NAVY NEWS, APRIL 2009 37
reated priceless legacy
A
Times correspondent “The advent of the fast submarine
captured the essence has led to the introduction by the
of those early days at Fleet of increasingly complex anti-
Portland, describing a submarine exercises, and it is in the
pattern and trials which have a four weeks’ sea programme that
familiar ring. the work-up ships are introduced
“During shakedown,” he to these new techniques.
wrote, “the ship carries out at-sea “So the sea training commences
emergency drills and exercises with graded exercises in anti-
designed to test each department. submarine warfare, navigation,
“Seamanship drills are carried seamanship and gunnery besides
out, the ship’s engines are run the drills that are required for
at varying speeds, emergency escort work and those needed for
steering methods are checked, the the protection of the ship in the
ship’s guns and anti-submarine event of conventional and nuclear
mortars are fired, and the
warfare.
vessel’s communications, radar,
“Finally, in the last weeks of the
and ASDICs are checked and
training, the ship returns to sea for
calibrated, all in slow time.
a series of more advanced day and
“A warship is a complex unit,”
night exercises, culminating in an
wrote the correspondent.
inspection of the warship under
“Besides the day-to-day
wartime conditions by the Flag
domestic affairs required in
Officer Sea Training.
catering for her complement, she
“With this completed, the vessel
has to be ready at all times for both
is ready to take her place in the
the expected and the unknown.
Fleet.”
“During her commission she
will have to pay official visits to the
ports of foreign powers; she will
receive on board many VIPs; she
T
HURSDAY War, anyone?
FOST became an
expression known to
make the hardiest of souls
may be called upon to assist in the
quake in their steaming boots.
quelling of a riot ashore; to give aid
● Elements of 9 Assault Squadron RM (9 ASRM) train in
The training packages
to the victims of an earthquake, to
Zodiacs under the auspices of FOST, carrying out surf drill
undertaken at Portland by so
assist in a rescue at sea or even to
at Tregantle beach in Whitsand Bay
many ships were renowned for
make herself seaworthy after an
Picture: PO(Phot) Sean Clee, RN Photographer of the Year x 2
their rigorous high standards.
accident or enemy action.
Every ship came under the
“All this is covered by special
operational control of FOST and Arethusa inadvertently fired of range, height and depth than Bay in sufficient quantity to
had to adapt to huge changes.
drills, practiced during the harbour
emerged in better shape, with practice shells into the fields of was available off Portland. threaten OST, so FOST stayed put
In the context of this churn,
training week, while the seagoing
a ship’s company worked up to Manor Farm at Galton, scaring Commercial sea and air traffic until July 1995, when budgetary
operations at sea continuously
defects are being rectified.
the very peak of professional and two women working there. were also constraining training pressures caused FOST to transfer
require the mastery of rapidly-
“It is quite a common operational efficiency. It seems entirely appropriate activity – there was a threat that
his flag to Plymouth – where sea
evolving technology, imposing
occurrence in the Portland base Training was not restricted that both ladies were invited on oil fields in Lyme Bay would force
training continues to this day and
strains that are not easily
to see some eastern potentate with to the RN; such was FOST’s board for a cup of tea and the FOST to relocate.
to the same exacting standards.
accommodated.
his retinue, all colourfully clad in reputation that almost every matter was resolved. Preferred options were
In this taut environment of
long flowing robes, being received western European navy sent some Periods of financial austerity Plymouth, Rosyth, or the well-
on board one of the work-up ships of its ships to Portland. and diminishing defence budgets established training grounds
with the gentlemen of the press in Some serials didn’t go quite meant that Portland’s future off Gibraltar, though Milford
attendance. according to plan, of course. became increasingly insecure. Haven, Benbecula, Loch Ewe,
T
HE period since World
War 1 has witnessed huge
meagre resources FOST has
changes in the demands
become pivotal in maintaining
placed on the Navy.
the Royal Navy as the premier
“In reality the ‘foreign’ visitors In 1958 the 2,000-ton HMS As early as 1975, considerations Invergordon and Campbeltown
From peace, to total war and
maritime force in the world today;
perhaps not the largest and maybe
and the ‘gentlemen of the press’ Grenville was warming its engines were given to closure, not only were also considered, as was a
then Cold War; from the world’s
not the most sophisticated – but
are officers and ratings from the alongside in Portland when she due to the lack of money but also mobile option using the aircraft
most powerful navy to severe fiscal
work-up staff who are testing the surged ahead, ramming the 360- because of the future introduction carrier HMS Triumph, since 1964 limitations; and from independent
absolutely the most professional.
ceremonial routine of the ship.” ton HMS Shoulton. of new vehicles and weapon a heavy repair ship. naval power to reliance on other With thanks to Cdr D Williams,
The correspondent continued: And in 1968, the frigate HMS systems requiring greater freedom Oil was not discovered in Lyme services and nations, the Navy has FOST (S) Staff Cdr/Chief of Staff
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