cove British forces are here: to locals, to visitors,
● At Hill Cove anchorage and (above) South Georgia’s penguin
population appear less than impressed by Clyde’s presence
catch. It’s called work. (“unlike the RAF part-timers,” one waspishly to tourists, to potential foes.
“People think the Rivers are a cushy observed – Crabs typically do four months at “We reassure the local populace, put on a
number – the accommodation is good, Mount Pleasant). show of strength, let people know we’re
the food is better, the camaraderie is even Ten years ago it was a task for 40 exercising, let the papers know what’s
better, but you work a hell of a lot harder as engineers. Today, there are just 11 sailors going on,” explains the planner of
well,” says AB Mark Cross. here. maritime operations at Mount
Clyde is a souped-up River-class. She’s It is one of the smallest – and most Pleasant, Lt Cdr Mike Burke, a
got bigger guns than her sisters, air radar, independent – outposts in the RN empire. straight-talking submariner (as
a fl ight deck (rather than a winching area) – Independence from the UK means a submariners tend to be…)
and carries fi ve extra crew as a result. few touches you won’t necessarily fi nd who’s inspired by a signed
Souped up or not, she still doesn’t have back in Blighty – White Ensign curtains portrait of 80s action star
many sailors: a ship’s company of just 40 for a start. And there’s a pet cat Chuck Norris (aka ‘The
(the sailors spend six months in Clyde as (Nelson, naturally) looked after by Chuck’) on his wall.
part of the rotation of the Fishery Protection the engineers. “It’s a case of: don’t
Squadron’s pool of matelots) means that “We’re a close-knit unit,” says mess with us, we’ll
the men and women are double, triple, even WO Badstevener. “We have to get give you a bloody
quadruple-hatted when it comes to duties on. We do get on. We take time nose. It’s very
on board. Every one of them is needed when out for sport once a week, go much a cold war
the patrol ship’s replenishing from tanker off at weekends as a unit paint scenario.”
Black Rover, for example. balling, horse riding.”
Most of Clyde’s sailors are ‘small shippers’ In fact, speak to anyone
– they’ve spent their careers in fi shery serving down here, whichever
protection or mine warfare. Service, and they’ll play up
But not PO(AH) Scott Harding, the fl ight the lifestyle down here.
deck offi cer. Big ships have loomed large in “It’s far from dull – it’s
● (This and main picture) Clyde makes her way through the
stunning canals of Patagonia
his career (Invincible, Illustrious and, shortly, certainly more interesting
Ocean). than the other Rivers,”
“It’s an eye-opener,” he admits. “Clyde’s says HMS Clyde’s
raison d’être is not aviation – we’re a patrol AB(Sea) Mandy Drake.
ship with a fl ight deck.
“You’re drawn into the small ship team,
how everyone aboard has multiple roles –
I’m also swimmer of the watch, for example.
You work as a team on a carrier fl ight deck,
but on Clyde the teamwork aspect is really,
really driven home.”
024-025_NN_Apr.indd 1 17/3/09 11:23:57
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58