6 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2009
Same ship,
different day
Statistically speaking
WHERE are we now? What are
we doing?
The questions are posed by
HMS Richmond.
SUCCESS on a naval
And the answers are the same deployment can often be
as last month: the Gulf and
unquantifiable.
keeping Iraq’s oil platforms safe.
There was a good exercise here,
Yep, ground forces might be
we learned some lessons there,
enjoying the drawdown from
had a good run ashore in Port X,
Iraq, but it’s business as usual for
rebuilt a school in Town Y. Audacious
the ships attached to Coalition
But facts, statistics are even
Task Force 158 which patrol the
better. Here’s one for the record
waters around the two terminals.
books. Two and a half million
era begins
It is, as anyone who’s spent
people did not starve for a month
time doing the CTF patrol will
tell you, rather Groundhog Day-
thanks to the efforts of 180 Britons
THIS is a ship’s badge not seen
esque.
aboard HMS Northumberland.
for 95 years.
As TV viewers will soon find
The frigate arrived back in
Not since the waters of the
out.
Devonport after six months away
Atlantic closed over a stricken
A crew from the Discovery
with the feeling of something very
battleship has the name
Channel joined the Portsmouth-
worthwhile achieved.
‘Audacious’ appeared in the
based Type 23 to interview the
Northumberland departed
annals of the RN.
ship’s company and capture
these shores on a whistle-stop tour
But now it’s back with
footage for an impending
of three oceans – Indian, South
the keel for the new attack
programme, provisionally entitled
Atlantic, South Pacific.
submarine HMS Audacious laid
Life At Sea and earmarked for
Events dictated that she would
down in Cumbria.
screening in the early autumn.
see only the first of those oceans
Work gathering material
There has been some bad
as the frigate was committed to a
for the fourth of Britain’s
weather at least to break up the
new European Union task force
Astute-class nuclear boats –
repetitive nature of steaming
to grapple the increasing piracy
replacements for the Swiftsure
around the KAAOT and ABOT
menace off Somalia.
and Trafalgar class – has been
terminals.
Among the victims of the
under way since 2007.
“We’ve had the most amazing
brigands were ships of the UN’s
But the boat only truly
lightning storm we’ve ever seen,”
World Food Programme which
begins to take shape with
enthused LET(WE) ‘Robby’
deliver sustenance to Somalis
the formal laying of its keel,
Robertson.
unable to feed themselves.
a task performed by Defence
His enthusiasm was possibly
Northumberland became the
Secretary John Hutton at BAE
Systems’ yard at Barrow-in-
also sparked by the fact that the
first vessel to safely escort some of
Furness.
storm meant there was no need
these food ships to Somalia – some
● The balloon says it all (and there’s a good chance the word ‘Northumberland’ wouldn’t fi t)... The As the fourth of a proposed
to wash the upper deck with fresh
singly, some in convoy, including
frigate returns to Devonport after more than six months away, most of the time on anti-piracy patrol class of seven boats, engineers
water for once.
a 1,500-mile escort mission
Picture: LA(Phot) Abbie Gadd, FRPU West at Barrow are including
“The dust just gets everywhere;
shepherding ships to Mogadishu,
lessons learned building her
the 4.5 inch gun had a lovely
then around the Horn of Africa to
“Delivering food aid was my Some of those activities you will was installed and tested,” said Cdr
sisters and the submarine will
suntan due to the sand and dust
Bosaso, and Berbera.
proudest moment. I am especially have read about in these pages, Simpson. “To a huge sigh of relief
feature minor changes to her
stuck to it,” said Robby.
The warship’s achievements
proud of my ship’s company for some you might have seen in from all, the engine obligingly
equipment, such as improved
“It looks like the fake stuff that were not lost on any of her ship’s the way they rose to the challenge, national newspapers, and some started first time.”
chilled water plants.
you buy and when it runs you company, nor their friends and they responded magnificently. you will see on the telly in the The only ones not breathing a
The role of all Astutes will be
look like the Tango man/woman family. “We had many successes in the future. sigh of relief, perhaps, were the
the same: to root out potential
in disguise.” “We managed to ensure the Gulf of Aden on counter-narcotics TV hard man Ross Kemp – owners of the Salalah Hilton and
enemy above or below the
There’s an impending break delivery of 50,000 tonnes of food – duties and general policing of formerly Grant Mitchell on Oasis Club – among a few places
surface of the waves, to gather
from the repetitive patrols as the enough to feed 2½ million people the sea to counter destabilising EastEnders – has carved out a in the Omani port with alcohol
intelligence, conduct beach
frigate is now heading for Dubai for one month,” said her CO Cdr activities, basically anything illegal new career championing Britain’s licences – who (unsurprisingly)
reconnaissance and launch
for a stand-down period. Martin Simpson. on the water. “ forces on the front line. He spent did “brisk business”. Cdr Simpson
Tomahawk missile strikes
a couple of weeks aboard the added: “To their regret, and our
against targets on land.
frigate while she chased pirates delight, we finally sailed.”
