4 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2009
Clyde’s BAS relief
IF THEY had buses in South clustered on the shore.
Georgia, it would have been The combination, said
like waiting for one. Clyde’s CO Lt Cdr Ian Clarke,
Barely had HMS Manchester is “a heady mix of aroma and
left these far-flung waters noise to assail the senses”.
than another ship painted And sometimes the absence
battleship grey and flying the of wildlife can be equally
White Ensign appeared off impressive.
King Edward Point. Clyde’s next stop was
This time it was HMS Clyde, Drygalski Fjord where
conducting a five-day patrol of “plunging rock faces dripping
the British Overseas Territory with glaciers” towered above
and leaving her normal domain, the warship. “Drifting fog and
the Falklands, behind. cloud lent the entire scene an
Despite the onset of the ethereal air and added to the
austral autumn, the patrol sense of awe,” said Lt Cdr
ship was blessed by some Clarke.
unseasonably warm weather The last port of call before
– so unseasonably warm that the 700-mile journey back to
some sailors jumped into East Cove in the Falklands was
Cumberland Bay for a (very Bird Island off the northwest
brief) dip. tip of South Georgia.
Suitably dried out, some The island is, apparently,
then took to the football pitch one of the few rat-free places
(half bog, half thistle) for a on the planet.
match against British Antarctic It is, however, home to a
Survey scientists. lot of birds (hence the name):
The BAS-ers were delighted nearly 30,000 albatrosses
by their resounding victory. and around 50,000 macaroni
They were even more delighted penguins. There’s also one
by the delivery of fresh fruit fur seal for every six square
and veg provided by Clyde. metres of land (which by my
The ship left Grytviken for reckoning means there must
Fortuna Bay, dropping off a be about 65,000 in total – Ed).
shore party to recreate part of What Bird Island doesn’t
Shackleton’s famous journey to have is many humans – few
raise the alarm in Stromness. are permitted to visit because
The whaling station there is of the importance of the avian
now deserted. Luckily, Clyde population.
was on hand to collect the The sailors were, however,
intrepid explorers for the next allowed ashore by the BAS
leg of the patrol: on to Gold teams (thanks in part to that
Harbour. fresh fruit and veg and some
Despite the name there’s no welcome contact with the
gold in the harbour (boo – Ed). outside world), which allowed
There are, however, tens of them to get close to the gigantic
thousand of fur and elephant wandering albatrosses nesting
seals and king penguins on the island.
‘Ordinary people, ext
Double boo or Kent
m
f
‘AS HONOURABLE WARRIORS
WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE...’
THE strife is o’er, the
insurgents only ever ended one in austere conditions, in a harsh military intelligence.
battle done – for now.
way,” said WO Ed Stout, Company working environment, and under The work of the UK Landing
The men of 3 Commando
Sergeant Major, Lima Company, an ever-present enemy threat, Force Command Support Group
Brigade have returned to this
42 Commando. they have all performed superbly rarely appears in these pages,
sceptred isle as their latest six-
“We were quite happy to engage and have received endless praise probably because of the nature of
month tour of duty amid the
him – it played to our strengths from all directions for their sheer its work.
steppe and slopes, the lush green
as commandos and allowed us professionalism, dedication to duty But like the CLR, the group was
zone, the arid plains of Helmand
to demonstrate our capability to and defi antly positive attitude.” at the heart of every 3 Commando
everyone in the area.” His words are echoed by Brigade operation – providing the
and Kandahar.
On TV screens and in news Capt Jamie Jamison, second in ground troops with information
From late March and throughout
reports back in the UK, the war command of X-Ray Company, 45 on the enemy, or trying to win
April, the green berets and their
in Afghanistan is little more than Commando: over the Afghan populace.
attached Army units flew home
a statistic, each casualty merely “It’s been a very hard tour for “Our work here has had a terrible
to the UK, bringing the curtain
raising the tally of British dead. all of X-Ray Company, but it is cost, but a stable Afghanistan is in
down on Operation Herrick 9 –
To the men on the ground, such very humbling to see how the men the direct interest of the UK and
the ninth rotation of British forces
as Mne Phill White, “it’s difficult deal with not only the considerable the work that this and future units
on their peacekeeping mission in
to put into words what it was like physical challenges, but also undertake is fundamental to the
Afghanistan ended.
out there”. Statistics mean less to the very real mental anxiety of long term achievement of that
Exeter airport was invariably
soldiers than gut feelings and raw operating in the conditions which aim,” said its CO Lt Col Andrew
the setting for many a tearful
instincts. Afghanistan presents,” he said. McInerney.
homecoming.
“We have definitely made a “The bravery and It’s not merely Afghan hearts
Some might say that stepping
difference out there, I could professionalism shown on and minds which are an issue in
off an aircraft into an arrivals
see that in the seven months a daily basis by the men of Helmand and Kandahar.
lounge doesn’t have the same raw
I was there,” the green beret X-Ray – and 45 Commando “The support from families –
emotion as a ship returning from
added. – is of the highest order. and from the wider UK population
deployment.
