NAVY NEWS, JUNE 2009 11
● From the ochre sands of Saudi Arabia...
● ...the Royal Marines of 40 Commando have carried out
shore landings...
Red, blue and Green
R
E-DRAW the colour and coordinate the land assaults. C/Sgt Bell. Naval ships, helicopters, Air Force
spectrum – it seems
The last day brought a live-firing “The Marines on board were assets and Army commandos.
that the three primary
exercise, with the impressive sight getting twitchy and obviously Off the coast RFA Wave Ruler
colours have a hint of green to
of the Javelin anti-tank missiles wanted to bag a pirate or two. waited with her 820 NAS Merlin
them. Well, at least that’s the
plying their destructive trade. As there is now a dedicated task for calls for casualty evacuations
Further out at sea, British group to take on the priates, and intelligence work in this
case on this year’s massive
frigate HMS Somerset carried we sailed past and on with our complex scenario.
Taurus deployment.
out a successful refuelling from voyage.” Cdre Peter Hudson said:
Red Alligator saw the dark blue
a Saudi tanker, providing future From India the ships moved on “This has been an ambitious and
Naval ships of Taurus conduct
options for ships working in the to Bangladesh to exercise in some demanding exercise with some
a mightly offload of the Royal
Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. of the most challenging coastlines complex hurdles in a challenging
Marines of 40 Commando and
From Saudi shores the ships of of the globe. coastal and riverine environment.
their Saudi counterparts on to the
the task force moved further into Exercise Shomudro Torongo “There has been much to learn
yellow sands of Saudi Arabia – the
the east, although Bulwark’s CO (translated to Sea Wave in on both sides; the Bangladeshi
first time in 16 years that UK
Capt Wayne Keble did ruefully English) saw the British and forces have witnessed and learnt
landing forces have worked with
remark in his online diary that the Bangladeshi forces forge links in from some of the RN’s best
Saudi troops in Saudi training Royals and their vehicles did seem their fight against terrorism and practices and in turn the Royal
areas. to have brought back a great deal their training for natural disasters Navy has learnt a huge amount
The five-day exercise began of the Saudi desert with them... in the region. from our hosts, who are far more
with the three British ships HMS “The fact that so many of our Another five-day exercise and used to working in such complex
Bulwark, RFA Lyme Bay and sailors and marines are employed another amphibious landing for waterways.
HMS Somerset joining with their in direct support of evolutions the men of 40 Commando. “This sort of activity is vital
Saudi counterparts to journey such as dock operations, flight This time it was training and for us – after all, you don’t find
down through the Red Sea and deck ops and assault stations working alongside the Bangladeshi many waterways such as these in
land their nation’s troops ashore. means that the standard shininess Navy – the first joint action Devon.”
4 Assault Squadron RM’s tends to decline,” he lamented. between the two Naval forces Once in Singapore, the Taurus
C/Sgt Roo ‘Dinger’ Bell “So come the need, come the in more than a decade – and flagship HMS Bulwark conducted
commented: “This was a good matelot or marine. And it was plunging ashore on to the Ganges a service of remembrance to mark
run out of our amphibious assets, out with the buckets, mops and Delta. the centenary of Naval aviation
and it really put our skills to the Mr Sheen. Fast boats and landing craft and to remember the men of the
test over a beach with a constantly “It was a similar task on the from 4 ASRM and 539 ASRM Fleet Air Arm who were killed in
moving sandbar. upper deck, with some areas carried out their jobs in the action or died in captivity during
“This meant that the vehicles requiring a little maintenance – riverine environment, prowling the battles for the island between
driving off the landing craft were no better place to do the work the waters in search of suspicious 1941 and 1945.
almost certainly going to struggle than whilst basking in the Indian contacts ashore. A visit to Malaysia’s Kota
– and struggle they did.” Ocean sun.” The Marines of Charlie Kinabalu saw the departure of
Once safely ashore at Wadi The journey through the Bab Company, 40 Cdo, charged Cdre Hudson, who handed over
Sirr, the Brits and Saudis took El Mandeb straits did offer up ashore to practise anti-ambush his task group and title to Cdre
part in combined training ashore some temptation to the Marines drills, patrols and the setting-up Paul Bennett.
and on board, where Commander on board however. of observation posts. The former CO of HMS Daring
UK Amphibious Task Group “Once safely on the other side, The exercise brought in a variety has taken over mid-deployment
Cdre Peter Hudson welcomed the pirate hotspot of Somalia was of different government agencies: while Cdre Hudson returns to the
a Saudi Arabian battle staff led to our starboard side, and at a Bangladeshi security forces; UK to take up his promotion to
by a commodore on board his time the Somali pirates were at intelligence agencies; police; and Rear Admiral, Commander UK
flagship HMS Bulwark to plan the peak of their activity,” said coastguard; alongside Bangladeshi Maritime Forces.
● ...To the Ganges delta in Bangladesh, the Taurus deployment has been challenging its ships and personnel to excel in amphibious operations
Pictures: LA(Phot) Shaun Barlow, HMS Bulwark
011_NN_jun09.indd 1 21/5/09 14:38:55
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