Of Audacious’ three older
to film footage for a forthcoming Probably few of
sisters, Astute has been
documentary. Northumberland’s ship’s company
launched but is undergoing
With Ross and the film crew were more delighted than LReg
work while Ambush and
landed in Djibouti, the frigate Ken Stokes.
Artful are in various stages of
prepared to head for home… His son Ethan leapt into his
completion.
except that the marine engineers arms on the Devonport jetty –
Around 5,000 workers at
decided Northumberland needed after proudly showing off his
Barrow are involved in the
a new engine to carry her home. younger brother Dylan.
Astute programme. Mr Hutton
An engine change is a Dylan was born as
praised them for their efforts
complicated manoeuvre at the Northumberland left; dad was
over the past eight years (the
best of times. Half a world away it given permission by the ship to
first boat was laid down in early
needs one very big aircraft, a large stay behind for the birth and join
2001).
mobile crane, and a port capable the frigate in Mombasa, which
“Submarines are extremely
of doing the job. he did.
demanding engineering
The port chosen was Salalah in “It’s great to see the family
projects, and the Astute class
Oman. A big aircraft was found. again, especially little Dylan,” said
is no exception,” he said.
And so too was a replacement Ken.
“The skills, expertise and
diesel engine. “The deployment was very
commitment of the Barrow
“After five days of round-the- rewarding – the World Food
workforce are absolutely
clock graft, sweat, and swearing Programme was a very good
fundamental to the success of
by the marine engineers, the diesel cause.”
the Astute programme.”
As for her predecessor, the
Fighting G’s got
King George V-class battleship
HMS Audacious struck a mine
while exercising with the Grand
Fleet off the northern coast of
fi ghting spirit
Ireland in October 1914.
All of her ship’s company
were saved, but despite a
major salvage operation, the
THE name HMS Gloucester Most ships earn a ‘satisfactory’
dreadnought could not be and
now sits alongside those of Hood, – pass – from the FOSTies. Some
foundered two dozen miles off
Rodney, Nelson and King George earn ‘very satisfactory’. But
Malin Head.
V among others. in 2008 none of the big ships
The Fighting G joins others impressed as much as Gloucester,
inscribed in silver on a trophy once which was working up to an
Daring on
awarded to men of 1st Battle le imimpending South Atlantic
Squadron who mannedd dedeployment.
those castles of steel in twwo Newly-appointed
display
global conflagrations. FFOST, Rear Admiral
For 55 years, the Chris Snow, said the WE THINK the queue for this
squadron’s Racing destroyer’s sailors had one could be quite long...
Cutter Crew trophy has shown “fighting spirit” The public will be able to tour
lain unused, but now and “determination” the most-talked-about British
it’s back – although the throughout the ardours warship in a generation over two
reason for awarding it of training – ardours days this summer.
has changed. made more arduous The gangway of Type 45
The silver trophy has bby some engineering destroyer HMS Daring will be
been reinstated as the FOST breakdowns and the lack of open – for free – during the
Herbert Lott Efficiency Award a dedicated ship’s flight. ‘Royal Navy Past and Present’
for major warships, in recognition “The positive attitude and weekend of July 18 and 19.
of the destroyer/frigate or capital strong motivation of the ship’s As well as Daring inviting the
ship whose sailors most impress company was fundamental to a public aboard, the Royal Marines
the tough taskmasters of the Flag resounding success at OST,” says Band and RN physical training
Officer Sea Training. the trophy citation. instructors will be performing
Every warship must undergo “Far exceeding her formal in the Victory Arena, next to
the rigmarole of OST either in training objectives, Gloucester Nelson’s flagship, and model boat
Devonport for larger surface ships, proved her readiness for active displays will be held on the Mast
or in Faslane for mine warfare tasking with style and charisma.” Pond.
vessels and submarines. Aside from the trophy and a Although entry to the historic
The two-month ‘workout’ is framed citation, FOST also dockyard, the arena and Daring
intended to test a ship’s company handed over a cheque for £1,000 is free, visitors will still have to
to the limit – so that when they are to the ship’s welfare fund which pay to tour Victory, Mary Rose,
tested for real, they are more than is likely to be spent when the Warrior and the museums in the
a match for a challenge. destroyer visits Rio. historic dockyard.
006_NN_May.indd 1 21/4/09 12:44:42
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