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NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2010 17
700,000 miles (and sausages)
later...
● HMS Trafalgar returns to Devonport for the fi nal time at the end of last year, shortly before her decommissioning
Picture: LA(Phot) James Crawford
THE Trafalgar story’s over,
we do when they’re operational –
right?
that’s why we keep crew on board
She’s made her final entry
for such a long time.”
For that reason there will be
Traf factors
into Devonport. She’s formally
deeps aboard Trafalgar well into
decommissioned. The
the summer, perhaps for
Trafalgar travelled nearly 200,000 miles Trafalgar’s two electrolysers produced 1983. Trafalgar’s crew have seen
White Ensign has as long as 18 months
on the surface and more than 500,000 enough oxygen from water to support off 700,000 sausages, nearly 300
been lowered for after decommissioning.
beneath the sea. 300 humans for a lifetime (the equivalent tonnes of potatoes, 80,000 steaks
the final time. Her
The reactor cools down
She sailed into and out of her home output of 900 mature oak trees). on Saturdays and fish on Fridays,
port of Devonport on more than 250 As a by-product the same more than 100 tonnes of curry and
ship’s company have
naturally. There’s no way
occasions. She also dropped in on electrolysers produced enough 5,000,000 cups of tea.
scattered to the
of speeding it along.
more than 50 ports overseas. hydrogen on each three-month patrol A typical patrol lasts 90 days – the limit
four corners of
Only then will
she join the other
On a standard three-month patrol, her to fill the Hindenburg (200,000 cubic is set only by the amount of food Trafalgar
the Silent Service
decommissioned
periscope watchkeepers walked more metres/7,000,000 cubic feet). can carry. By reverting to ‘fleet rations’
(well, two actually
nuclear boats
than 16 miles in a circle as they scoured Each patrol some 2,500,000 litres of (smaller portions) she could extend
– Plymouth and beginning with
the ocean’s surface. fresh water were produced by her osmosis patrols to 120 days.
Faslane). Dreadnought up
The boat’s nuclear reactor has plants – enough to fill an Olympic-sized Just short of 3,000 deeps have
Well, not entirely. to R and S boats
produced enough power to support swimming pool. served in Trafalgar since her launch;
As you read this – awaiting their fate
a town the size of Swindon (pop. In excess of two million meals around 500 of them have had the
two months after the in Devonport and
155,000) for 26 years. have been cooked in the galley since pleasure of living in the ‘bomb shop’.
decommissioning, three Rosyth.
after the boat made her way But tending to the reactor is
up the Hamoaze under her own only one part of a lengthy process
Shepherd might keep the
know and love. go where (sort of your neck bone’s With the boat’s demise, so the
steam for the last time – she still which will see the heart and soul
nameplate on his cabin door,
“It is a horrible feeling seeing connected to your head bone in freedom scroll was returned.
has three-quarters of her normal ripped out of Trafalgar.
otherwise pretty much everything
people coming in like vultures, reverse). For the final time, the
ship’s company. “It’s like putting your best
else is spread around the Fleet.
grabbing this and that,” says As well as Trafalgar’s permanent submariners marched through
Even by the summer, there’ll be friend to sleep – the lads have built
The gym’s been dismantled
LET(WESM) Tony Dymond. fittings, there are some 7,000 spare Lancaster then enjoyed a civic
half the usual complement aboard. up this fantastic machine, kept
and taken to another boat. The
AB(WS(SM)) Jamie Tyrer adds parts squirreled away around reception before handing back the
Indeed, it’ll be some time in 2011 it going, built up this wonderful echo sounders have already been
dolefully: “You see her disappear the boat. Each one has to be scroll to mayor Roger Sherlock.
when the book is finally closed on camaraderie. Suddenly, you’re stripped out and taken to HMS
piece by piece. accounted for, then packaged and Deeps were invited to watch
the Trafalgar story. ending all that,” says Lt Cdr Dave Tireless. Quite a bit of kit’s lined
“It’s a weird feeling of winding- returned to naval stores so that Morecambe Town demolish
The decommissioning process is Rostron, marine engineer officer up for Turbulent, in the middle
down rather than constantly another submarine can use them Bournemouth 5-0, but there’s a
driven by how quickly the reactor for the paying-off process. of a maintenance period. The
winding-up for your next if needs be. more permanent reminder of the
cools down. It was powered down The paintings and trophies telegraph indicators have gone,
deployment.” There are also more personal boat’s links with the resort: Stone
when the boat came alongside for which could be found in the ward so too the speed indicators. The
It’s not a case of vultures acts of decommissioning. Jetty – one-time site of a breaker’s
the last time (since then Trafalgar room (including a note from periscopes will soon be removed.
