NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2011


29


● ‘Cags’ Lacy during his days with 771 NAS


Picture: PO(Phot) Dave Gallagher


BRNC ● John and Jack Hendren


Move on, it’s Jack’s Navy now


ONE out, one in – the torch has passed on from one generation to the next in a Naval family. WO John Hendren, aged 51, has recently retired from the Senior Service after 34 years – just as his 19-year-old son Jack passed out of training at HMS Raleigh. “The funny thing is,” said John,


“that the final time I wore my uniform was a few weeks ago at Jack’s passing-out parade. “During the parade I suddenly realised I was standing on the spot I had first put on a Royal Navy uniform almost exactly 34 years later to the day.” John can be sure that the family’s


Achievement, awarded to the best sailor under training at Raleigh. “I remember when I first joined and experienced sailors would tell me that the Navy wasn’t what it used to be,” said John. “But I think that sailors have


always said that right back to the days of Nelson. “Today’s Navy is a lot smaller than when I joined, but far more technologically advanced. “The naval tradition passes on to the next generation and it becomes their Navy. Well, I guess it’s Jack’s navy now.” Jack will now begin his training as a Royal Navy chef, a very different career path from his father, who spent the majority of his time in submarines. John, who started in the old P-class HMS Walrus, was a key member of the inaugural crew on board the Navy’s newest submarine, HMS Astute.


Academic


has global appeal


reputation is in good hands as, during the passing out, Jack was presented with the prestigious Captain’s Prize for


TWO Navy ratings have been commended for carrying out rescues, one by swimming out into a heavy surf and the other by plucking the crew of a stricken trawler to safety in a helicopter.


When a fishing boat capsized in high seas outside Porthleven harbour in early October, LA Michael Arrowsmith knew exactly what to do.


The junior rate, who works at the


fire station at RNAS Culdrose, had been walking with a friend near the pier when he saw the Donna Mary being hit by a huge wave, pitching two men into the sea. LA Arrowsmith rushed to


Air, sea rescues


collect a buoyancy aid from the pier and ran towards the beach to assist the first crew member, who had been washed ashore and was struggling in the surf.


The second crew member was still in the water some way off the beach and LA Arrowsmith attempted to wade into the surf to throw the buoyancy aid to him. By now five people had gathered on the beach to hold the rescue line as the sailor tried to throw it to the fisherman, despite being knocked off his feet by waves. Due to the wind and wave conditions it proved impossible to get the buoyancy aid to the stricken man, so LA Arrowsmith decided to swim out to him. Placing the buoyancy aid around his shoulder he waded into the water but found he was continually knocked off his feet. He dived in to try to make ground


but found that the buoyancy of the ring forced him back. After several attempts,


and


becoming increasingly exhausted, LA Arrowsmith got within ten feet of him, but unable to make further progress, the sailor risked his own safety by removing the buoyancy aid from his shoulder and throwing it to the man. A large wave forced Arrowsmith under water and at this point he communicated to the group ashore that he was unable to continue. Some 15 minutes later a rescue helicopter from 771 SAR squadron at Culdrose winched the man to safety. The junior rate’s actions, which


were taken in the knowledge that he might be jeopardising his own


● LA Michael Arrowsmith


safety, resulted in the CO of RNAS Culdrose, Capt Toby Williamson, presenting LA Arrowsmith with the Captain’s Award for bravery. Capt Williamson said: “This is one of the most deserving awards I have ever given. “Arrowsmith’s action demonstrated real bravery in action and I am proud to have him with us at Culdrose.” Meanwhile, for his part in a difficult rescue at sea, POACMN ‘Cags’ Lacy has been awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal, presented by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace. Late on New Year’s Eve


afternoon in 2009 Falmouth Coastguard received a mayday from trawler Trevessa, reporting a fire and loss of steering 50 miles south west of the Isles of Scilly, and that the four-man crew were abandoning ship.


officers on the RN Young Officers Course, which routinely embraces over 20 countries, Dartmouth staff and cadets have welcomed both junior and senior representatives from countries across the globe. From Bangladesh to Peru and the United States to Korea there is considerable international interest in the training undertaken at BRNC. Every term there are strong links fostered between BRNC and its French and German counterpart colleges, and there is a permanent presence from those nations with two liaison officers fully integrated on the staff. Following a recent visit by the Commodore BRNC to the Dalian Academy of the People’s Liberation Army (Navy) in China, it is hoped that during 2011 RN cadets will have the opportunity to experience training there and a small group of PLA(N) midshipmen will spend time at BRNC.


Within an hour of the mayday, Rescue 193 arrived to be greeted by heavy rain, rough seas, 40-knot winds and pitch darkness. The fishing vessel was dead in


the water with no power so PO Lacy was lowered to the pitching deck to assess the situation. On the first descent, PO Lacy managed to hook his heels over the guardrail, from where he tried to heave himself onto the deck, but a heavy swell caused the trawler to pitch and he fell backwards 20ft into the icy water. ‘Cags’ said: “I remember vividly looking up and seeing the greeny glow of the aircraft lights above me.


