4 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2011
● A pair of US Coast Guard vessels pass in front of the Al Basrah terminal watched by HMS Cumberland and the USS O’Kane
Christ THE silhouette is
● A member of Cumberland’s ship’s company on watch as the Type 22 enters Bahrain
● A dhow entering Doha harbour – as seen from HMS Chiddingfold
unmistakeable. Yes, that’s right, it’s a Sandown-class minehunter. Her Majesty’s Ship Pembroke to be precise. The backdrop is quite eyecatching too: the impressive waterfront skyline of Dubai, dominated by the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building (2,717ft or 828 metres if you prefer metric).
Pembroke was one of half a dozen Royal Navy vessels to New Year (made- up verb – Ed) in the Middle East’s most popular holiday destination. It’s popular not least because it’s toasty.
Bahrain-based all
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As Blighty was shivering in the coldest December in a century, Pembroke arrived in the UAE with temperatures touching 25˚C (77˚F).
She was joined in the Middle East metropolis by her sister Grimsby, plus Hunts Chiddingfold and Middleton which complete the quartet of RN mine warfare forces based in Bahrain. Just for good measures, HMS Cumberland and RFA Bayleaf also spent the turn of the year at Port Rashid, Dubai.
pictures: la(phot) jay allen, frpu east
And what a way to see in 2011.
The Burj Khalifa served as the backdrop for one of the most stunning (and probably highest) firework displays which rang in the New Year around the globe.
After that late night (and perhaps the
odd tipple), many of the sailors hit the beaches of Jumeirah – one of Dubai’s most exclusive districts.
it’s only fair that the sailors were allowed three days’ to let their (short) hair down. In Pembroke’s case, until just a few weeks ago, her crew were ‘enjoying’ the cooler climes of north-west Scotland aboard HMS Walney. T
tra Jo
Joi t
ra th But after a busy 2010 we think
They carried out extensive training and took part in Joint Warrior war games, then decommissioned Walney, sailing her into Portsmouth for disposal, before a handful of days off and flying out to Bahrain to take charge of Pembroke as part of the latest rotation of
o crews.
FOR the Cheery Chid Dubai was the second visit to one of the Gulf’s great cities in a fortnight. Ten days before Christmas the minehunter paid a three-day ‘working visit’ to Doha, the Qatari capital still enjoying the international spotlight after being awarded the 2022 World Cup.
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Within an hour of the lines and gangway going across, a class of 25 schoolchildren were fi ling aboard the Hunt-class warship. The 13 and 14-year-olds from Park House English School were given a thorough tour of the ship, watching fi re-fi ghting drills on the sweep deck with PO Miles and learning about the diving equipment with LD Binns. Meanwhile in the wardroom... conversation revolved around Exercise Predatory Falcon, a major exercise with the Qatari Navy which in 2010 saw the RN commit the largest number of vessels. Half a dozen senior
5
● Two’s company... HMS Cumberland exercising with Saudi Arabian frigate HMS Al Riyadh and (above) escorting FS Charles de Gaulle through the Strait of Hormuz on Boxing Day
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