NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2010 13
Nott going out
Win a Harrier tribute
WE HAVE a treat for fast jet fans this month, courtesy of
AirForces Monthly, the world’s number one military aviation
magazine.
It’s produced a 32-page tribute to the work of Joint Force
Harrier – including the Naval Strike Wing – in Afghan skies.
Their five-year mission – one of the longest in the history of UK
BILLOWING fi ercely in a very stiff February wind,
Other ties have also sadly ended, including links with local Sea
fast jet operations – came to an end on July 1 last year.
the White Ensign is lowered for the fi nal time aboard
Cadet and Combined Cadet Forces, the RNR unit HMS Sherwood,
The Herrick Harriers supplement, written by the magazine’s
editor, Alan Warnes, is free with the March issue of AirForces
HMS Nottingham as the veteran destroyer bows out
the city’s RNA and Royal British Legion branches, three schools
and a children’s ward at Nottingham City Hospital.
Monthly. This in-depth account of Harrier operations features
of service. “There’s been a huge affi nity with Nottingham throughout the
exclusive interviews and photos from Kandahar.
Nearly 30 years to the day since she was launched, the ship’s life,” said the Type 42’s last Commanding Offi cer Cdr
The magazine and supplement are on sale now from all good
Type 42 was formally decommissioned on a bright, but bitter, Andy Price.
newsagents – or you can have a crack at winning one of fi ve
day in Portsmouth Naval Base. “We felt especially privileged to be able to seal our
copies. Just tell us the name of the engineering fi rm which
In the shadow of the Daring-class destroyers which are relationships with the opportunity to parade through this
produces the Harrier’s Pegasus engine.
Nottingham’s successors, former commanding offi cers, fi ne city. The enduring support and encouragement
Answers, marked ‘Herrick Harriers’, to the address on page
friends, family, plus the ship’s sponsor, Henrietta Wood, that the people of Nottingham have traditionally
26 – or email
herrickharriers@navynews.co.uk. Entries must be
bade farewell to the veteran warship. given – not only to their adopted ship but also to
received by mid-day on Friday April 16 2010.
Naval chaplain the Rev Ralph Barber led the service, the wider Armed Forces – is much appreciated.”
with music provided by the Band of HM Royal Marines
Officially the world’s number one military aviation magazine
And so ends the active life of a ship which
from HMS Collingwood, before Mrs Wood and Nottingham’s clocked up 700,000 miles on deployments
youngest sailor, 18-year-old ET James Deeley thrust a knife to the South Atlantic, Gulf and Far East. She
into a decommissioning cake. tackled the growing problem of maritime crime in
Only a relatively select few were invited to attend the the Mediterranean, paid the fi rst visit by a British
decommissioning ceremony on Victory Jetty, but another of warship in three generations to the Georgian port
Nottingham’s farewell acts was far more public: a celebration of of Poti, and helped train the Russian Federation
the ship’s deeds in her namesake city. in counter-terrorism – another fi rst.
Nottingham has enjoyed a close affi liation with the historic East Her ship’s company were praised for
Midlands city since 1984 when civic leaders bestowed freedom their response in saving the vessel when
upon the ship’s company. the destroyer crashed into Wolf Rock off
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