NAVY NEWS, OCTOBER 2009 5
on a daily basis...’
Victorious
brandishes
her Trident
Pictures: PO(Phot) Dave Husbands,
HMS Victorious is a proverbial
3 Commando Brigade
stone’s throw away from resuming
the Navy’s most important
mission after a successful test
fi ring of a Trident missile.
Each nuclear deterrent
submarine fires its primary
weapon (minus warhead...) at
least once per commission.
Victorious was the second
V-boat to undergo a four-year
refit at the bespoke facility in
Devonport (Vigilant is currently
receiving the same treatment).
She emerged from that
£270m ‘long overhaul period’
in the summer of 2008 and has
spent the 12-plus months since
undergoing thorough trials.
Pretty much the last act
of that thorough work-up is
Sgt Andrew Leaver earns There’s the Military Cross Lest we forget, there are Lt Cdr Andrew ‘Tank’ Murray
Demonstration and Shakedown
the Military Cross for actions too for Cpl John Ballance for still sailors and marines in and his crew from HMS Gannet
Operations and for that a V-boat
which not merely saved the braving ferocious enemy fi re Iraq, among them Cpl Greg were called to rescue climbers
has to leave Faslane and head to
life of a wounded colleague to ensure comrades could be
Llewellyn who was part of the trapped by an avalanche near
King’s Bay in Georgia – home
but also spared his unit further rescued.
Royal Navy-Royal Marines Glencoe. After three abortive
of the US Navy’s ballistic missile
casualties. The 26-year-old, serving
team helping to train the Iraqis attempts to reach a casualty,
boats.
He led a group of men to with 45 Commando, showed
aboard the Khawr Al Amaya he ditched fuel to a minimum
After two test Trident missiles
rescue the wounded man in the “outstanding, selfless
oil terminal, one of two which and stripped his Sea King of
(one primary, one back-up) were
midst of a Taleban ambush. gallantry” when he ignored the
pumps the country’s chief all personal survival gear so he
loaded at the US base, Victorious
In doing so, he showed “heavy weight of enemy fire”,
export into waiting tankers. could airlift a rescue team in.
headed to the ranges off Cape
“considerable presence of according to his citation. He
Canaveral in Florida.
mind and rapid response to an “relentlessly cleared a route
When tragedy struck When the injured climber was
And there she fired one of
extremely dangerous situation” towards stricken casualties”
the KAA, the corporal’s found he needed immediate
the Tridents. According to the
which “not only ensured the with the aid of a fellow trooper.
“quick thinking and selfl ess evacuation. Working in
official report: “The launch and
timely evacuation of a casualty The citation continues: “With
leadership” saved the life of extremely confined conditions,
subsequent flight were entirely
but prevented his colleagues complete disregard for his
a man injured in an accident. with the snow ‘re-circulating’
successful and tested the full
from being overrun by the own safety, he repeatedly ran
He receives the Queen’s reducing visibility badly and
range and accuracy of the Trident
enemy or killed in the cross fi re from cover into withering fi re
Commendation for Bravery. with just a few feet of clearance
system.”
of an ambush.” to manage the evacuation of a
“At the end of the day I between the rotor blades and
It took 18 months of planning
On hearing the news of casualty.”
was just doing my job,” said the mountain side, Lt Cdr
to reach that moment, both
his award the NCO said: “It The award left the keen
the veteran of Sierra Leone, Murray hovered the helicopter
by the ship’s company and by
makes me feel immensely rugby player from Northampton
Afghanistan and Northern for five minutes while the
Strategic Weapons team from the
proud, immensely honoured – I feeling “humbled and proud”.
Ireland. “There were many other casualty was brought on board.
Defence Equipment and Support.
couldn’t have done it without He added: “It is a great
lads doing much the same The pilot demonstrated Victorious is due to resume
the help and support of the men refl ection on the unit and the thing, but this is of course a “selfless courage” and deterrent patrols after a five-year
that served around me.” battlegroup as a whole.” very special award. I will wear it “exceptional flying skills”. He absence towards the end of the
with immense pride.” receives the Air Force Cross. year.
