NAVY NEWS, OCTOBER 2009 13
Slick work
Picture: LA(Phot) Terry Boughton, FRPU East
with the tanks
at Thanckes
ON THE list of things you don’t
want to happen, apart from
the Aussies winning the Ashes,
a visit from the taxman, and
receiving a copy of Ant and Dec’s
autobiography for your birthday,
a fuel dump going up in fl ames
on your doorstep probably fi gures
quite highly.
So it’s a good job we practise
to make sure that doesn’t happen
– as the residents of Torpoint
discovered.
They live on the doorstep
of Thanckes depot – opposite
Devonport Naval Base – one of
six in the UK fuelling the fl eet.
Thanckes comprises more than
a dozen above-ground tanks and
has provided fuel for Royal Navy,
Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Allied
warships for more than 80 years
(in many cases via the original
tanks which were built across the
water in the dockyard).
Some of the tanks hold Dieso,
which powers the Fleet, some
Avcat for ships’ aviation assets,
and a handful are used by vessels
to dump waste oil and bilge water.
All in all, it’s not something you
want to catch fi re, but if it does…
And so the RN, the Defence
Fuels Group (responsible for
the depot), local authorities
and the emergency services
staged a day-long ‘what if’ test
of their response to a disaster at
Thanckes.
The disaster was a fuel tanker National treasures
crashing into one of the storage
tanks after its driver suffered
a heart attack. That caused a
fuel spillage, fi re, and a huge
THE most famous
cannon from the ship, directed by Mark Stanhope explained: “The the visitor attractions at all the good service record.”
(imaginary) plume of black smoke vessel ever to bear the
Master Gunners Charles Payton bringing together of the museums museums, including the possibility He added: “Another aim for
towering over Torpoint.
prefi x HMS will remain a
and Martin Bibbings. will allow all of us to understand of adding a 20th-Century warship the future is to put a cover over
As in the case of a real
From next year, the new
better our cultural identity as to the Portsmouth museum. the Victory Arena. It would be
accident, all Cornish households
commissioned warship,
National Museum of the Royal
an island nation – one with a The director general of the expensive, but on the other hand
within 1,000 metres (3,280ft)
fl agship of the Second Navy will be responsible for the
seafaring tradition, dependent on National Museum, Dr Dominic it costs a lot of money to maintain
of Thanckes – around 3,000 Sea Lord, fully funded and heritage part of the ship, including
maritime trade and the freedom of Tweddle, said: “The museum was Victory where she is, open to the
residents in all – were alerted,
supported by the Royal
visitors and marketing.
the seas.” established to support Victory and elements.”
while across the water in Devon,
He said an understanding of the it’s an excellent museum for the It was also announced that the
Plymouth City Council was doing
Navy.
The National Museum will
also embrace the four existing
past was vital for Navy’s future. “A age of sail, but visitors complain – wreck found earlier this year in
the same.
Rumours that Nelson’s fl agship
naval museums; the Royal Naval
powerful heritage underpins our quite rightly – that we need more the English Channel is almost
In the event of a real fi re, roads
was to be decommissioned – or ,’
would have been closed, homes
even sold off – were rife in 2008,
Museum in Portsmouth; the
strong ethos, values and fi ghting about the 20th-Century Navy. certainly ‘the other HMS Victory
Admiral Balchin’s fl agship, which
evacuated and the like. In this
following a review into her upkeep
Submarine Museum in Gosport;
spirit. It is the business of all of “We are creating new galleries
went down in a storm in 1744,
instance, the wind whipped up
and funding.
the Fleet Air Arm Museum in
us to be the guardians of this which will give us the space to
with the loss of all hands.
and spared homes being affected.
Despite assurances at the
Yeovilton and the Royal Marines
tradition and to safeguard it for extend our displays and hold
our successors, and I am certain special exhibitions. Ideally I The MOD and Department
“It’s in our interests – and
time that she would remain in
Museum in Southsea.
the National Museum of the Royal hope we can get a 20th-Century for Culture, Media and Sport will
in the interests of the public
commission, there was a public
Up to now the Navy has been
Navy will play a central role in that warship here. It might be HMS start a consultation later this year
– that we keep refreshing our
outcry when it was feared HMS
the only one of the Services
process.” Caroline, which is in Belfast, or it about what should be done with
contingency plans and take any
Victory’s future was under threat.
not to have a national museum.