“In my headset I could hear someone onboard saying I was underwater. It was quite surreal.” Submerged but still attached to the winch wire, he was recovered back into the helicopter. PO Lacy decided to go back


down for a further attempt to board the vessel and the aircraft was positioned for a second time. This time a successful hi-line transfer was conducted and, despite the heavy and unpredictable roll of the vessel, PO Lacy co-ordinated the safe evacuation of all four men, which took some 50 minutes in the appalling conditions. Cags has now left the RN and


is working for AgustaWestland at Newquay Airport, where he is an instructor at the Operational Flying Training Centre.


the Navy as a member of the RNR Air Branch where he continues to provide part-time support to 771 Search and Rescue NAS.


Brothers at the double ● Cdr Dai Roberts (right) with Nebo of the US Navy


Dai’s in Kabul, but Tenby’s on his mind


DESPITE the absence of seas for hundreds of miles, despite below- freezing temperatures and despite a war going on around them, an intrepid few braved the icy waters for the Kabul Boxing Day Swim. In fact it was more of a freezing


cold bucket of water being thrown over their heads, but times are hard and conditions tough out there. Cdr Dai Roberts managed yet again to complete his own Boxing Day swim. For the previous ten years he has organised the Virginia Beach Tenby


Boxing Day Swim, mirroring the event in Wales, but last year he found himself in Kabul with NATO, providing security assistance to the Afghan government. So as not to be thwarted he managed to persuade one other madman – ‘Nebo’ of the US Navy – to join him in this semblance of the swim, achieved using a bucket of cold water and a paddling pool. Dai’s family joined the real


Tenby swim, and he hopes to join them next year in whatever country he finds himself.


TWO sets of brothers have been serving together in frigate HMS Northumberland. For one pair it was their ‘home’ warship, as


Richy and Paul Coleman (bottom right) hail from Longhoughton, in Northumberland. Richy (on right), a leading engineer technician (marine engineer),


said: “It’s


been great to catch up and serve with my older brother over the past three months since I joined the ship – he’s been on board a lot longer and has completed the full eight months of the deployment.” Paul is a petty officer (underwater


weapons) in the frigate, and there is a third brother who goes to work in a dark blue suit – Mark, the third brother, is a leading engineer aircraft technician in the Fleet Air Arm. Two more brothers-in-arms on board


Northumberland were the Biggars (top right), from Glenrothes, who were reunited in the ship during the Calash 10 deployment. Marc and Ryan joined the Royal Navy after attending Auchmuty High School and


now enjoy flourishing careers in the Royal Navy.


Marc (on right) is an able seaman (computer and information systems) rating, working in the main communications office. He said: “It’s great to catch up again with


my little brother who has been serving in HMS Northumberland for the past eight months away from the UK. “I’ve been ashore on crew rotation as my


partner, Samantha, has just had our first child, Logan.” Ryan, an engineer technician (marine


engineer), said: “It’s tough at times being below decks working in the ship’s machinery spaces when we visit exotic places. “But it’s balanced with a decent amount of time off and I get the opportunity to play sport – I’ve played football for the Navy for the last two years as far afield as Dallas in Texas, and hope to go again this year.” Northumberland returned to her home base of Devonport, Plymouth, at the end of last year.


He has maintained his links with


Fledgling aviators graduate


awarded to the fledgling aviators, including the Westland’s prize to Lt Wallace as best overall student and the Bill Murton trophy presented to Lt Bayliss, who best personified the Commando aviation ethos. For the six pilots, the last eight months of Commando-role Sea King flying training at 848 NAS was the culmination of over two years of their lives, which included over six months in Lincolnshire flying the fixed-wing Firefly trainer, six months in Shropshire flying the Squirrel helicopter, as well as studying on a multitude of ground-based courses. The story differs slightly for the three Commando Aircrewmen – their efforts at 848 NAS over the past 20 weeks were preceded by four weeks of aviation military skills training at RAF Henlow and RAF St Mawgan, five weeks initial flying grading,


ground school and seven weeks navigation instruction at RAF Shawbury, followed by four weeks winchman training at RAF Valley.


five weeks basic


YEARS of hard work and effort finally came to fruition as one of the largest courses in recent years graduated with flying colours from 848 NAS at Yeovilton – the ‘Junglie Training Academy’. The day was all the more special for the students as the Duke of York – Commodore-in-Chief Fleet Air Arm and a former Navy pilot – presented their ‘wings’. Individual prizes were also


A BRIEF glance at the list of visitors to Britannia Royal Naval College since September reveals a truly cosmopolitan range of both countries and cultures. Setting aside the international


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