Lt Col Alan Litster RM, Chief- Lt Col Jim Morris RM receives Lt Col Charlie Stickland RM is
of-Staff of Task Force Helmand, the Distinguished Service Order made an OBE for his leadership
is made an OBE for “leading for his actions commanding 45 of 42 Commando and Regional
by example” performing “a role Commando. Battle Group (South) in
central to the success of one He led his group of 1,000 Afghanistan.
of the most complex counter- men “from the front, in the The 41-year-old officer gave
insurgency campaigns in recent most austere environment and a “bravura performance” in
times.” facing constant danger,” says charge. His citation continues:
The offi cer was, says his his citation. “Against a high operational
citation, “the driving force “Frequently out on patrol, tempo Lt Col Stickland
behind the headquarters. sharing and understanding the demonstrated tactical
In extremely diffi cult hardship faced by his troops, excellence and deeply-
circumstances and despite he tirelessly championed their impressive judgement, his
unremitting pressure, he welfare and wellbeing, whilst planning and execution of
produced a consummately ensuring that they made a a demanding sequence of
professional performance.” signifi cant contribution to the audacious operations drew
Lt Col Litster says the award wider campaign.” praise from the multinational
is “a direct reflection of the Said Lt Col Morris: “I am community. His achievements
@ Z Z e ^ c \ n d j ^ c i d j X ]
ed
es Limit
vic
hard work and commitment of hugely honoured to receive throughout a high-profi le and
er
the 250 men and women who this award following such an demanding tour were truly
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served with me in the Task intense and gritty operational remarkable.”
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Force Headquarters. tour for 45 Commando. I shall Lt Col Stickland said that he
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“I saw them perform to wear it with pride but I shall would wear his honour on
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extraordinarily high standards do so in the full and humbling behalf of “all the ‘smiley boys’
in a difficult and challenging knowledge that it represents of 42 Cdo”. He continued:
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environment and appreciated the endeavour, commitment “There are extraordinary men
ist
their courage, dedication and and sacrifi ce of every single doing extraordinary things all
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humour.” member of the battle group.” over there.” ; V b ^ a n V c Y [ g ^ Z c Y h W V h Z Y ^ c i ] Z J @ ! ; g ^ Z c Y h V c Y [ V b ^ a n X V c i d e " j e i ] Z ^ g a d k Z Y
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omE is a Reg
elC
Cross 1st Class for demonstrating ambushed while on patrol with carried to a helicopter, flown to
b Z h h V \ Z h [ d g Z c i ^ i a Z Y J @ b ^ a ^ i V g n e Z g h d c c Z a X d b [ d g i d [ i ] Z ^ g ] d b Z # .
W
“vigour and determination. Her 1 Rifles. hospital and is now recovering
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v
ed
leadership, energy and enthusiasm A bullet struck the body armour from the injuries he sustained
: c i ^ i a Z Y Y Z e a d n Z Y e Z g h d c c Z a X V c i d e " j e i ] Z
eser
were remarkable and in the fi nest of Cpl John List and richocheted during that attack in March. : c i ^ i a Z Y Y Z e a d n Z Y e Z g h d c c Z a X V c g Z i g ^ Z k Z e g ^ k V i Z h ^ Y Z d [ i ] Z ^ g E V g V Y ^ \ b V X X d j c i X V g Y
traditions of the Service.” through his lip, smashed his jaw Her Military Cross citation says i ] Z k d ^ X Z b V ^ a b Z h h V \ Z h [ d g [ g Z Z ^ c " i ] Z V i g Z # l ] ^ a h i h Z g k ^ c \ d c d e Z g V i ^ d c V a Y j i n d k Z g h Z V h #
m. All rights r
And like most of her comrades, and came out of his neck. she “made the difference between
she says her award is really a AB Nesbitt rushed over open life and death”.
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team effort, “refl ecting the hard ground under heavy Taleban fire
© P
As for the awardee, she says: “I
work carried out by everyone at and found the wounded soldier would have been over the moon
, + - (
Bastion. was, understandably, struggling to
with a good report.
“This award recognises the breathe.
“Being described as a hero is L Z a 8 d b : 8 j h i d b Z g 8 d c i V X i 8 Z c i g Z
whole hospital team who delivered The medic created an airway
just too much – I did my job the D e Z c ^ c \ ] d j g h / J @ B d c � ; g ^ % + / % % � ' ' / % %
exceptional trauma care in diffi cult through the nose to help Cpl List
best I could.” I Z a Z e ] d c Z / ) ) % & ) ( - ' - ' & ' & J @ h i V c Y V g Y X ] V g \ Z
and demanding circumstances.” breathe as bullets whistled past
As for the Navy’s first female her, striking the ground.
l l l # e V g V Y ^ \ b h Z g k ^ X Z h # X d b
marina See page 36 for a full list of
recipient of the MC, she too was The soldier was subsequently operational honours
004-005_NN_Oct.indd 2 22/9/09 09:31:28
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