Plans are under way to improve might be another warship with a the wreck.
fresh thinking into account,” said
The news was announced by
The aim is to retain the strong
Insp Martin Williams of Devon
defence minister Baroness Taylor
individuality of each museum, but
and Cornwall Police.
at the launch of the National
pool resources in administration
Capt ‘JJ’ Taylor, Devonport’s
Museum of the Royal Navy in the
and management to promote
Captain Base Safety, added: “We
Victory Arena in Portsmouth. the nation’s naval heritage more
all work together closely anyway,
It was followed by a dramatic successfully.
but this was a chance to show the
celebratory broadside of 64 First Sea Lord Admiral Sir
people of Torpoint – and further
afi eld – that we work in their
interests and take their safety, and
that of the staff of the depot, very
seriously.”
RN role under
mag spotlight
IF YOU need reminding of the
importance of the RN and the sea
to our nation’s prosperity (and
hopefully Navy News readers
shouldn’t...), then there’s a new
publication supported by the
The British March King and
Senior Service to get that message
across. the Band of HM Royal Marines
Global Force 2009 was formally
launched by First Sea Lord
Plymouth Division
Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope at
These historic recordings by Kenneth Alford
the Defence Systems Equipment
International exhibition in include most of his famous compositions
London’s Docklands. ● Heart of Oakham... Sailors and RAF personnel parade the freedom
Admiral Stanhope described scroll through the centre of Rutland’s county town
especially Colonel Bogey – the theme music
the 110-page booklet, produced Picture: SAC Sarah Hanson, RAF Cottesmore of ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’. Also
in conjunction with Newsdesk
Communications, as a “clear and
easy-to-read account of the day-
to-day operations of the Royal
Harriers honoured
many of his other well known marches:
The Thin Red Line, On the Quarterdeck, The
Standard of St George, HM Jollies and The
Navy across the globe”.
It casts its net across the FOR the fi rst time naval airmen and ground crew joined their RAF Voice of the Guns; a selection of his post
entire spectrum of RN/RM comrades as their achievements in Afghanistan were honoured in their
horn solos, a xylophone duet, piccolo solo
activities, including conflict in ‘home town’.
Afghanistan, the importance of Five years’ commitment at Kandahar by Joint Force Harrier – the (Bill the Bosun) and many more recordings
protecting Britain’s sea lanes, combined RN-RAF jump jet unit based at RAF Cottesmore – came to
including Sousa’s marches Semper Fidelis
defending against aerial, seaborne an end in the summer when the Tornadoes finally took over providing
and underwater threats, and ground support. and The Stars and Stripes Forever. ‘Alford
the importance of the Trident The Naval Strike Wing and RAF 1(F) and IV Squadrons had taken it
Conducts Alford’ are rare recordings gems - a must for any music lover and serious
deterrence. in turns to aid ground forces tackling insurgents in Afghanistan, flying
The booklet is aimed at movers more than 8,500 sorties in the process. collectors of military band music
and shakers in society, such as To mark their return, a freedom parade was organised in Oakham,
industry leaders, explaining what ‘capital’ of Rutland – and the nearest town to Cottesmore. Double Compact Disc, 32 tracks 100 minutes £15.00 incl p+p (UK and Overseas)
the Senior Service does – and why The air station has enjoyed the freedom of the small town for 21 years,
Make cheques payable to Eastney Collection – most major credit cards also accepted
it’s vital to the well-being of the but has not exercised that privilege since 2004 – when RN jump jets were
nation. still based in Yeovilton – thanks to its commitments in Afghanistan.
Eastney Collection, 60 Mayford Road, London SW12 8SN
A downloadable version is Cdr ‘Stinger’ Rae, deputy Joint Force Harrier commander, led the tel: 020-8673-6157; fax: 020-8772-9545: Email: eastneycol@aol.com
available for free from www. parade by 200 RN and RAF personnel and Oakham mayor Cllr Jan
royalnavy.mod.uk/upload/pdf/ Fillingham took the salute, while Harrier fly pasts were conducted by www.eastneycollection.com
RNGF09_sep09_72dpi.pdf naval and air force pilots.
013_NN_Oct.indd 1 22/9/09 09:59:53
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