Lt Col Charlie Stickland, “We should all be proud – has been incredible. We really
But tell that to the families who
42 Commando’s of the assistance we are could not have done it without
filled the airport with balloons and
Commanding Officer, providing the people of them,” said Lt Col McInerney.
banners to greet loved ones. said for six long months, Afghanistan – and the “So many people sent letters
There were more formal his men had “given their contribution we are and gifts to the troops – anything
greetings too. all”; four had made the making to the security from a letter to a small parcel with
Commander-in-Chief Fleet ultimate sacrifice. of the UK.” shower gel and a packet of sweets
Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope The Bickleigh-based Behind every assault, is great for morale.”
WHOOSH! Being a newspaper, we can’t do sound, so you’ll have to
welcomed Brigade commander unit took part in 19 every patrol, every thrust And so Herrick 9 is over. The
provide your own suitable soundtrack as a Seawolf missile leaves
Brig Gordon Messenger and 120 helicopter assaults among and foray by the fighting Corps’ Colours and White Ensign
its silo aboard HMS Kent.
comrades from his staff on the other patrols and operations. forces was an enormous support have been lowered at Camp
After pre-wetting herself last month (washing the upper decks
Devon tarmac. Lt Col Stickland continued: organisation who delivered fuel, Bastion and the battle flag of 19th
using her sprinkler system), the Portsmouth frigate warmed up –
The brigadier and his eclectic
“We feel very comfortable
food and material to the Forward Light Brigade raised in its place.
and how.
force – Army artillerymen and
stating that – as honourable
Operating Bases scattered across ■ A NUMBER of homecoming
The Type 23 is shaking off the cobwebs of some winter
infantry, RM Band Service, sailors
warriors – we have made a
southern Afghanistan.
parades have been or are being
maintenance, fi rst with trials, currently with Operational Sea
and submariners, naval medics and
difference.
In an eclectic brigade there was
organised to honour the brigade’s
Training, ahead of a deployment east of Suez later this spring.
surgeons also served alongside the no force more diverse than the
sacrifices in Afghanistan.
As part of that work-up, Kent had to make sure her anti-air
commandos – had left Afghanistan
“I pay tribute to my marines
Commando Logistics Regiment,
29 Regiment RA marched
defences were tip-top.
“a more governable place,” said
and those who supported them:
the constant ‘prop’ upon which all
through Plymouth and held a
So she headed to the exercise ranges – well away from other
the admiral.
to their robustness, strength of
operations rested.
service of remembrance on April
shipping or aircraft – and targeted a drone hauled on a (very long)
Brig Messenger agrees. “It was a human spirit, their trust in each To that end, the regiment was
17. Some 450 green-bereted
cable by a control aeroplane.
fight for the month of September, other, and ability to dance from on the road almost daily running
gunners were applauded through
At several hundred thousand pounds a pop, we don’t fi re live
but what we’ve seen since is a firefight to drink tea with elders Combat Logistic Patrols – formerly
the heart of the city before
Seawolf missiles too often – there was a substantial number of
marked improvement in security. and back again at a moment’s convoys, renamed to reflect the
Lord Mayor Cllr Brian Vincent
ship’s company who’d not seen the impressive sight before.
“This is a campaign that is notice. fact that there is no conventional
presented the men with their
“It’s always amazing to see such a complex system in operation
going in the right direction.” “They have soldiered in some ‘front line’ in Afghanistan – to the
campaign medals.
– but it’s only possible because of the people behind it,” said Lt
Sadly, 32 of the brigade’s of the most extraordinary – and far-flung Allied bases.
The streets of the same West
Cdr Peter Pipkin, Kent’s weapon engineer offi cer.
number paid the ultimate price – vexed – of circumstances and The men and women on
Country city will also resound
“When you see the efforts of the maintainers to keep these
“something that will stay with me never let me down.” these patrols were, said their
to the boots of 42 Commando,
systems at their optimum performance levels and the repeated for the rest of my life,” the Royal
Lt Col Neil Wilson, in charge Commanding Offi cer Col Andy
parading on May 7, and the UK
practices of the operators to make sure the drill is correct, then you Marines’ commander added. of 3 Commando’s artillery, 29 Maynard, “ordinary people
LFCSG on July 1.
begin to understand how warships work. For the members of the brigade Regiment RA, said his gunners achieving extraordinary results
The homecoming parade by
“The real value for me as the senior weapon engineer onboard who did return, there was the were “without fail, upbeat about – I’m very proud to be one of
their parent unit, 3 Commando
is to be able to demonstrate to the CO that his systems work knowledge that face-to-face, in a what they have achieved and how them.”
Brigade, is due to take place in
correctly. Nothing does that better than actually fi ring them.” straight fight, the commando spirit they have fared.” Logistics are not ‘sexy’, but they
Exeter on July 3.
Two missiles were launched and seconds later intercepted and triumphed over the insurgents. He continued: “They have are vital to any military operation. marina To the bitter end, pages 23-
destroyed the two drones. “Our engagements with the good reason to be. Despite living So too the shadowy world of 25
004-005_NN_May.indd 1 23/4/09 09:56:21
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