greedily waiting on the Devonport Since 1993, Trafalgar has yard – is now Trafalgar Point.
has drawn power from the naval Nelson to Emma Hamilton) are The communications suite is as
jetty hoping to pick apart a few enjoyed the freedom of Lancaster Civic leaders had toyed with
base supplies). being returned to the Trophy modern as anything in the Service
scraps of Trafalgar. (the ship is affiliated to the naming a plaza in the submarine’s
“It’s not like a ship where you Store in Portsmouth. (Trafalgar was the first boat to
No, the vultures have a set Red Rose county town as well honour. Sadly, another settlement
just switch off the main engines Lest it be thought that send an e-mail while deployed),
menu to work to. A ‘de-equip’ list as the neighbouring resort of had already beaten them to
– you’ve a reactor to look after,” a few deeps take home a few the command system is cutting
is produced detailing which parts Morecambe). creating a Trafalgar Square…
explains weapon engineer officer ‘mementoes’ of their time aboard edge, so they’ll both go.
Lt Cdr Wayne Stafford. Trafalgar, there’s little chance of Indeed all around Trafalgar’s
“There’s no difference in the way that. control room there are empty slots
Some of the finest military band and
we treat this boat in disposal than If he’s lucky, CO Cdr Charlie in that blue-grey casing sailors
bagpipe music played by two of the best
Suffolk sojourners
bands in the world.
The Royal Marines play: A Life on the
Ocean Wave, Famous Songs of the British
Isles, A Sea Shanties Medley, Royal Salute,
SAILORS from HMS Vengeance’s Starboard crew instructing the cadets in seamanship and other naval
have paid a visit to Bury St Edmunds in related activities.
Crown Imperial, Evening Hymn and
Suffolk, the submarine’s affiliated town. Coxswain Rafferty then presented a
Sunset, and Rule Britannia.
Whilst in the town the ship’s company second £560 cheque to TS St Edmund’s
The Pipes and Drums of the Argyll
took the opportunity to visit some of the Commanding Officer, CPO (SCC) Daniel
submarine’s ‘friends’ and affiliates, including Davis, which will go towards maintaining
& Sutherland Highlanders feature:
a visit to Riverwalk School. facilities and training for the cadets. Highland Laddie, The Campbells are
Riverwalk specialises in teaching Next on the agenda was a meeting
coming, The Barren Rocks of Aden, Mairi’s
children with special needs, and has with the mayor and councillors of Bury
enjoyed a close relationship with St Edmunds, and to take part in the
Wedding, The Dornock Links, A Man’s A
Vengeance. annual Tasting of the Earth, a local
Man for A’ That, Highland Fling and The
Crew members met staff and pupils harvest festival. Argyll Broadswords.
and were happy to lend a hand with This event was enjoyed by all,
some decorating inside the school and a particularly those who were lucky
Together the bands combine to perform
spot of green-thumbed gardening in the enough to be invited to tour the local
The Black Bear, The Soldiers Return,
playground. Greene King brewery. Chariots of Fire, Auld Lang Syne and
Coxswain Steven Rafferty also had the Affiliates play an important part in a
Scotland the Brave.
pleasure to present a cheque for £560 to head submarine’s life.
teacher Mrs Audrey Finch, raised by the ship’s It is a chance for the crew to give something
company as a contribution towards the purchase of back to local communities, and also to spread the
Compact Disc £12.00 (incl p&p worldwide)
a new minibus. knowledge and awareness of what goes on beneath Cheques payable to Eastney Collection.
The deeps also visited the local Sea Cadet the waves.
Corps unit, TS St Edmund, another affiliate of the The nuclear ballistic missile submarine has already
Eastney Collection, 60 Mayford Rd, London SW12 8SN
submarine. received letters of thanks for her crew’s efforts in
Tel: 020 8673 6157; Fax: 020 8772 9545; Email: eastneycol@aol.com
A chance to meet young people who have the Bury St Edmunds, and Vengeance is now looking
aspiration to serve in the Royal Navy is never forward to the next opportunity to visit its ‘home’
www.eastneycollection.com (most major credit cards also accepted)
wasted, and the Vengeance party got straight to work town.
017_NN_feb.indd 1 20/1/10 16:39:08
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